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Contents

1.	Planned Placements
	1.1	Introduction
	1.2	Consultation before Placement
	1.3	Assessment and checks before placement
	1.4	Recommending the Plan
	1.5	Approval of the Plan
	1.6	What to Include in the Written Reports/Plans
	1.7	Short term placements
	1.8	Social Work Visits during the Placement
	1.9	Ending of placement
2.	Unplanned Placements
3.	Notifications of Placements
4.	Placements during Proceedings
	Appendix: Placement of Children at Home Checklist

1. Planned Placements

1.1 Introduction

The Placement of Children with Parents etc. Regulations 1991 reflect the philosophy of the Children Act that children in need can be assisted most effectively if the Local Authority works in partnership with the child's parents and that for most children the best place to be brought up is within their own family.

Those Regulations and the subsequent procedures are designed to provide a framework for good professional practice in relation to such placements. In many cases where it is decided that a placement under these Regulations is the right approach, it will be as part of the progress towards discharge of the Care Order.

It should be stressed that these arrangements require the agreement of the Assistant Director Children and Families and that it is not this department’s practice to seek the placement of children with their parents on a care order as part of a care plan following proceedings. See chapter: Permanence Planning.

In exceptional circumstances a child may be placed without the immediate need for the following procedures; please see Section 2, Unplanned Placements.

1.2 Consultation before Placement

Before a child is placed, the following people must be consulted and their views accounted for (The views of these people should be given by them, in writing, or should be recorded in the case file by the social worker):

1. The child. This should be done directly with the child in a manner which recognises their stage of development and communication needs, including translation and signing;
2. Both parents including a parent who is not the proposed carer of the child;
3. Any other member of the family who is significant to the child including anybody else who has Parental Responsibility or a Residence Order for the child;
4. The district health authority (Consultant Paediatrician);
5. The district health authority for the area in which the child is to be placed;
6. The Education Authority;
7. If the child has a disability, is in the process of being assessed for Special Educational Needs (SEN) or has already a Statement, the Special Needs Section in the Education Department;
8. The education authority for the area in which the child is to be placed;
9. The child’s G.P.
10. The G.P. of the person whom it is proposed to place the child with (that person’s consent should be obtained). This might include checks with other health professionals, for example if there is a concern about the carer's mental health or concerns around substance misuse;
11. The child’s Health Visitor (this should done through appropriate Health Visitor Manager);
12. The Health Visitor (if there is one) of the person with whom it is proposed to place the child;
13. The child’s school;
14. The Police and Youth Offending Team;
15. The Probation Service, if it has contact with the family;
16. The child's Independent Reviewing Officer;
17. The relevant Children’s Social Care Services if the child is placed in another local authority’s area;
18. Existing carers (foster parent, residential worker etc.);
19. The foster carer or manager of the children’s home currently caring for the child;
20. Where the child is or has been the subject of a Child Protection Plan; the views of a child protection case conference should be sought when the Local Authority is considering major changes in the plan for the child such as a return home on a supervision order. This may therefore involve convening, for example, an initial child protection case conference in respect of children whose names have previously been the subject of a Child Protection Plan (or were formerly removed from the Child Protection Register or had formerly been the subject of a child protection plan) because of the protection offered by the Care Order. It is not Bromley’s policy to make children the subject of a Child Protection Plan who are already subject to care orders and are placed at home. In these circumstances consideration should be given to an end to the placement of the child with their parent/s.(See London Child Protection Procedures).

The consultation should be formal. The persons being consulted should be written to, requesting their views on the proposed placement. It is important that those who are consulted should reply in writing; their written replies should be placed on the case file.

If appropriate a letter should also be sent to the child, as part of the consultation process with the child.

The views of these people should be given by them, in writing, or should be recorded in the case file by the social worker.

Social Workers should complete the Appendix: Placement of Children at Home Checklist

1.3  Assessment and checks before placement

The suitability of the proposed placement should be assessed through:

• Obtaining relevant information about the proposed main carer or carers and all members of the household, this includes consideration of the nature and the quality of the relationships of these people and the impact that the child's placement would have. The social worker should meet all the people in the household before the placement is made;
• Inspecting the accommodation including living, sleeping and washing/toilet facilities;
• If a child is to share a bedroom particular attention should be given to ensure that the arrangement is in the child's best interests;
• Checking the proposed carer and all adult members of the household with the Criminal Records Bureau, the carer’s GP, NSPCC and Children’s Social Care Services records. Such checks will require the permission of the parents and household members;
• If the child is returning to a placement that broke down or that ended, the social worker must give explicit consideration as to what has changed to make the placement suitable now;
• A full assessment of the child's needs in placement including any risk attached to the placement. This should include an assessment of the child/ren's cultural racial and linguistic needs and the impact that such a move would have;
• Identification of the extent of support that will be required by the child and the family if the placement is made. All children in such placements must have an allocated social worker.

The assessment should take account of:

• The parents' capacity, and the capacity of other adult members of the household, to care for children and, in particular in relation to the child:
  • To provide for the child 's physical needs and appropriate medical and dental care;
  • To protect the child adequately from harm or danger, including any person who presents a risk of harm to the child;
  • To ensure that the home environment is safe for the child;
  • To ensure that the child's emotional needs are met and he/she is provided with a positive sense of self, including any particular needs arising from religious persuasion, racial origin, and cultural and linguistic background, and any disability the child has;
  • To promote the child's learning and intellectual development through encouragement, cognitive stimulation and the promotion of educational success and social opportunities;
  • To enable the child  to regulate his/her emotions and behaviour, including by modelling appropriate behaviour and interactions with others;
  • To provide a stable family environment to enable the child to develop and maintain secure attachments to the parents and other persons who provide care for the child.
• The parents' state of health (physical, emotional and mental), the parents' medical history, including current or past issues of domestic violence, substance misuse or mental health problems;
• The state of health (physical, emotional and mental) of other adult members of the household and their medical history, including current or past issues of domestic violence, substance misuse or mental health problems;
• The parents' family relationships and the composition of the parents' household, including:
  • The identity of all other members of the household, their age and the nature of their relationship with parents and one another, including any sexual relationship; their relationship with any parent of the child;
  • Other adults who are not members of the household but are likely to have regular contact with the child;
• Current/previous domestic violence between household members including the parents.
• The parents' family history, including:
  • The particulars of the parents'  childhood and upbringing, including the strengths and difficulties of their parents/carers;
  • The parents'  relationship  with their parents and  siblings, and their relationships with each other;
  • The parents' educational achievement, including any specific learning difficulty/disability;
  • A chronology of significant life events;
  • Other relatives and their relationships with the child and parents;
• Criminal offences of which the parents or other members of the household have been convicted or cautioned;
• Parents' past and present employment/sources of income;
• The nature of the neighbourhood and resources available in the community to support the child and parents;
• Any available information about the parents' previous experiences of looking after children.  Where a parent has other children subject to care/adoption orders, earlier case records should be explored to ascertain the circumstances which led to social work involvement , and any indication that the capacity of the parent to bring up children has changed.

1.4 Recommending the Plan

In normal circumstances, the child’s placement with his or her parent must be part of the Care Plan, upon the recommendation of a Looked After Review.

However, if the child has previously suffered Significant Harm when living with the parent and continues to be the subject of a Child Protection Plan the placement may only be authorised upon the recommendation of a Child Protection Review Conference.

The Designated Manager (Placements with Parents) should be invited to attend the Looked After Review or Child Protection Review Conference and then may authorise the placement if it seems appropriate. 

If the Designated Manager (Placements with Parents) is unable to attend, the written reports/plans outlined in the next paragraph should be seen and endorsed by him/her prior to the review.  The Designated Manager may then authorise the placement upon the recommendation of the Looked After Review or Child Protection Review Conference.

The written reports/plans referred to above are as follows:

• A written report outlining the matters covered in Section 1.6, What to Include in the Written Reports/Plans;

• A copy of the child’s Care Plan, if available (the Manager may authorise that this be completed up to 7 days after the placement starts;
• A Placement Information Record.

As well as the usual contents, the proposed Placement Plan must include the following:

1. Details of the support and services to be provided to the parents during the placement;
2. The obligation on the parents to notify the Local Authority of any relevant change in circumstances including any intention to change address, any changes in the household in which the child lives and and any serious incident involving the child;
3. The obligation on the parents to ensure that any information relating to the child  or the child's family or any other person given in confidence to the parents in connection with the placement is kept confidential and that such information is not disclosed to any person without the consent of the Local Authority;
4. The circumstances in which it is necessary to obtain the prior approval of the Local Authority for the child  to live in a household other than that of the parents;
5. The circumstances in which  the placement of the child  with the parents pending completion of the assessment of suitability will be terminated  if the decision following completion of the assessment is not to confirm the placement.

NB The Local Authority must provide such services and support to the parents as appear to be necessary to safeguard and promote the child's welfare, and record details in the Care Plan and Placement Plan.

1.5  Approval of the Plan

If the Nominated Officer has attended the Looked After Review or Child Protection Review Conference (referred to above), s/he may authorise the placement at that review.

If the Nominated Officer has not attended the review, s/he may authorise the placement upon the recommendation of the review, having considered the minutes of that meeting.  The Designated Manager should have seen the reports/plans list in Section 1.4 above prior to the review; if not, s/he should see them before authorising the placement.

The Nominated Officer must be satisfied that:

• The child's wishes and feelings have been ascertained and given due consideration;
  • The assessment of parents' suitability to care for the child (see Section 1.3, Assessment and Checks Before Placement) has been completed;
  • The placement will safeguard and promote the child's welfare;
  • The Independent Reviewing Officer has been consulted.

If approval is given, consideration should be given to whether the Care Order is still required. The Local Authority and parents may agree to apply to discharge the Care Order and if so, such an agreement must include the level of support and supervision to be provided by the Local Authority after the Care Order has been discharged, and the level of co-operation by the parents.

1.6 What to include in the Written Report/Plans

The matters that must be covered in the written report or in the Care Plan/Placement Information Record, placed before the Looked After Review or Child Protection Review Conference, and considered by the Designated Manager (Placements with Parents) before authorising the placement are as follows.

• Summary of child’s & family’s history;
• Summary of how and why the child came to be in care;
• Summary of plan for the child when he/she originally came into care;
• Details of proposed placement with parent;
• Outcome of the assessments, consultations and enquiries made as required by the assessments outlined above; including an assessment of the parents ability to meet the identified needs of the child;
• Aims and objectives of the proposed placement (there needs to be great clarity about why this placement is being proposed) and long term plan for the child;
• Any identified areas of risk involved in the placement;
• Support and services to be provided to the family and child;
• Details of supervision of placement;
• Arrangements for education;
• Contingency plans in case of breakdown;
• The financial circumstances and benefit entitlement of the carer.

1.7 Short term placements

Where the relevant Plan or Plans provide for a series of short term placements of a child with a parent, the requirements as to consultation, enquiries and checks can be carried out once only rather than every time a placement is made, provided that:

• All the placements take place within a twelve months period;
• No single placement is for a period of more than four weeks; and
• The total duration of the placements does not exceed 90 days.

If a series of short-term placements is part of a longer-term rehabilitation plan, further consultation and approval must be obtained before the rehabilitation plan is extended or the child is returned to the parent’s full-time care.

Relevant placements of more than 24 hours are subject to these procedures. This includes short-term placements for purposes of contact. The action required in these procedures should need to be taken only once in respect of an established arrangement such as a weekly, weekend placement. If these conditions are met but there is any change in circumstances of significance, consideration should be given to re-applying these procedures.

1.8 Social Work Visits during the Placement

The child's social worker must visit the child in the placement within one week of the placement and thereafter every six weeks - see Social Work Visits to Looked After Children Procedure.

If the child is placed with parents pending assessment (see Social Worker Visits Procedure, Section 2, Conditions), social work visits must take place at least once a week until the first Looked After Review, thereafter at intervals of not more than 6 weeks.

1.9 Ending of placement

Wherever possible the decision to end a placement should be made at a Looked After Review and the ending should take place in a planned way.

In emergencies, the social worker must discuss the case with his/her manager, who will make the decision. Legal advice should always be sought, preferably by way of a Legal Planning Meeting, and the Care Order should give adequate power to enable the child to be removed by the social worker, but the use of other orders (e.g. an Emergency Protection Order or Recovery Order) might be appropriate in some circumstances.

All those notified of the placement starting should be notified, in writing, when it ends;  preferably notifications should be made prior to the ending, or as soon as practicable thereafter.  If the child is moving from one placement to another or his/her legal status has changed, the relevant Business Support Officer must be notified.

Notification must be in writing to agencies and professionals, but an individually composed letter should be sent to the parents and child.

At the end of all placements, or transfer from one placement to another, the social worker should collaborate with the carer to write an end of placement report.  If the child continues to be Looked After, it will be necessary to draw up (or update) the child’s Care Plan and Placement Information Record.

2. Unplanned Placements

The Nominated Officer can approve an unplanned placement without the necessary consultation and checks having been made provided that:

1. There are exceptional circumstances which justify an unplanned placement;
2. There has been an interview with the proposed carer who agrees to the placement;
3. The accommodation has been inspected; and
4. Information has been obtained as to the other people in the household.

The reasons for a decision to place a child on this basis must be fully recorded, signed by the designated manager and placed on the child’s file. An example of this could be the unforeseen breakdown of a foster placement requiring the child's immediate removal where placement with parents was the least traumatic move for the child.

Before such a placement can be made, the social worker must:

• Interview the parent and provide as much of the assessment information as can be readily ascertained at the interview;
• Inspect the accommodation;
• Obtain information about other persons living in the household (this is particularly relevant to identifying issues such as domestic violence and substance misuse which may impact on the child's safety);
• The assessment and the review of the child's case are completed within 10 working days of the child being placed;
• The decision on placement is made and approved within 10 working days of the assessment being completed; and
  • If the decision is to confirm the placement, the Placement Plan is reviewed (and if appropriate amended);
  • If the decision is not confirm the placement, the placement is terminated.

A Placement Information Record must also be completed before or on the day of the placement and  if the child is placed in these circumstances, social work visits must take place at least once a week until the first Looked After Review, and thereafter at intervals of not more than 6 weeks.

3. Notifications of Placements

The child's social worker will update the child's electronic record with the details of the placement.

The Children's Commissioning Team should also be notified if they are not already aware.

The Children's Commissioning Team will send notifications of the placement to the Designated Nurse for LAC, the relevant person in the education service,and the local Children's Services (if the placement is in the area of a different local authority) 

The Children's Commissioning Team must also notify the allocated Independent Reviewing Officer or, if it is the first placement, the Quality Assurance Unit of the placement.  This notification will trigger the appointment of an Independent Reviewing Officer if it is the first placement, and the setting up of arrangements for a Looked After Review.

The child's social worker will notify all family members consulted and involved in the decision-making process of the placement, as well as all those involved in the day to day arrangements for the child, including school and any health professional or YOT worker actively involved with the child.

These notifications must be made in writing, advising of the placement decision and the name and address of the children's home where the child is to be placed.

The notifications should be before the start of the placement or within 5 working days.

4. Placements during Proceedings

The Designated Manager may approve a placement during the course of care proceedings. Placement with Parents regulations to be completed within six weeks.

Appendix: Placement of Children at Home Checklist

PRIORITY TASKS	ASSESSMENT POINTS	COMPLETED (Please tick)
Assessment in relation to the needs of the child(ren) Vol3 CA Guidance, P50, 51	Contact with family; Health care & medical needs; Educational needs; Religious practice; Needs relating to race, culture & language; Needs of siblings; Package of support.
Consideration of which placement would best meet these needs	Current placement; Previous placement(s); Placement at home.
Court Involvement /Child subject to a Child Protection Plan	Care Order - Interim /Full - still necessary? Is plan necessary?
Aims and objectives of placement	Tasks to be completed & by whom; Timescales of tasks; Contingency plan if tasks are not achieved.
Consultation should take place with Vol3 CA Guidance P52	Child - preferably on his/her own; Parents; Individuals with PR; Current Carers; Other relatives; Relevant professionals, eg Guardian, CAMHS; Education; Health; Police; Probation; Independent Chair.
Suitability of Proposed Carers / Parents Vol3 CA Guidance P148	Age; Health - physically, mentally, drug and alcohol issues; Personality/Presentation/Self-care skills; Marital status & details of previous marriage/ civil partnership; Previous experience of parenting & capacity to care for child(ren) subject of assessment; Result of any application to foster/adopt/ mind children; Details of children in household, living in home or not; Religious practice, racial origin, & cultural and linguistic background; Past or present employment & leisure interests; Living standards, appropriateness of accommodation; Any criminal convictions; Any identified respite carers & suitability.
Suitability of anyone over the age of 16 in the household Vol3 CA Guidance P148	Age; Health; Personality/Presentation/Self-care skills; Marital status & details of previous marriage/ civil partnership; Result of any application to foster/adopt/ mind children; Past or present employment & leisure interests; Any criminal convictions.
Police checks on anyone over the age of 16 in the household Vol3 CA Guidance P51, 5.25	With permission from the individual police checks should be completed, possibly enhanced CRB.
Consideration to health checks on carers Vol3 CA Guidance P52, 5.26	To be determined for individual cases based on medical advice and circumstances of the carer and child; Cost of providing information is to be met by health authorities under the collaborative arrangements.
Visit to the proposed home Vol3 CA Guidance P52, 5.27	Visit at least once when all members of the household are present; Explore relationships of all members - particularly where carer is co-habiting with another adult who does not have PR; Extent others in the household participate in the care of the child; Demands made on the carer by other members, eg elderly relatives needing care; Discuss the proposed placement with other children in the home; View entire home, including child(ren)'s proposed bedroom(s); Above should be assessed in light of case history, child(ren)'s current needs & wishes & views of those with PR.
Assessment to Assistant Director for approval Bromley Policy and Procedure Manual LAC 9	Must be accompanied by an up to date & signed Care Plan & Placement Part 2; In exceptional circumstances agreement can be given by the relevant PSM and must later be reviewed by the AD at the earliest opportunity.
Notification of approval sent out Vol3 CA Guidance P54, 5.37	Child(ren); Parents; Individuals with PR; GP; Health Visitor; Education; Local Authority, if different from the originating authority; Current Carer; Other relatives; Police; Probation; Independent Chair.
Placement Agreement drawn up with parents Bromley Policy and Procedure Manual LAC 9	Set out the Local Authority's plans for the child(ren) and the objectives of the proposed placement, i.e. the Care Plan, Working Together Agreement; Arrangements for support; Arrangement for social work contact, frequency and reviews; Any needed arrangements for contact; Need to notify the social worker of any changes to household or child's details; Health needs, monitoring of; Educational needs, monitoring of; Involve child(ren) if appropriate.
Outcome recorded and placed on file

Exceptions to this list include:

• Immediate placement;
• Short-term placement;
• Placement of short duration.

In this circumstance consult with your line manager

End