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7.8.1 Closing and Transferring Cases

Contents

  1. Closing a Case
  2. Transfer Procedure Between the Vulnerable Children's Service and the Corporate Parenting Service


1. Closing a Case

Prior to closing, all recording in both the electronic and paper files must be up to date and complete. Factual information about the child and family should be checked and amended if necessary to ensure it is up to date and accurate. All Management Decision Records should be in place and the manager's date and time stamp should confirm that the file has been read before closure.

A Closure Record on Paris should be completed. This will ensure that the concerns raised in the referral or assessment have been addressed and the outcomes recorded. The views of the child and parents on closure should also be recorded here. If a Child's Plan has been in place, then a Child in Need Plan Review should also be on file.

The outcome of social work involvement in the case should also be communicated in writing to the referring professional in the case of an initial assessment and to all key professionals in any other case.

The team manager must authorise the Closure record on Paris.

NB A closure record is not required at the end of an initial assessment as it establishes the need for the ongoing involvement of children's social care and a copy of the record is sent to the family.


2. Transfer Procedure Between the Vulnerable Children's Service and the Corporate Parenting Service

1. Purpose
1.1 The purpose of this document is to clarify the agreed procedures for transfer of cases between the Vulnerable Children's Service and the Corporate Parenting Service.
1.2 These procedures should be followed in all circumstances.
1.3 These procedures cover children who are accommodated under Section 20 and those children subject to Section 31 Orders, Children Act 1989, relinquished children, siblings with differing care plans and those when responsibility for final orders are made to Walsall by other Local Authority's

2. Process for Transferring Children Looked After Under Section 20
2.1 The Vulnerable Children's Service will seek to avoid the accommodation of children where ever it is possible to do so.
2.2 Where it is necessary to accommodate a child, the Vulnerable Children's Service will hold case responsibility until the 72 hour Post Placement Meeting. At this meeting case responsibility will be transferred to the Corporate Parenting Service.
2.3 Prior to this meeting the Vulnerable Children's Service will
  1. Begin/open the Placement Information Record (PIR)
  2. Establish contact arrangements for a four week period
  3. Register and forward P E P paperwork by completing WSS901
  4. Complete and forward WSS962 for Child's Health Assessment
2.4 Should the child, parents or other significant party not be present at the 72 hour meeting, the Vulnerable Children's Social Worker will attend an introductory visit if appropriate.
2.5 The Corporate Parenting Service duty Team Manager will be informed of the pending transfer at the point that the child/young person becomes accommodated. The date of the meeting will be confirmed as soon as it is arranged. Details of the specific case will be available on PARIS.
2.6 On the day of the 72 hour placement meeting, the Vulnerable Children's Service Team Manager will complete the 1st Form Completion section of the PIR and also any comments about why the form is incomplete. The transfer sheet will be completed and passed to admin to transfer directly to Corporate Parenting.
2.7 The 72 hour Post Placement Meeting having been arranged by Family Placements, will be additionally attended by a worker from the Vulnerable Children's Service and the Corporate Parenting Service. Further information will be obtained to enable the PIR to be completed by Corporate Parenting who will then input on Paris and the Corporate Parenting Team manager will complete the 2nd Form Completion. During this meeting clear discussions are to be held and recorded about exit planning and timescales for reunification.
2.8 Corporate Parenting will record the 72hour post placement meeting case note, (indicating who attended the meeting etc) and when a copy of the Foster Carer Agreement form is received by Corporate Parenting from Family Placements, they will attach within the case notes.
2.9 The Corporate Parenting Service will book the Initial Statutory Review following the Post Placement Meeting.
2.10 If the case has been held by Safeguarding and Family Support Service for more than three months then the case will be transferred at the first Statutory Review.
2.11 Responsibility for the case will transfer from the Vulnerable Children's Service to the Corporate Parenting Service at the Statutory Review Meeting. However the Corporate Parenting Service will identify a worker for the case at the 72 hour Post Placement Meeting and a period of co-working will take place up until the first Statutory Review to allow introduction and familiarity to the case. This should assist with the transition of the case and allow any assessments to be commenced immediately following the Statutory Review Meeting.
2.12 In such cases the Vulnerable Children's Service will:
  1. Complete the PIR
  2. Attend 72 hour Post Placement Meetings, record the meeting case note and attach the Foster Carer Agreement form within Paris.
  3. Book the statutory review and complete Review Part 1
  4. Register, complete P E P paperwork. There may be genuine reasons why this cannot occur prior to the first Review i.e due to school holidays, unavailability of school etc. This will not delay the transfer of the case. Where specific issues arise they should be resolved between the relevant Team Managers. However in majority of cases P E P will be completed prior to the first Statutory Review and the process will be completed by the Corporate Parenting Service.
  5. Book Health Assessments and complete paperwork. Again in the majority of cases this will take place prior to the first Statutory Review in. However as above there may be genuine reasons why this cannot occur. In these circumstances the process will be completed by the Corporate Parenting Service.
  6. Put into place contact arrangements and attend Family Support Panel as necessary to request funding and any assessment required.
  7. Ensure files are ready for transfer signed as seen and verified by the Vulnerable Children's Service Team Manager to audit standards.
  8. Transfer case on PARIS on the day of the Statutory Review.
  9. Throughout this period of involvement consideration and attempts will be made to returning the child home or placing with family members.
2.13 The Corporate Parenting Service will:
  1. Identify a worker to attend the 72 hour Post Placement Meeting.

Identify a worker from this meeting who will:

  1. Undertake joint visits with the Vulnerable Children's Service to meet the child, foster carer, parents and any other relevant significant person.
  2. Will meet with the Vulnerable Children's Service Social Worker and Team Manager where appropriate to discuss case and outstanding work and assessments.
  3. Attend Statutory Review Meeting and accept case responsibility following the meeting. All tasks recommended at this meeting will be undertaken by the Corporate Parenting Service.

3. Process For Transferring Children Looked After Under Section 31
3.1 The Vulnerable Children's Service will initiate any Court proceedings as appropriate.
3.2 Case responsibility will transfer to Corporate Parenting Service at the Court Hearing for the application of Interim Care Order.
3.3 Prior to the Court Hearing the Vulnerable Children's Service will:
  1. Complete Chronology, Statement of Evidence and Initial Care Plan.
  2. Begin PIR
  3. Place the child/young person in place of accommodation.
  4. Attend Court.
  5. Change child's legal status on WSS19 case notes within PARIS.
  6. If requested and if appropriate will attend the first Statutory Review Meeting.
  7. Arrange contact for a four week period. This will include attendance at the Family Support Panel to obtain permission for funding for contact and any required assessments and date and time stamped.
  8. Will ensure the child's file is ready for transfer signed as seen by the Vulnerable Children's Service Team Manager to audit standards.
  9. Transfer case to Corporate Parenting Services on PARIS following the initial Court Hearing.
  10. Will introduce Corporate Children's Service Social Worker to the child and their family.
  11. Will attend meetings with the Corporate Parenting Service Social Worker as required.
3.4 The Corporate Parenting Service will:
  1. Attend Interim Care Order Court Hearing.
  2. Assume case responsibility following the Court Hearing and take responsibility for any Court Directions.
  3. Book Statutory Review Meeting.
  4. Complete Statutory Review paperwork.
  5. Register and undertake P E P.
  6. Arrange Health Care Assessment.
  7. Undertake Statutory visits.
3.5
  1. Where a case has been held within the Vulnerable Children's Safeguarding & Family Support Service for more than three months the Vulnerable Children's Service will in addition to the points laid out in 3.3.
    • Complete the PIR and arrange and attend the 72 hour Post Placement Meeting
    • Attend the first Statutory Review Meeting.
    • Meet with the Corporate Parenting Service Social Worker and Team Manager.
  1. Should a child be made subject to an Emergency Protection Order, the 72 hour placement meeting will have occurred prior to the Interim Care Order hearing/transfer. In these circumstances the Vulnerable Children's Service will complete the PIR.
3.6 In such situations case responsibility will still transfer to the Corporate Parenting Service at the first Court Hearing.
3.7 The Vulnerable Children's Service will inform the Corporate Parenting Service duty Team Manager at the point that a decision is taken to instigate Court proceedings. A Court date will be provided as soon as is known. A copy of all Court paperwork will be provided to the Corporate Parenting Service once approved by Legal Services.

4. Cases Transferred from Corporate Parenting Service to Vulnerable Children's Service
4.1 When a child ceases to be Looked After and is subject to a Child's Plan the case will be transferred to the Vulnerable Children's Service at the first Review Meeting of this Plan.
4.2 The Corporate Parenting Service will:
  1. Have completed Core Assessments as required by ICS.
  2. At the point of arranging the Review Meeting, the Duty Team Manager from the Vulnerable Children's Service for that week is to be notified of the date and time of the meeting.
  3. Attend Family Support Panel where appropriate to ensure all services are ratified and agreed.
  4. Make all arrangements for the child's Plan Review Meeting.
  5. Attend, chair and minute the meeting as appropriate.
  6. Ensure files are up to date, signed as seen by Corporate Parenting Team Manager to audit standards date and time stamped on PARIS.
4.3 Vulnerable Children's Service will:
  1. Attend the Review Meeting.
  2. Will assume case responsibility following transfer.

5. Case Responsibility for Siblings with Different Care Plans
5.1 There will be no transfer of the above cases regardless of whether they either fit the LAC criteria or Child Protection/Child's Plan criteria until either all siblings have the same plan or there is an agreed permanency plan for the Looked After child.

6. Relinquished Children
6.1 Should an unknown child come to the attention of the Vulnerable Children's Service a joint visit will be undertaken with them and the Adoption Team. The Vulnerable Children's Service will complete an Initial Assessment.
  1. If continued support services are required or further assessments needed, the case will transfer to a Safeguarding and Family Support Team.
  2. If the plan remains for the child to be relinquished, case responsibility will transfer to the Corporate Parenting Service on completion of the Initial Assessment.

7. Final Orders Made to Walsall by Another Local Authority
7.1 When care proceedings are being 'run' by another Local Authority and the Vulnerable Children's Service are informed that the family have moved into Walsall, the Corporate Parenting Team manager will be notified and the case will be transferred directly to Corporate Parenting for negotiations to take place regarding the components of the final Care Plan.

8. Review of This Procedure
8.1 This procedure will be formally reviewed in November 2007 and thereafter annually.
8.2 Any amendments to the procedure will be negotiated accordingly at such a review.
8.3 In order t achieve the best possible service for the child and family, and of ensuring a smooth transition, particular attention will be given to co-working arrangements across the service.

End