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Manual Contents - October 2011

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This contents list is sub divided into the following sections, each Section contains relevant Chapters/Procedures: (Click on the title to jump to the Section you require):

  1. Welcome, Values and Principles
  2. Referral, Assessment and Family Support
  3. Looked After and Adoption Services
  4. All Children
  5. Children in Specific Circumstances
  6. Youth Offending
  7. Guidance, Protocols and Partner Agency Procedures
  8. Appendices


1. Welcome, Values and Principles

1.1 Children's Services Values and Principles


2. Referral, Assessment and Family Support

2.1

Referral, Assessment and Planning

 
2.1.1 Walsall's Child Concern Model incorporating Common Assessment Framework Guidance and Children in Need Threshold Criteria  
2.1.2 Contacts and Referrals  
2.1.3 Initial Assessments  
2.1.4 Core Assessments (Not Child Protection)  
2.1.5

Core Assessments (Child Protection)

See also Chapter 7.1.1, Assessment Framework Guidance

 Updated
2.1.6 Disclosure Protocol for Investigating Child Abuse Cases  
2.1.7 Children in Need Service Planning and Working Agreements  
2.1.8 Overview of the Integrated Children's System  
2.1.9 Step Down: Framework for Continuing Support to Vulnerable Children (from the Walsall SCB Manual)  
2.1.10 Procedure for Managing Unallocated Cases within Walsall Vulnerable Children Safeguarding and Family Support Service New

   

2.2

Court Proceedings

  
2.2.1 Public Law Outline - Frequently Asked Questions  
2.2.2 Court Proceedings  
2.2.3 Legal Planning Meetings  
2.2.4 Pre-Proceedings Meetings  


3. Looked After and Adoption Services

3.1

Looked After Children: General

  
3.1.1

Decision to Look After a Child

See also Chapter 7.3.9, Permanence Planning Guidance

 Updated
3.1.2 Permanence Policy and Procedure  
3.1.3 Policy on Smoking for Foster Carers, Adopters, Children and Young People in Care  
3.1.4 Case Records for Looked After Children New
3.1.5 Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services New

   

3.2

Placements of Looked After Children

  
3.2.1 Placements in Looked After Services (Children's Homes, Foster Care and External Placements) Updated
  See also West Midlands Region - Core Standards in Placements for the Management of Young Runaways and The Sufficiency Duty in relation to Accommodation for Looked After Children.  
3.2.2 Placement with Parents Updated
3.2.3 Placements with Connected Persons Updated
3.2.4 Out of Area Placements New
3.2.5 Placements outside England and Wales  
3.2.6 Placements in Secure Accommodation  
3.2.7 YJB Court Ordered Secure Remands Protocol (2010)  
3.2.8 The Sufficiency Duty in relation to Accommodation for Looked After Children New

   

3.3

Meetings and Reviews

  
3.3.1 Placement Planning Meetings  
3.3.2 Looked After Reviews Updated
  See also Independent Reviewing Officers Guidance.  
3.3.3 Secure Accommodation (Criteria Reviews)  

   

3.4

Keeping Looked After Children Safe

  
3.4.1 Contacting the Police  
3.4.2 Countering Bullying  
3.4.3 Sanctions  
3.4.4 Searching Children and their Belongings  
3.4.5 West Midlands Region - Core Standards in Placements for the Management of Young Runaways  
  See also Protocol for Children and Young People Missing from Home and Care (in the Walsall SCB Manual)  

   

3.5

Education, Recreation and Activities

  
3.5.1 Education of Looked After Children Updated
3.5.2 Walsall Virtual School for Looked After Children - to follow  
3.5.3 Promotion of Education for Looked After Children in Residential Care  
3.5.4 Day Trips and Holidays within and outside the UK  
3.5.5 Leisure and Recreation  
3.5.6 School Trips within the UK  

   

3.6

Family Contacts, Visitors and Friends

  
3.6.1 Contact with Parents and Siblings Updated
3.6.2 Policy and Guidance: Delegation of Decisions on overnight stays for Looked After Children to Carers (including Foster Carer Checklist)  

   

3.7

Fostering Services

  
3.7.1 Fostering Panel Updated
3.7.2 Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers Updated
3.7.3 Exemptions to the Usual Fostering Limit Updated
3.7.4 Foster Carer Variations  
3.7.5 Persons Disqualified from Fostering Updated
3.7.6 Annual Review of Foster Carers  
3.7.7 Supervision and Support of Foster Carers Updated
3.7.8 Allegations/Complaints Against Foster Carers Updated
3.7.9 Fostering Allowance Guidance  
3.7.10 Household Pets  
3.7.11 Back Up Foster Carers  
3.7.12 Payment for Skills Updated
3.7.13 Skill Level Criteria  
3.7.14 Foster Carers Wishing to Adopt  
3.7.15 Guidance for Decision Making and Continuing to Support Foster Carers who are Placed 'On Hold' New
3.7.16 Procedure for Accepting the Resignation of Foster Carers New

   

3.8

Health and Wellbeing of Looked After Children

  
3.8.1 Health Care Assessments and Health Plans Updated
3.8.2 Administration and Storage of Medication in Residential Care  
3.8.3 General Practitioners, Dentists and Opticians  
3.8.4 Invasive Procedures  
3.8.5 Short Term Breaks - Medical and Clinical Procedures for Short Term Family Break Placements  
3.8.6 Personal Health and Sexual Relationships  

   

3.9

Adoption

  
3.9.1 Assessment and Approval of Agency Adopters Updated
3.9.2 Adoption Panel Updated
3.9.3 Placement for Adoption Updated
3.9.4 Adoption Support Services Updated
3.9.5 Monitoring and Supervision of Adoptive Placements  
3.9.6 Review of Adoptive Placements Updated
3.9.7 Non Agency Adoptions  
3.9.8 Disruption of Adoptive Placements  
3.9.9 Adoption Case Records Updated
3.9.10 Access by Adoptive Persons to Birth Records and Adoption Case Records Updated
3.9.11 Assessment and Approval of Inter Country Adopters Updated
3.9.12 Allegations Against Prospective Adopters and in relation to Children Placed for Adoption or already Adopted Updated
3.9.13 Court Reports in Adoption/Special Guardianship  
3.9.14 Checklist for Sharing Parental Responsibility  
3.9.15 Adoption Medical Paperwork - Checklist  

   

3.10

Special Guardianship

  
3.10.1 Special Guardianship  

   

3.11

Transition and Leaving Care

  
3.11.1 Transition and Leaving Care New
3.11.2 Benefits Leaflet  
3.11.3 Financial Arrangements for Children Leaving Care  
3.11.4 Healthy Eating Booklet  
3.11.5 Pregnancy Guidance for Children Leaving Care  
3.11.6 Children Attending University Guidance  
3.11.7 Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody New

   

3.12

Monitoring Quality of Looked After Children

  
3.12.1 Social Worker Visits Updated
3.12.2 Monitoring Quality in Residential Care  

   

3.13

Privacy and Personal Care

  
3.13.1 Children's Bedrooms  
3.13.2 Bedroom Sharing  
3.13.3 Hair and Skin Care  
3.13.4 Spiritual Development  
3.13.5 Correspondence: Telephones, Mobile 'Phones and Letters  
3.13.6 Physical Contact and Intimate Care  

   

3.14

Advocacy/Independent Visitors

  
3.14.1 Advocacy and Independent Visitors Updated

   

3.15

Miscellaneous Looked After Procedures

  
3.15.1 Change of Name of a Looked After Child  
3.15.2 Marriage of a Looked After Child  


4. All Children

4.1

Health Care and Safeguarding of Children in Need

  
4.1.1 Drugs and Substance Misuse  
4.1.2 HIV and AIDS  
4.1.3 Self Harming  
4.1.4 CAMHS  
4.1.5 Death of or Serious Illness/Injury in Relation to a Child in Need (including a Looked After Child)  
4.1.6 Notifications of Looked After Children Placed in Walsall by Other Local Authorities Updated
4.1.7

Notification of Serious Child Care Incidents

See also Management of Allegations Against People who Work with Children and Young People where there are Cross Border Issues (from the Walsall SCB Manual)

  
  See also Protocol for Children and Young People Missing from Home and Care (from the Walsall SCB Manual)  

   

4.2

Representations, Complaints and Confidential Reporting

  
4.2.1 Representations and Complaints Procedure  
4.2.2 Confidential Reporting (Whistle-blowing Procedure)  

   

4.3

Preventive Services

  
4.3.1 Family Support Panel  
4.3.2 Private Fostering Updated
4.3.3 Family Group Conference Service  

   

4.4

Miscellaneous Children in Need Procedures

  
4.4.1 Emergency Response Team  
4.4.2 Physical Intervention  
4.4.3 Transporting Children and Activities  


5.  Children in Specific Circumstances

5.1

Procedures

  
5.1.1 Forced Marriages  
5.1.2 Long Stay Hospital Admissions  
5.1.3 Young Carers Guidance  


6. Youth Offending

6.1

Procedures

  
6.1.1 Persons Posing a Risk to Children  
 

See also YJB Court Ordered Secure Remands Protocol (July 2010), Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody Procedure and Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services.

  


7.  Guidance, Protocols and Partner Agency Procedures

7.1

Children in Need and Safeguarding Guidance

  
7.1.1 Assessment Framework Guidance  
7.1.2 Child in Need Service Planning and Working Agreement Pro Forma  
7.1.3 Inter-Authority Protocol for Children in Need  
7.1.4 E-Safety Policy (from the Walsall SCB Manual)  
7.1.5 Consents, Confidentiality and Information Sharing  
7.1.6 Countering Bullying Guidance  
7.1.7 Protocol for Joint Working with Young People At Risk of Sexual Exploitation  
7.1.8 Facilitating the participation of children and young people in Child Protection Conferences  

7.1.9

 Sudden Unexpected Deaths in Infants  
7.1.10 Safeguarding Children: Child Contact  
7.1.11 Child Protection Discharge Procedure  
7.1.12 Practice Guidance for Assessing Risk to Children who have Substance and/or Alcohol using Parents and/or Carers New
7.1.13 Interface Procedure between Walsall's Vulnerable Children Service and Spurgeon's Family Support Service New

   

7.2

Children's Disability Guidance

  
7.2.1 About Me (For Disabled Children in Short Term Breaks)  
7.2.2 Short Term Breaks Referrals and Placements Updated
7.2.3 Transition Protocol for Disabled Children  
7.2.4 Transition Pathway  

   

7.3

Looked After Children Guidance

  
7.3.1 Placements in the Looked After Service  
7.3.2 Care Plans Updated
7.3.3 Independent Reviewing Officers Updated
7.3.4 Development of Positive Relationships  
7.3.5 Disrupted Placements  
7.3.6 Education of Looked After Children Guidance Updated
7.3.7 Friends and Family Care Updated
7.3.8 Outreach Team  
7.3.9 Permanence Planning Updated
7.3.10 Religious Observance, Racial Origin, Cultural and Linguistic Backgrounds  

   

7.4

Fostering Guidance

  
7.4.1 Fostering Applications for Exemption from the Usual Fostering Limit  
7.4.2 Foster/Substitute Carer Recruitment  
7.4.3 Foster Carer Reviews  
7.4.4 Permanent/Temporary Foster Carers and Short Term Break Carers: Joint Protocol  
7.4.5 Safe Caring  
7.4.6 Viewpoint  
7.4.7 Foster Carer Allowances Leaflet  
7.4.8 Private Fostering Guidance  
7.4.9 Competence Assessments Based Guidance  
7.4.10 Support for Foster Carers Placed 'on hold'  
7.4.11 Bedroom Sharing Guidance Updated
7.4.12 Foster Carers Supervision Agreement Template  

   

7.5

Adoption Guidance

  
7.5.1 Adoption Panel Papers  
7.5.2 Child Appreciation Days  

   

7.6

Children's Homes and Secure Accommodation Guidance

  
7.6.1 Alcohol in Residential Settings  
7.6.2 Behaviour Management Guidance  
7.6.3 Incidents - General  
7.6.4 Residential On Call System  
7.6.5 Secure Accommodation Reviews  

   

7.7

Health and Wellbeing Guidance

  
7.7.1 HIV/AIDS  
7.7.2 Substance Misuse Interventions and School Guidance  
7.7.3 Community Protocol for Administering Medication using a Nebuliser  
7.7.4 Community Protocol for Clearing Upper Airway Secretions using Suction  
7.7.5 Community Protocol for Management and Feeding through a Gastrostomy  

   

7.8

Transfers Guidance

  
7.8.1 Closing and Transferring Cases  
7.8.2 Transfers from Vulnerable Children's Service and the Corporate Parenting Service  

   

7.9

Miscellaneous Guidance

  
7.9.1 Code of Practice for Social Work Staff  
7.9.2 Criminal Injuries Guidance  
7.9.3 Consultation and Support Service  
7.9.4 Criminal Records Bureau Admin Process  
7.9.5 Relationships between Children's Guardians and Social Workers in the Black Country  


8. Appendices

8.1 Local Contacts  
8.2 Local Keywords  
8.3 Designated Managers  
8.4 Manual Editing Guidance  
8.5 NICE Guidelines - 'When to suspect child maltreatment'  
8.6 Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010  
8.7 Quick Reference Guide New

End