Amendments

• The Young Person’s Guide to the Children and Families Act 2014.

This chapter provides guidance on the storage of personal data (including photographs) on mobile devices. ‘Personal data’ is any information about an identifiable living individual.

These changes relate to the status of ‘previously looked after children’. A previously Looked After Child is one who is no longer looked after in England and Wales because they are the subject of an Adoption, Special Guardianship or Child Arrangements Order which includes arrangements relating to with whom the child is to live, or when the child is to live with any person, or has been adopted from ‘state care’ outside England and Wales.

It has also been amended to reflect HHJ Greensmith’s comments regarding M and N (Children: Local authority gathering, preserving and disclosing evidence) [2018] EWFC 40 (1 June 2018). (See Section 2.1, Records must be kept on all children).

Note also the changes to ‘Practice Direction 27a - Family Proceedings: Court Bundles (Universal Practice to be Applied in the High Court and Family Court) in relation to the required maximum length of certain court documents, (unless otherwise specifically directed by the court). (See ‘Principles’ in Section 4, Documentation).

• Prevention of Homelessness and Provision of accommodation for 16 and 17 year old young people who may be homeless and/or require accommodation (2018): this guidance is solely concerned with the functions of children's services and housing services when young people seek help from, or are referred to, local authorities because of homelessness or being threatened with homelessness. It incorporates judgements made in the House of Lords over several years around the duties of local authorities under Section 20 (Children Act 1989) and Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996. The guidance also reflects the duties introduced under the Homelessness Reduction Act (2017).

And now includes a link to:

• Homelessness - Duty to Refer (2018): the Homelessness Reduction Act (2017) places a duty on specified public authorities to refer service users who they think may be homeless or threatened with homelessness to local authority homelessness/housing options teams.

The guidance provides helpful information and detail on the referral process.

These changes relate to the status of ‘Previously Looked After Children’ i.e. a Previously Looked After Child is one who is no longer Looked After in England and Wales because they are the subject of an adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements order which includes arrangements relating to with whom the child is to live, or when the child is to live with any person, or has been adopted from ‘state care’ outside England and Wales. The chapter includes a new Section 15, Mental Health and a new Section 8, Safeguarding the Looked After Child at School. A link has been added to the National Curriculum Assessments at Key Stage 2.

• Section 5, Leaving Care Assessment of Need - in relation to children who are victims of trafficking or unaccompanied asylum seeking children;
• Section 7, Reviews of Pathway Plans - in relation to Relevant/Former Relevant young people moving to 'unregulated' accommodation; and
• Section 8, Personal Advisers - in relation to frequency of visits by Personal Advisers.

This chapter has been completed as a result of issues around decision making where there had been dissent by conference members and the overriding of recommendations. It highlights the Chair of the Conference’s role when the Conference cannot reach a majority decision regarding a child and whether they are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm. Also, those occasions where the chair has a clear responsibility to override decisions made by a core group or practitioners. Conference members are also reminded of their responsibilities where they disagree with the outcomes of a child protection case conference.

This chapter has been reviewed and updated and reflects changes of local terminology; Child in Need (Supervision Order) Plans are identified more simply as Supervision Order Review Plans.

This chapter has been fully revised and amended throughout to reflect the current organisation, structure and processes with regard to the transfer of work to the appropriate teams within the department.

In addition, a new Guidance has been provided in respect of transferring cases from Children’s Social Care to Level 2 (see Guidance for Practitioners - Transfer of cases from Children’s Social Care to Level 2 in Section 7, Transfer to TAC (Updated).

This chapter describes the process when a family are receiving early help but there are concerns that the family’s needs have increased from a level two to a level three.

This chapter has been substantially amended to reflect the Children and Social Work Act 2017 on the Leaving Care Services and Care leavers. Particularly:

• The Local Offer - all local authorities must publish up-date information about the services it offers for care leavers and other services which may assist care leavers in, or preparing for, adulthood and independent living. (This is to follow);
• Corporate parenting: the Children and Social Work Act 2017 establishes 7 Corporate Parenting Principles, which should include and involve not only the Local Authority providing Children’s Social Care services, but also District Councils (where appropriate) and partner agencies;
• Continuing Support Up to the Age of 25: all Care leavers between the ages of 21 and up to 25 will be entitled to support irrespective of whether they are in education or training. Even when they may not initially choose such support, they can return and seek support, which can be provided on specific issues or on a more comprehensive basis where this is needed.

• Universal Assessments Guidance.

Additionally, two template forms are accessible, General Pet Assessment and Dog Ownership Questionnaire (see Appendices).

This chapter has been updated. In Section 3, Initial Meeting, the DfE have published Intercountry Adoption and Resident Status Requirements which set out the minimum requirements, however entry clearance requirements vary depending upon the circumstances of each case and prospective adopters will need to obtain their own independent legal advice to establish the requirements that apply to their individual circumstances.

In Section 4, Formal Approval, a link has been added to Intercountry adoption: means test form which contains information on how to apply for a fee reduction for people who wish to adopt a child from overseas and who earn £45,000 per year or less.

The term 'relinquished child' is used to describe a child, usually a baby or at pre-birth stage, whose parents are making the choice of adoption for the child.

• Operational Policy for Specialist Fostering.

This chapter has been updated and amended and has sought to incorporate best practice recommendations from Salford Ofsted inspections and serious case reviews.

This chapter deals with recording of meetings/conversations by individual service-users, in their capacity as private individuals. Note that the employees of the local authority, acting in their professional capacity, are subject to different legislative requirements, e.g. under the Data Protection Act 2018.

This procedure sets out the specific provision under the Children and Families Act 2014 in relation to children and young people aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs or disabilities and their carers. For the purposes of the Act, ‘young person’ is someone aged 16-25. The Care Act 2014 introduced changes to adult care and support. This also includes transitions for young disabled people into adulthood, and support to carers.

This chapter provides a tool and guidance to enable a score / evaluation to be collated following an assessment that indicates the child/family need additional support meet Salford’s Eligibility criteria for Short Breaks Support. The questionnaire is focussed around the 5 key outcome indicators for children.