Amendments
November 2024
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Children’s Services Policies, Strategy and Principles | This chapter has been revised in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023. |
| Ofsted and Need to know Notifications | This resource has been updated. |
| Step Up/Step Down Process and Transfer Protocol - Practitioner Guidance | This guidance has been updated. |
| The Voice of the Child and Family | This guidance has been updated. |
| Chronologies and Historical Information | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Consent to Information Sharing | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Hertfordshire Family Safeguarding Service: Guide to Information Sharing | This guide has been updated. |
| Family Safeguarding LCS Workbook | This link has been updated. |
| Safeguarding Referrals for Children- New and Open to the Adoption Service | This document has been updated. |
| Processing Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) Tasks | The MARAC procedures have been updated. |
| Applications for Emergency Protection Orders | This chapter has been reviewed. |
| Separated Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | A link has been added in Section 4, Assessment to BASW Age Assessment Practice Guidance. In Further Information, a link has been added to Operation Innerste Process: Caseworker Guidance. |
| 0-25 Together Service | Section 8, Resolving Disagreements has been updated to include information on Guidance: Carry Out an Order in Special Educational Needs Cases. |
| East and West Practice and Resources Panel PARP | This chapter has been updated. |
| Permanence Planning | This chapter has been updated. |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation | Section 11, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty has been updated throughout in line with Revised Practice Guidance on the Court’s Approach to Unregistered Placements (October 2023) and Revised National Listing Protocol for Applications that Seek Deprivation of Liberty Orders Relating to Children under the Inherent Jurisdiction). |
| Statutory Visits to Children/Young People Looked After | This chapter has been updated. |
| Education of Children Looked After | This policy has been updated. |
| Staying Put Policy | This policy has been updated. |
| Children Looked After in Contact with Youth Justice Services | This chapter has been updated. |
| Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National Guidance | Links have been added to Guidance: Use of Force, Restraint and Restrictive Practices in the Children and Young People Secure Estate and A Joint Thematic Inspection of Work with Children Subject to Remand in Youth Detention. |
| Fostering - Introduction, Purpose and Overview | This chapter ha been reviewed and updated. |
| Fostering Panel | This chapter ha been reviewed and updated. |
| Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers | Information on Ofsted checks has been added to Section 6.1, Checks (Enquiry and Stage 1 Assessment) |
| Change in Composition of Foster Carer Households (including New Partners) | This chapter ha been reviewed and updated. |
| Disclosure and Barring Checks and Persons Disqualified from Fostering | This chapter ha been reviewed and updated. |
| Support and Supervision of Foster Carers | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Allowances and Payments in Fostering – Monitoring and Auditing | This chapter has been updated. |
| Fostering Support and Fostering Support Meetings | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Foster Carer Reviews | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Managing Allegations and Quality of Care Concerns in Fostering | This chapter has been updated. |
| Long Term Fostering | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Special Guardianship Orders Policy and Procedure | This chapter has been updated. Information has been added into Section 18, Special Guardian Duty on the Death of the Child, that the relevant local authority should be notified if the child was previously a looked after child. |
| Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters | Information has been added to Section 3, Stage One-The Pre-Assessment Process, with details on how to request information about an applicant from Ofsted. |
| Court Reports in Adoption (Placement Orders and Adoption Orders) | This chapter has been updated. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Children and Young People’s Continuing Care National Framework | This procedure has been added to the manual. |
| Removed Chapters | |
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| Next update: March 2025 |
March 2024
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Children/Young People and Families Record-Keeping | This chapter has been updated. |
| Child and Family Assessments | Information regarding Free Birthing has been added to the Scope of this Chapter. |
| Young Carers | This chapter has been refreshed and should be re-read in full. |
| Separated Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | This chapter has been updated. |
| Families with No Recourse to Public Funds | Section 5.2.5, Providing Support was updated to reflect the Home Office increase in financial support to individuals waiting to find out if they will be given asylum in the UK. |
| 0-25 Together Service | This chapter has been amended to include information from Special Educational Needs and Disability: Improving Local Authority Decision Making - Report of the Administrative Justice Council’s Working Group on Special Educational Needs and Disability. |
| Placement of Children Looked After | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation | Section 11, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty has been updated to include information from Guidance - Placing Children: Deprivation of Liberty Orders - guidance for providers, social workers and placement commissioners on placing children, subject to a deprivation of liberty order (DoL), in unregistered settings; and President of the Family Division Practice Guidance: Placements in Unregistered Children’s Homes in England or Unregistered Care Home Services in Wales. |
| Placement Outside Hertfordshire | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Placements in Other Arrangements | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Placements in Residential Care | This chapter has been updated to include information from Guidance - Placing Children: Deprivation of Liberty Orders - guidance for providers, social workers and placement commissioners on placing children, subject to a deprivation of liberty order (DoL), in unregistered settings; and President of the Family Division Practice Guidance: Placements in Unregistered Children’s Homes in England or Unregistered Care Home Services in Wales. |
| Criteria for Foster Carers | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers | This chapter has been updated. |
| Disclosure and Barring Checks | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Delegated Authority to Foster Carers | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Foster Carer Reviews | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Termination of Approval of Foster Carers and Supported Lodgings Carers | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Managing Allegations Against Adults Who Work With Children and Young People | This link has been updated. |
| Independent Reviews of Hertfordshire County Council Foster Carers | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Exemptions and Variations of Approval | This chapter has been updated. |
| Long Term Fostering | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Family and Friends Foster Care | Section 16, Ukrainian Children and Young People has been added to include information about Ukrainian children being cared for my family and friends in the UK. |
| Safer Caring in Foster Care | This chapter has been updated. |
| Special Guardianship Orders Policy and Procedure | This chapter has been updated to include the Practice Guidance on Special Guardianship (Family Justice Council) which addresses the lawful extension of care proceedings beyond 26 weeks in Specialist Guardianship cases. |
| Permanence Planning, Placement Strategy and Guidance | This chapter has been updated and should be re-read in full. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential Settings | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Staying Close | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| EU Settlement Scheme: Looked after Children and Care Leavers Guidance | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Audit Escalation Policy | This intranet link has been added to the manual. |
| Removed Chapters | |
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September 2023
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Complaints and Representation | This chapter has been updated. |
| Capacity and Consent | Amendments have been made to reflect case-law in relation to assessing legal capacity. |
| Case Retention and Destruction of Records | This chapter has been updated. |
| Consent to Information Sharing | This chapter has been updated. |
| Direct Work with Children & Young People | This chapter has been updated. |
| Public Law Outline | This chapter has been updated to include a more strengths-based, motivational interviewing approach and should be re-read in full. |
| Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation | This chapter has been amended to include information from Annex to MOJ Circular 2022/03: Additional Information on Remand to Local Authority Accommodation (RLAA). |
| Separated Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | This chapter has been updated. Information in relation to the National Age Assessment Board has been added into Section 4, Assessment. |
| Children Who Go Missing from Home or Care, or Who are Vulnerable to Sexual Exploitation | This chapter has been updated. |
| 0-25 Together Service | This chapter has been updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Carer's Assessment | This chapter has been updated. |
| East and West Practice and Resources Panel | This chapter has been updated. |
| Decision to Look After and Initial Care Planning | Section 3, Section 20 Accommodation has been updated in line with case-law. |
| Placement with Parents or Person who has, or has held Parental Responsibility Immediately Prior to Making of a Care Order or Interim Care Order | This chapter has been updated. |
| Placement of Children Looked After and Care Leavers Aged 16 and 17 in Semi-Independent Placements | This chapter has been updated. |
| Placement Outside England and Wales | This chapter has been updated to include a link to the Distance Placements Exploration Report 2022. |
| Statutory Visits to Children/Young People Looked After | This chapter has been updated. |
| Overnight Stays Away from the Placement or Other Staying Contact or Care Arrangements | This chapter has been amended. |
| Health Care Assessments, Health Checks and Health Care Plans | Information in relation to allergies has been added into Section 3, Health Care Plans. |
| Care Leavers and Transition to Adulthood | This chapter has been amended to note that with effect from 1 April 2023, the leaving care allowance increased from £2,000 to £3,000. Information from the revised Ofsted inspection framework has also been added. |
| Child Looked After – Remands and Custodial Sentences up to age of 16 | This chapter has been updated. |
| Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National Guidance | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Marriage/Civil Partnership of a Child Looked After | This chapter has been amended to reflect that the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 raised the age of marriage and civil partnership to 18 in England and Wales, with effect from 26 February 2023. |
| Fostering Panel | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Criteria for Foster Carers | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Disclosure and Barring Checks | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Support and Supervision of Foster Carers | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Monitoring and Auditing of Allowances to Children/Young People (Fostering) | This chapter has been updated. |
| Foster Carer Reviews | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Adoption Panel and Agency Decision Maker's Decision | This chapter has been updated. |
| Adoption Support | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Life Story Work with Children and Young People | This chapter has been added. |
| Removed Chapters | |
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March 2023
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| The Hertfordshire Policy Statement on the Education of Children Looked After | This policy has been updated. |
| Case Recording | This chapter has been updated. |
| Liquidlogic Children's System (LCS) Livelink Guidance | This chapter has been updated. |
| Professional Supervision | This chapter has been updated. |
| Chronologies and Historical Information | This chapter has been updated. |
| Written Communication with Children and Young People | This chapter has been updated. |
| Independent Chair – Child In Need (IC-CIN) | This chapter has been updated. |
| Legal Planning Meetings | This chapter has been updated. |
| Public Law Outline | This chapter has been updated to include information in relation to a new Public Law Outline form on LCS to support Public Law Outline recording. |
| Appeals | This chapter has been updated. |
| Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation | Information in relation to children under the age of 16 being placed in 'other arrangements' placements has been added into Section 3, Local Authority Accommodation. |
| Child Arrangements Orders | This chapter has been updated. |
| International Cross Border Child Protection Cases | This chapter has been updated to take account of the UK's exit from the EEA. |
| Age Assessment | This chapter has been updated. |
| Families with No Recourse to Public Funds | This chapter has been updated and should be re- read in full. The updates include a note that the High Court in ST (a child, by his Litigation Friend VW) & VW v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2021] EWHC 1085 (Admin) held that immigration caseworkers, when deciding whether to accept that the applicant is 'destitute or at risk of imminent destitution' are required to 'have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare' of any children involved in the application, in accordance with section 55 Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009. |
| Multi-Agency Panel Terms of Reference | This document has been updated. |
| 0-25 Together Service | This chapter has been updated. |
| Short Breaks | Information in relation to the prohibition on looked after children under the age of 16 being placed in 'other arrangements' placements for the purposes of a short break has been added into Section 7, Short Break Settings. |
| East and West Practice and Resources Panel | This chapter has been updated to include the replacement of H.A.R.P with the East and West Practice and Resources Panel (parts 1 and 2). |
| Authorisation for a Child to be Looked After and Funding Agreements Outside East and West Practice and Resources Panel | This chapter has been updated to include the replacement of H.A.R.P with the East and West Practice and Resources Panel (parts 1 and 2). |
| Decision to Look After and Initial Care Planning | This chapter has been updated. |
| Care Planning Guidance | This chapter has been updated. |
| Planning Placements | This chapter has been updated to reflect the change from HARP to East and West Practice and Resources Panel. |
| Placement Support Meetings | This chapter has been updated. |
| Placement Planning and Disruption Meetings | This chapter has been updated. |
| Placement Endings | This chapter has been updated. |
| Requests to Remove a Child from Care | This chapter has been updated. |
| The Sufficiency Duty in Relation to Accommodation for Children/Young People | This chapter has been updated. |
| Ceasing to Look After a Child/Young Person under Section 20 | This chapter has been updated. |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation | Section 11, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty has been updated in line with case-law. |
| Placement with Parents or Person who has, or has held Parental Responsibility Immediately Prior to Making of a Care Order or Interim Care Order | Section 1, Principles has been updated to add information on placements in 'other arrangements'. |
| Placement Outside Hertfordshire | Section 10, Placements in Wales has been updated in line with updated Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review. |
| Placement of Children Looked After and Care Leavers Aged 16 and 17 in Semi-Independent Placement - 'Other Arrangements'/'Suitable Accommodation' | This chapter has been updated. |
| Placement Outside England and Wales | Section 3, Placements in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and Guernsey highlights the updated Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review and a High Court case in relation to Placements in Scotland. |
| Local Authority Responsibilities in the Appointment of IROs and Establishment of an Effective IRO Service | This chapter has been updated. |
| Contact with Parents, Family and Friends | Section 4, Philosophy and Principles has been updated to reflect a finding by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that the supervisor's observations of the contact must be clearly recorded in the child's record and shared with the parents within 3 months of the visit. |
| Education of Children Looked After | This chapter has been revised. Information on the School Admission Code has been added into Section 5, When a Child Needs or Joins a New School. Significant amendments have been made to reflect the 'Review of Sexual Abuse in Schools and Colleges (Ofsted)'; updated 'Keeping Children Safe in Education' (see Further Information) and Sexual Harassment in Education – Briefing (House of Parliament Library)). This chapter has also been amended to reflect Promoting the Education of Children with a Social Worker: Virtual School Head Role Extension. The revised Working Together to Safeguard Children changes were also applied. Section 7, Safeguarding the Looked After Child/Young Person at School has also been added. |
| Leisure Activities | This chapter has been updated. |
| Health Care Assessments, Health Checks and Health Care Plans | This chapter has been updated. |
| Housing for Children Looked After and Care Leavers | This chapter has been updated. |
| Children Looked After in Contact with Youth Justice Services | This chapter has been updated. |
| Criteria for Foster Carers | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Support and Supervision of Foster Carers | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Monitoring and Auditing of Allowances to Children/Young People (Fostering) | This chapter has been updated to include information on the Fostering hub. |
| Foster Carer Reviews | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Exemptions and Variations of Approval | This chapter has been reviewed and updated to include information on Mockingbird Support. |
| Family and Friends Foster Care | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Adoption Panel and Agency Decision Maker's Decision | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Placement for Adoption | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Adoption Support | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Disruption of Adoptive and Long Term Foster Placements | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Adoption Case Records | This chapter has been amended in line with the changes made to the CoramBAAF forms. |
| Permanence Planning and Placement | This chapter has been updated. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Social Media Policy | This chapter has been added. |
| Capacity and Consent | This chapter has been added. |
| Placements in Other Arrangements | This chapter has been added. |
| Placements in Residential Care | This chapter has been added. |
| Children's Guide to Adoption | This link has been added. |
| Removed Chapters | |
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September 2022
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| The Voice of the Child and Family | This chapter has been updated to include a link to the intranet. |
| Hertfordshire Outcome Framework for Children, Young People and Families | This link has been updated. |
| Professional Supervision | This chapter has been updated. |
| CS0530 Case Responsibility Out of Hours (Word) | This link has been updated. |
| Chronologies and Historical Information | This link has been updated. |
| Consent to Information Sharing | A minor change has been made to Section 5, Consent Forms. |
| Direct Work and Life Story Work with Children and Young People | A link has been added to the Relevant Legislation and Guidance section of this chapter. |
| Court Proceedings | This chapter has been updated. |
| Private Law Applications (including Section 7 and Section 37 Reports) | This chapter has been amended to add a link to the Pan Sussex Section 7 Template. |
| Parents Travel Costs Relating to Court Proceedings | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | A link has been added to the Independent Child Trafficking Guardians Referral Form. In areas where the ICTG service has been implemented, if the social worker considers a child to be a potential victim of modern slavery, they will refer them to the ICTG service by completing the online referral form. Section 4, Assessment has been updated in relation to Age Assessments. Information has been added relating to The National Transfer Scheme Protocol for Separated Migrant Children becoming mandatory for all local authorities with children's services. |
| 0-25 Together Service | Section 8, Resolving Disagreements has been added to include information from the First Tier Tribunal's extended powers to hear appeals and make non-binding recommendations about health and social care aspects of Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, provided those appeals also include education elements. |
| Handling an Incident in 0-25 Together Service - Joint Policy with ACS | This link has been updated. |
| Need to Know Notifications for 0-25 Together Service | This link has been updated. |
| Family Safeguarding and 0-25 Together Services Guidance on Support Hours | This link has been updated. |
| Decision to Look After and Initial Care Planning | This chapter has been updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Planning Placements | This chapter has been amended to include PGN - CS0554 Accommodation Support Pilot. |
| Permanence Planning | This chapter has been amended to include Direct Work and Life Story Work with Children and Young People. |
| Placement with Parents or Person who has, or has held Parental Responsibility Immediately Prior to Making of a Care Order or Interim Care Order | This chapter has been amended to include information from the Public Law Working Group Best Practice Guidance: the Application and Case Management. |
| Police Information Checks When Making Care Arrangements for Children with Friends/Family in an Emergency | This chapter has been updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Contact with Parents, Family and Friends | This chapter has been amended to include a link to Childnet Parents and Carers Toolkit. |
| Health Care Assessments, Health Checks and Health Care Plans | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Consent to Medical Examination and Treatment | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Criminal Injuries Compensation | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Children Looked After Finances Framework - HCC (hertfordshire.gov.uk) | This link has been updated. |
| Private Fostering | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Disclosure and Barring Checks | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Support and Supervision of Foster Carers | This chapter has been updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Foster Carer Reviews | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Termination of Approval of Foster Carers and Supported Lodgings Carers | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Independent Reviews of Hertfordshire County Council Foster Carers | This link has been updated. |
| Exemptions and Variations of Approval | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Kinship Care Policy | This chapter has been updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Family and Friends/Connected Persons Policy and Placement Procedure (Including Regulation 24 Placements) | This chapter has been updated. |
| Support, Training and Payment to Family and Friends - Connected Person Carers | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Safer Caring in Foster Care | This chapter has been updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Relinquished Children | This chapter has been updated to reflect case-law setting out lessons for the future in non-notification cases. |
| Direct Payments for Disabled Children | This chapter has been updated and should be re-read in full. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Early Intervention: Policy and Provision (House of Commons Library) | This link has been added. |
| Independent Chair - Child In Need (IC-CIN) Support | This link has been added. |
| NICE Guideline: Looked After Children and Young People | This link has been added. |
| Financial Allowances Policy for Children Looked After Placed in Residential (Special) Schools | This link has been added. |
| Holidays with Parents, Other Family and Friends (including 16 plus Travel) | This chapter has been added. |
| Managing Allegations Against Foster Carers | This link has been added. |
| Parent and Child Foster Placements | This chapter has been added. |
| Promoting Positive Behaviour | This chapter has been added. |
| Adopt East | This chapter has been added. |
| Financial Allowances for Children Looked After and Young People Living in Hertfordshire Children's Homes | This link has been added. |
| Removed Chapters | |
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April 2022
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Family Safeguarding LCS Workbook | This link has been updated. |
| Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
March 2022
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Ofsted Notifications and Need to Know Notifications | This link has been updated. |
| Management Reviews: Single Agency, Multi-Agency and External | This link has been updated. |
| Children's Practitioners Case Allocation | This link has been updated. |
| Student Social Workers Case Allocation | This link has been updated. |
| Case Escalation Process | This link has been updated. |
| Case Allocation Escalation Resolution Process Between Teams | This link has been updated. |
| Assessment Tools | A link to The Wishing and Feelings Workbooks - Participation Tools has been update in Section 1, The Child's Wishes and Feelings. |
| Consent to Information Sharing | A link in Section 2, Obtaining Informed Written Consent has been updated). |
| Information Sharing with Other Agencies | The link to PGN entitled CS0498 Information Sharing with Other Agencies has been updated. |
| Processing Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) Tasks | The MARAC procedures have been updated in the Local Information. |
| Direct Work and Life Story Work with Children and Young People | A link has been updated in Appendix B: Understanding and Telling. |
| Public Law Outline | This chapter has been updated to reflect Practice Guidance on Special Guardianship (Family Justice Council, June 2020). See in particular Section 1.10, Expectations of the Local Authority by the Court. |
| Activities | A link to Holidays and school trips inside and outside the UK has been added to the Related Chapters. |
| Mental Capacity Act | The links in Section 1, Introduction and Overview have been updated. |
| Children's Services Guide to Supporting Transgender Children, Young People and Parents / Carers | The link to Hertfordshire's 6 Outcome Bees has been updated in the Scope section of the chapter. |
| 0-25 Together Service | This chapter has been refreshed and updated and includes links to related reports from the House of Commons Library (see Section 8, Further Information and Statutory Guidance). |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation | This chapter has been updated to include information on the use of the inherent jurisdiction to authorise a placement involving a deprivation of liberty when one or more of the relevant criteria under section 25 Children Act 1989 are not satisfied (see Section 11, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty). |
| Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UK | This chapter has been reviewed and updated to amalgamate the 2 previous chapters (Holidays & school trips abroad/outside the UK and Holidays and school trips within the UK). |
| Care Leavers and Transition to Adulthood | Section 6, The Pathway Plan has been updated to note that, in relevant cases, immigration status should be included as a separate section on the Pathway Plan. This will help to ensure that young people who have been granted Pre Settled Status under the EU Settlement Scheme apply to convert this to Settled Status at the appropriate. Pathway Plans should contain clear information about what action needs to be taken by whom and when to ensure that the young person's right to remain legally in the UK is not jeopardised. See also 'Preparing for Adulthood: Referrals for Adult Social Care'. |
| Children Looked After Joining the Housing Needs Register | This chapter has been updated. |
| Former Children Looked After in Detention | This chapter has been amended in line with the Reunification of Probation Services. |
| Fostering - Introduction, Purpose and Overview | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Fostering Panel | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Links to all Fostering Forms and Letters | This link has been updated. |
| Criteria for Foster Carers | This chapter has been reviewed and updated |
| Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Employees of Hertfordshire County Council Acting as Foster Carers | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| New Partners of Approved and Prospective Foster Carers | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Disclosure and Barring Checks: Procedures for Children aged 17 who will remain in Placement on Reaching their 18th birthday (Fostering and Residential Care) | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Support and Supervision of Foster Carers | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Allowances and Payments | This link has been updated. |
| Foster Carer Reviews | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Termination of Approval of Foster Carers and Supported Lodgings Carers | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Change in Composition of Foster Carer Households | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Exemptions and Variations of Approval | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Foster Care Case Recording | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Link to all Adoption Forms and Letters | This link has been updated. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Family Justice Resource Hub | This link has been added to the manual. |
| Preparing for Adulthood: Referrals to adult Social Care | This PDF has been added to the manual. |
| YJB and Probation Joint National Protocol for Transitions in England | This link has been added to the manual. |
| Support for Foster Carers Placed 'On Hold' | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Removed Chapters | |
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December 2021
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Death or Serious Injury to a Child | This chapter has been removed and updated with a link to the Documents Library. |
September 2021
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Retention and Destruction of Records | A link has been added in Other Relevant Chapters to Adoption Case Records. |
| Professional Supervision | This chapter has been fully revised to include access to the Family Safeguarding Supervision Process located in the Supervision Template Folder which identifies the process for booking and recording supervision for this service area. |
| Step Up/Step Down Process and Transfer Protocol - Practitioner Guidance | This chapter has been fully reviewed and updated and should be re-read by staff. |
| Child and Family Assessments | Section 10, Recording Requirements has been updated to highlight the need for Service Manager sign off on all assessments for unborn babies. |
| Applications for Emergency Protection Orders | This chapter has been reviewed and minor amendments have been made to Section 3, Preparation of the Application. |
| Private Law Applications (including Section 7 and Section 37 Reports) | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
| Family Assistance Order | This chapter has been reviewed. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | An addition of a link has been made to Local Information to PGN (CS Staff) for more information about the need to initiate a strategy discussion for children who may have been trafficked and Operation Innerste in relation to unaccompanied minors. |
| Children Missing from Education | A link to the Practice Guidance Notes has been added to the Scope of This Chapter. |
| 0-25 Together Service | Section 4, 0-25 Resource Allocation / Panel Meeting - Outcomes First has been updated to reflect current support options. |
| Hertfordshire Access to Resources Panel (H.A.R.P) and Delegated Authority for Resource Agreement | This chapter has been updated to include a link to the Practice Guidance note entitled Response to Emergency Referrals into Brokerage and Out of Hours Teams. |
| Authorisation for a Child to be Looked After and Funding Agreements Outside H.A.R.P. | This chapter has been revised to include a Practice Guidance Note entitled Response to Emergency Referrals into Brokerage and Out of Hours Teams Practice Guidance Notes - HCC (hertfordshire.gov.uk). |
| Permanence Planning | A link to the Practice Guidance Note entitled Administrative processes for Booking and Managing Permanency Planning Meetings (PPM) to Section 4, Permanency Planning Meetings to ensure all designated professionals may attached the meeting on a consistent basis via remotely. |
| Placement Planning and Disruption Meetings | This chapter has been revised to include a Practice Guidance Note entitled Fostering Forms and Guidance. |
| Staying Put Policy | This link has been updated. |
| Staying Put - Living Together Agreement | This link has been updated. |
| Transition to Adulthood (Leaving Care) Finance Policy and Guidance | This link has been updated. |
| 'Capacity' and Financial Arrangements for Children Looked After and Care Leavers Aged 16 & 17 | This link has been updated. |
| Foster Care Case Recording | Section 3, Records in Respect of Children Placed has been updated to include information regarding mandatory foster carer training and management of records. |
| Disruption of Adoptive and Long Term Foster Placements | A link to the updated disruption meeting process has been added to the Scope of This Chapter. |
| Children Looked After Finances Framework | This link has been updated. |
| Financial Allowances for Children Looked After and Young People Living in Hertfordshire Children's Homes | This link has been updated. |
| HCC Residential Policies and Procedures Intranet Page | This link has been updated. |
| Polices, Procedures, Forms and Leaflets | This chapter has been revised and updated. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Case Responsibility of Out of Hours | This link has been added to the manual. |
| Family Safeguarding and 0-25 Together Service Guidance on Support Hours Brokerage Forms | This link has been added to the manual. |
| Universal Credit Exemptions Leaflet and Universal Credit Exemption Letter | This link has been added to the manual. |
| Joint Housing Protocol - Interim Duty to Refer Individuals and Families to Housing Guidance PGN April 2019 | This link has been added to the manual. |
April 2021
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| 0-25 Together Service | Section 1, Definition of Disability and Eligibility for 0-25 Services has been revised and updated to clarify definition of disability and eligibility criteria. |
March 2021
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Families With No Recourse to Public Funds | This chapter has been updated and should be re-read. |
| Shared Care Process Pack: Statement of Purpose and Supporting Documents | This chapter has been updated to reflect current local practice. |
| Short Breaks | This chapter has been substantially updated and should be re-read. |
| Fostering Panel | A minor update has been made to Section 12, Approved Paperwork to be Presented at Panel, whereby a copy of panel papers must be sent to the Panel Administrator for distribution to the Panel no later than 10 working days before panel date. Also a revised link has been made to Prepare for a review panel: adopters and foster carers. |
| Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers | A revised link has been made to Prepare for a review panel: adopters and foster carers. |
| Support and Supervision of Foster Carers | This chapter has been updated and should be re-read. |
| Allowances and Payments | Hyperlinks in this chapter have been revised and updated. |
| Legal Framework and Adoption Charter | This document has been updated and should be re-read. |
| Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters | A revised link has been made to Prepare for a review panel: adopters and foster carers. |
| Independent Review Mechanism | This chapter has been amended to include a link to the Attending a Review Panel - Information sheet. |
| Adoption Case Records | This chapter has been updated extensively to reflect current local practice and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| Parental Responsibility and Consent | This document has been updated and should be re-read. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Complex Case Panel Terms of Reference and Referral Form | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
September 2020
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Professional Supervision | This chapter has been fully revised to include updated links regarding the supervision templates, as some have moved to LCS Forms and change from HSCP to Social Work England. |
| Family Group Conferences | This chapter has been revised and updated throughout and should be re-read in full. |
| Private Law Applications (including Section 7 and Section 37 Reports) | Section 2, Section 7 Reports has been updated to reflect the actions required of the Team Manager within the Assessment Team (upon receipt of a request for a Section 7 Report) with regards to making a decision about whether or not an assessment will be required. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | This chapter has been updated to take account of the new NRM digital referral form to report Modern Slavery. |
| 0-25 Together Service | Section 3, Referrals and Assessment has been revised to include the purpose of short breaks assessments. |
| Hertfordshire Access to Resources Panel (H.A.R.P) and Delegated Authority for Resource Agreement | This chapter has been updated. From April 2020 H.A.R.P Referrals to Panel must be made via the 'H.A.R.P Referral Form' on LCS. See Section 9, Referral Form to H.A.R.P and Section 11, Administration Process. For out of panel decisions, an LCS Referral Form is not required. See Section 8, Email Agreements Outside of H.A.R.P. |
| Decision to Look After and Initial Care Planning | A revised link has been made for the Hertfordshire Access to Resource Panel (H.A.R.P) and Delegated Authority for Resource Agreement. |
| Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers | Section 5.3, References (Stage 1 Assessment) has been updated to clarify an ex-partner significant relationship as one where partners cohabited or parented a child together within the last 10 years. |
| Long Term Fostering | The Long Term Fostering Flowchart has been updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Keeping Safe - Promoting Positive Behaviour and Relationships with Children in Foster Care | This chapter has been updated to include links to current Hertfordshire guidance documents. |
| Panel Papers Required by Adoption Panels Considering the Approval of Adopters | This chapter has been revised and the addition of including any adult children as part of reference process. |
| Financial Allowances for Children Looked After and Young People Living in Hertfordshire Children's Homes | This chapter has been updated. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| FGC Referrals - Top Tips | This document has been added to the manual. |
| FGC Children's Leaflet | This document has been added to the manual. |
| FGC Family & Young People Leaflet | This document has been added to the manual. |
| Removed Chapters | |
|
|
March 2020
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Ofsted Notifications and Need to Know Notifications | This link has been added to the manual. |
| Lone Working Guidance | This guidance has been added to the Documents Library. |
| Families First and Early Help | This link has been added to the manual. |
| Processing Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) Tasks | The MARAC Referral Form with completion instructions has been updated. |
| Removed Chapters | |
|
|
September 2019
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Scheme of Delegation to Officers | This link has been updated. |
| Case Recording | Section 5, Who is Responsible for Recording and by When now includes a link to guidance regarding Removal of Factually Inaccurate Information from Livelink. Section 6, What Should Be Recorded and How has been updated to include information regarding adding a photo to the child's LCS record and Section 12, Case Closures includes a link to guidance in relation to adding feedback from parents and children following case closure. |
| Liquidlogic Children's System and Livelink Guidance | This chapter has been updated to add a link to the related chapter. |
| Step Up/Step Down Process and Transfer Protocol - Practitioner Guidance | The PDF to this chapter has been updated. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | A Child Trafficking Resource Sheet has been included. |
| Placement Support Meetings | Section 3, Convening a Placement Support Meeting and Section 4, Outcomes of a Placement Support Meeting of this chapter have been amended in September 2019 to reflect current practice. |
| Supervised Contact and the Hertfordshire Contact Service | Section 3, Criteria for Referral to Hertfordshire Contact Service has been amended with regards to frequency of contact for infants. |
| Criminal Injuries Compensation Award and Detailed Application Guidance | This chapter has been removed from the manual and can be found on the Hertfordshire Intranet. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Information Sharing with Other Agencies | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Joint Housing Protocol - Interim Duty to Refer Individuals and Families to Housing Guidance PGN April 2019 | This guidance has been added to the manual. |
May 2019
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Placement Support Meetings | This chapter has been amended and should be re-read in full. An updated Appendix 1: Placement Support Meeting Flowchart has also added. |
| Removed Chapters | |
|
|
March 2019
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Ofsted Notifications and Need to Know Notifications | The hyperlinks in this chapter have been updated. |
| Case Recording | This procedure has been updated to reflect the requirement of ensuring addresses are up to date, which is the responsibility of the allocated social worker, in order to reduce risk of Data Protection breaches should information be sent to an incorrect address. See Section 5, Who is Responsible for Recording, and by When. |
| Access to Records | Links have been updated from this chapter to the current edition of the leaflet "Your Access to your Records". |
| Liquidlogic Children's System and Livelink Guidance | This chapter has been updated. |
| Child and Family Assessments | A link to the Child and Family Assessment Programme and a link to the Child Development Chart has been added to the Scope of This Chapter. |
| Families With No Recourse to Public Funds | The process of requesting appropriate subsistence and accommodation (Section 17) via Brokerage Accommodation Team (BAT) for Families with No Recourse to Public Funds and a link to the Hertfordshire Children's Services to Housing Authority – No Recourse to Public Funds Transfer Protocol has been added to Section 4, Process. |
| 0-25 Together Service | This procedure has been revised and updated fully and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| Looked After Reviews | Section 4, Convening Looked After Reviews and Section 5, Invitations and the Child / Parent's Participation have been updated. |
| Looked After Review Timetable Matrix | This procedure has been updated to reflect local practice. |
| Foster Care Case Recording | Section 3, Records in Respect of Children Placed has been updated to include information regarding mandatory foster carer training and management of records. |
| Keeping Safe - Behaviour Management in Foster Care | The link to CSF3993 Keeping Safe, Behaviour Management in Foster Care has been updated. |
| Relinquished Children | This chapter has been updated to reflect local practice. Section 7.1.3, After the Birth - the Father has been updated to inform staff of where to gain access to the "If your child is being adopted" leaflet. |
| Direct Work and Life Story Work with Children and Young People | A link to the Child Development Chart has been added to Appendix B: Understanding and Telling. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Deprivations of Liberty | This chapter has been added. |
| Hertfordshire Children's Services to Housing Authority – 'No Recourse to Public Funds' – Transfer Protocol | This chapter has been added. |
| Removed Chapters | |
|
|
September 2018
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Childcare Policy, Strategy and Principles | New links have been added to the ICT Acceptable Use Policy and LCS Confidentiality Agreement. |
| The Voice of the Child and Family | This chapter has been updated. |
| Case Recording | This procedure has been updated to reflect local practice. |
| Professional Supervision | This chapter has been fully revised and should be re-read in full. |
| Lone Working Guidance | Links have been updated within the chapter. |
| Families First Assessment and Early Help Module | This chapter has been fully revised and should be re-read in full. |
| Consent to Information Sharing | This procedure has been updated with a link to an updated Information Sharing Consent Form. |
| Hertfordshire Multi-Agency Children in Need Protocol and Procedures | A link has been to the Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Board Procedures Manual. |
| International Cross Border Child Protection Cases | This chapter has been updated with the addition of the FCO safeguarding guidance and a link to HSCP chapter on Children Moving Across Local Authority Boundaries. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | This chapter has been revised extensively and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| Families With No Recourse to Public Funds | A new Section 7, National Asylum Support Service has been added. |
| Carer's Assessment | This chapter has been revised extensively and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| Mental Capacity Act | A guide to the statutory principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and how to apply them in practice has been added to this procedure. |
| Health Care Assessments, Health Checks and Health Care Plans | Section 2.8, Emotional Health of Children Looked After and Care Leavers including Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Guidance has been revised to include updated information regarding the completion of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. |
| Family and Friends/Connected Persons Policy and Placement Procedure (Including Regulation 24 Placements) | This procedure has been revised and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters | This procedure has been updated and includes an updated Hertfordshire Assessment and Approvals of Adoptive Recruitment Process Flowchart. |
| Smoking | This procedure has been updated to include information on e-cigarettes. |
| Adoption Panel and Agency Decision Maker's Decision | This chapter has been fully revised and should be re-read in full. |
| Panel Papers Required by Adoption Panels/Agency Decision Maker Considering the Adoption of a Child | Links to the Intranet have been updated. |
| Placement for Adoption | This chapter has been fully revised and should be re-read in full. |
| Relinquished Children | This chapter has been fully revised and should be re-read in full. |
| Family Finding for Harder to Place Children | This chapter has been developed/entirely revised and should be re-read in full. |
| Inter Country Adoption | Section 1, Introduction has been slightly amended. A link to GOV. UK Benefits has been added into Section 8, Home Study. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Guidance for Parents and Carers - Recording Meetings | This link to the Hertfordshire SCB Manual has been added. |
| Processing Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) Tasks | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| PGN on Health Attendance at CIN Meetings | This link has been added to the manual. |
| Children's Services Guide to Supporting Transgender Children, Young People and Parents/Carers | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| 16 + Care Leavers Operational Procedures | This document has been added to the manual. |
| Kinship Care Policy | This policy has been added to the manual. |
| Obesity | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Removed Chapters | |
|
|
March 2018
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Ofsted Notifications and Need to Know Notifications | The hyperlinks in this chapter have been updated. |
| Scheme of Delegation to Officers | This chapter has been updated with a new hyperlink. |
| Step Up/Step Down Process and Transfer Protocol - Practitioner Guidance | This chapter has been updated. |
| Consent to Information Sharing | Section 1, General Principles, has been revised. |
| Legal Planning Meetings | This chapter has been entirely revised and updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children | A link to Securing British Citizenship for Looked After Children (NRPF Network) has been added. The chapter remains under review. |
| Families With No Recourse to Public Funds | This chapter has been revised to include the Families with No Recourse to Public Funds Information Gathering and Assessment Checklist. Please also see Written Agreements for families Staying in Accommodation Provided by Children's Services. |
| Permanence Planning | A link to the Practice Guidance Note entitled Early Permanence and Legal Planning Meetings has been added to Section 8, Immediate Actions to be Undertaken if the Permanence Plan includes Adoption. This is in relation to attendance at LPM. |
| Delegated Authority to Foster Carers | This chapter has been updated. |
| Fostering - Introduction, Purpose and Overview | This chapter has been reviewed and hyperlinks updated. |
| Fostering Panel | This Chapter has been substantially revised and should be re-read in full. |
| Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers | This chapter has been fully revised and should be read in full. |
| New Partners of Approved and Prospective Foster Carers | This chapter has been substantially revised and should be re-read in full. |
| Termination of Approval of Foster Carers and Supported Lodgings Carers | This chapter has been updated. |
| Long Term Fostering | This chapter has been substantially revised and updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Support, Training and Payment to Family and Friends - Connected Person Carers | This chapter has been revised in and should be re-read in full. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Managing Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) Information and Minutes | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Managing Incoming Correspondence for Client Files (Open and Closed) | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Written Agreement Form (For Families Staying in Accommodation Provided by Children's Services) | This document has been added to the manual. |
| Handling an Incident in 0-25 Together Service – Joint Policy with ACS | This link has been added to the manual. |
| Need to Know Notifications for 0-25 Together Service | This link has been added to the manual. |
| Shared Care Process and Service Specification | This document has been added to the manual. |
| Police Protection Guidance | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Care Leavers and Transition to Adulthood | This chapter has been revised and should be re-read in full. |
December 2017
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Complaints, Compliments and Representations | This chapter has been entirely revised and updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Consent to Information Sharing | The Information Sharing Consent Form has been updated. |
| Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation | Section 7, Statutory Visits to Children and Young People on Remand has been added to include a link to the chapter on Statutory Visits to Children Looked After which contains requirements for children and young people on remand. |
| Decision to Look After and Initial Care Planning | Section 1.3, Obtaining Parental Consent to Look After a Child has been revised to reflect the outcome of a recent Court of Appeal hearing. |
| Delegated Authority to Foster Carers | This chapter has been updated. |
| Family and Friends/Connected Persons Policy and Placement Procedure (Including Regulation 24 Placements) | This chapter has been reviewed. |
| Polices, Procedures, Forms and Leaflets | This chapter has been revised and updated. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Hertfordshire Outcome Framework for Children, Young People and Families | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
September 2017
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| The Hertfordshire Policy Statement on the Education of Children Looked After | This document has been revised and updated. |
| Access to Records | Links have been added from this chapter to the current edition of the leaflet "Your Access to your Records" and to Access to the Information We Hold on You on the Hertfordshire website. |
| Criteria and Threshold Guidance - Meeting the Needs of Children and Families | This chapter has been revised and updated throughout and should be re-read in full. |
| Consent to Information Sharing | An updated Information Sharing Consent Form has been added to this chapter. |
| Step Up/Step Down Process and Transfer Protocol | This document has been revised and updated. |
| Safeguarding Referrals for New and Open Adoption Cases | This document has been revised and updated. |
| Legal Planning Meetings | This chapter has been entirely revised and updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Death or Serious Injury to a Child | This chapter has been updated in line with the requirement to notify Ofsted of any serious childcare incident using the Ofsted online notification form. |
| Activities | A link to the Holiday Risk Assessment Form has been added to this chapter. |
| Transporting Children | Section 2, Seat Belts and Restraints has been revised to link to Child Car Seats – The Law as published online by HM Government. |
| Young Carers | The hyperlinks in Section 3, Early Intervention and CAF have been revised and updated. |
| Private Fostering | Section 2, Legal Definition has been revised to clarify the private fostering status of children under 16 who spend more than 2 weeks in residence during holiday time in a school. |
| Families With No Recourse to Public Funds | A link to Securing British Citizenship for looked After Children - NRPF Network has been added to this chapter |
| Mental Capacity Act | Hyperlinks in this chapter have been revised and updated. |
| 0-25 Together Service | The title of this chapter has been changed (from Disabled Children) and Section 4, Panels has been entirely revised and updated. Appendix 1: 0-25 Panel Workflow and Appendix 2: Appeals Process for 0-25 Together Panel have also been updated. |
| Short Breaks | A link to Friendship For All (The Children's Society) has been added to this chapter (above) however the chapter remains under review. |
| Hertfordshire Access to Resources Panel (H.A.R.P) and Delegated Authority for Resource Agreement | A link to the MAP Panel Terms of Reference has been added to this chapter. |
| Decision to Look After and Initial Care Planning | Section 1.3, Obtaining Parental Consent to Look After a Child has been revised to reflect the outcome of a recent Court of Appeal hearing. |
| Guidance Placement Stability | This document has been revised and updated. |
| Placement Support Meetings | This chapter has been fully revised and should be re-read in full. A new Appendix 1: Placement Support Meeting Flowchart has also been added. |
| Ceasing to Look After a Child | A link to Case Management Responsibilities for 16 and 17 Year old Leaving Care has been added to Section 3, Children who are 'Eligible Children' – Transition into Adulthood. |
| Holidays and School/Organisational Trips Abroad/Outside the UK | A link to the Holiday Risk Assessment Form has been added to this chapter. |
| Holidays and School/Organisational Trips Within the UK | A link to the Holiday Risk Assessment Form has been added to this chapter. |
| Health Care Assessments, Health Checks and Health Care Plans | Additional information regarding the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire process has been added to Section 2.8, Emotional Health of Children Looked After and Care Leavers including Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Guidance. A link to Children's Attachment: Attachment in Children and Young People who are Adopted from Care, in Care or at High Risk of Going into Care - NICE Guidelines (NG26) has also been added. |
| Allowances and Payments | Hyperlinks in this chapter have been revised and updated. |
| Direct Work and Life Story Work with Children and Young People | This chapter has been added to this manual. It replaces a previous chapter entitled 'Preparing a Child for Permanent Placement'. |
| Life Story Books | The chapter has been significantly revised and should be re-read in full. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Family Safeguarding Workbook PGN (July 2017) | This document has been added to the Staff Access Library. |
| Family Safeguarding Exemplars | This document has been added to the Staff Access Library. |
March 2017
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Retention and Destruction of Records | A reference to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse requirement that potentially relevant materials should not be deleted has been added to Section 2, Destruction of Files. |
| Consent to Information Sharing | A new Section 5, Consent Forms has been added to this chapter in which are located links to the relevant forms. |
| Child in Need, Visits, Plans and Reviews | A new Section 2, Written Agreements has been added to this chapter including links to the associated form and guidance. |
| Summary of Orders | Links have been added to the new dedicated chapters concerning Family Assistance Orders and Child Arrangements Orders. |
| East of England Joint Protocol on Supervision Orders | This document has been updated with the latest version. |
| International Cross Border Child Protection Cases | A link to additional information regarding the International Child Abduction and Contact Unit has been added to Section 3, The Central Authority. |
| Disabled Children | The links in this chapter have been updated. |
| Decision to Look After and Initial Care Planning | This chapter has been revised and updated throughout and should be re-read in full. A new sub-section 1.1.1, Looked After Status, has also been added. |
| Placement Endings | Links to the Ceasing to be Looked After Regulation 39 Checklist – for under 16's (Hertfordshire Guidance Document) and the Ceasing to be Looked After Regulation 39 Checklist – for 16 & 17 year olds (Hertfordshire Guidance Document) have been added in Section 6, Children Who Cease to be Subject of Section 20, including 16 and 17 year olds. |
| Delegated Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers | This chapter has been updated. |
| Placement of Children Looked After | Section 7, Information to be Included in Placement Plan, has been revised to make clear that any financial arrangements must be included in the Placement Plan. |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation | Section 12, Finding an Appropriate Placement, has been revised to make reference to the High Court of Justice Family Division Ruling in September 2016, which sets out that secure accommodation placements may only be made in England or Wales where a judge in England or Wales has made the order. |
| Supervised Contact and the Hertfordshire Contact Service | Section 3, Criteria for Referral to Hertfordshire Contact Service has been entirely revised. |
| Education of Children Looked After | The link to Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions has been updated. |
| Health Care Assessments, Health Checks and Health Care Plans | A link to the NCB Practice Guidance: Supporting Young People with HIV Testing and Prevention has been added to this chapter. |
| Blood Borne Viruses - Guidance for the Protection of Looked After Children | A link to the NCB Practice Guidance: Supporting Young People with HIV Testing and Prevention has been added to this chapter. |
| 'Capacity' and Financial Arrangements for Children Looked After and Care Leavers Aged 16 & 17 | Section 1, Background, has been revised and updated. |
| Children Looked After – Remands and Custodial Sentences up to the Age of Sixteen (and those who Cease to be Looked After as a result of being Sentenced to a Period of Custody) | This chapter has been updated and should be re-read. |
| Criminal Injuries Compensation | This chapter has been entirely revised and updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Financial Allowances Policy for Children Looked After Placed in Residential Schools | This policy has been updated and should be re-read. |
| Children Looked After – Detained, Placed or Living in an NHS Hospital (and those who Cease to be Looked After as a result of the Placement or being Detained) | This chapter has been updated and should be re-read. |
| Children Looked After & Care Leavers Trust Panel Arrangements | Section 1, Background, has been revised and updated. A new Appendix 1: Trust Panel Pre-Meeting Template and Trust Panel Agenda Template has also been added for detailed information requirements and pre-meeting template. |
| Financial Allowances for Children Looked After and Young People Living in Hertfordshire Children's Homes | This policy has been updated and should be re-read. |
| Special Guardianship Orders Policy and Procedure | This chapter has been significantly revised and should be re-read in full. |
| Court Reports in Special Guardianship Guidance | Section 2, Special Guardianship – Matters to be Dealt with in Report to Court, has been revised and updated to reflect the enhanced assessment and reporting requirements (for all applications made from 29 February 2016) as set out in the Special Guardianship (Amendment) Regulations 2016. |
| Adoption by Local Authority or Independent Foster Agency, Foster Carers of a Foster Child Already Placed with them | The Information for Parents about Adoption and Information for Foster Carers going onto Adopt on Financial Support Leaflets referred to in this chapter have been marked as being under review. |
| Financial Allowances for Children Looked After and Young People Living in Hertfordshire Children's Homes | This document has been updated and should be re-read. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Case Allocation Escalation Resolution Process Between Teams | This document has been added to the Staff Access Library. |
| Children's Practitioners Case Allocation | This document has been added to the Staff Access Library. |
| Student Social Workers Case Allocation | This document has been added to the Staff Access Library. |
| Family Safeguarding LCS Workbook | A link to this workbook has been added to the manual. |
| Safeguarding Referrals for Open Adoption Cases | This document has been added to the manual. |
| Delegated Responsibility for Completing, Quality Assuring and Signing off Viability Assessments Guidance Note | This document has been added to the manual. |
| MASH - Process of Step Up from MASH to Assessment Teams | This document has been added to the Staff Access Library. |
| MASH - Adding Siblings after MASH Episode | This document has been added to the Staff Access Library. |
| Written Agreements Guidance | This guidance has been added to the manual. |
| Child Arrangements Order | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Family Assistance Order | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Children Looked After Finance Diagram | This diagram has been added to the manual. |
| Independent Placements – Fostering and Residential Allowances – Children Looked After | This document has been added to the manual. |
| Financial Requests and Payment Processes | This document has been added to the manual. |
| Bank Accounts, Savings Accounts, Child Trust Funds and Junior Individual Savings Accounts - Arrangements for Children Looked After and Care Leavers Aged 16 & 17 | This document has been added to the manual. |
| Welfare Benefits | This new section has been added to the manual with further content to follow in future. |
| Welfare Benefits - Appendix 1: Standard Benefits Claim Letter | This document has been added to the manual. |
| Welfare Benefits - Appendix 2: Licence Agreement | This document has been added to the manual. |
| Welfare Benefits - Appendix 3: Claiming Benefits Guidance | This document has been added to the manual. |
| Finance Leaflets | This new section has been added to the manual and links to the following leaflets have been added to the manual. |
| Money Matters 0-18 | A link to this leaflet in the Documents Library has been added to the manual. |
| Money Matters young people aged 16 & 17 living in semi-independent or independent accommodation (including supported lodgings) | A link to this leaflet in the Documents Library has been added to the manual. |
| Money Matters 18 yrs plus | A link to this leaflet in the Documents Library has been added to the manual. |
| Failed Asylum Seekers Reaching the age of 18 with no Recourse to Public Funds | A link to this leaflet in the Documents Library has been added to the manual. |
| Accommodation Options for Children Looked After and Care Leavers Aged 16 and Older | A link to this leaflet in the Documents Library has been added to the manual. |
| Savings & Bank Accounts for Children Looked After (Information for Children and Young People) | A link to this leaflet in the Documents Library has been added to the manual. |
| Savings & Bank Accounts for Children Looked After (Information for Staff and Carers) | A link to this leaflet in the Documents Library has been added to the manual. |
| Setting up Home Allowance 16+ (For Workers) | A link to this leaflet in the Documents Library has been added to the manual. |
| Setting up Home Allowance (SUHA) – Aged 16 and above 2016/2017 (Information for Young People) | A link to this leaflet in the Documents Library has been added to the manual. |
| Removed Chapters/Documents | |
|
|
September 2016
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Risk Assessment & Risk Management Manual | An updated version of this document has been added. |
| Child in Need, Visits, Plans and Reviews | A link to the 'East of England Joint Protocol on Supervision Orders' has been added to this chapter. |
| Court Proceedings | A link to the new document 'Requests to Appear at or Report to Criminal Courts or Private law Proceedings' has been added to this chapter. |
| Legal Planning Meetings | A link to the new document 'Requests to Appear at or Report to Criminal Courts or Private law Proceedings' has been added to this chapter. |
| Summary of Orders | A link to the 'East of England Joint Protocol on Supervision Orders' has been added to this chapter. |
| Young People with Mental Health Difficulties | A link to 'Tools for Supporting Children and Young People's Mental Health' has been added to this chapter. |
| Families With No Recourse to Public Funds | The link to the 'Cross service protocols delivering social care across service boundaries policy HCS 641' has been updated. |
| Decision to Look After and Initial Care Planning | Links to the recent Practice Guidance for the Use of S20 Provision in the Children Act (ADCS 2016) and to a suite of relevant Hertfordshire guidance notes have been added to this chapter. |
| Planning Placements | A link to Hertfordshire's 'Children Looked After – Placement Moves (Guidance)' has been added to this chapter. |
| Placement Disruption and Disruption Meetings | A link to Hertfordshire's 'Children Looked After – Placement Moves (Guidance)' has been added to this chapter. |
| Placement Endings | A link to Hertfordshire's 'Children Looked After – Placement Moves (Guidance)' has been added to this chapter. |
| Children Placed in Hertfordshire - Notifications by Other Local Authorities/Placement Providers | A link to the 'East of England Joint Protocol on Supervision Orders' has been added to this chapter. |
| Health Care Assessments, Health Checks and Health Care Plans | Section 1, Obtaining Consents to Initial and Review Health Assessments, Health Checks, Examination and Treatment, Section 2.1, When Required and Section 2.2, Initial Health Assessments (IHA) have been substantially revised and should be re-read. |
| Housing for Children Looked After and Care Leavers | A link to 'Children Looked After Joining the Housing Needs Register' has been added to this chapter. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| East of England Joint Protocol on Supervision Orders | This document has been added to the manual. The purpose of this joint working protocol is to establish a common approach to issues that may arise when a child who is, or who may be about to become, the subject of a Supervision Order moves from an address in one local authority area to an address in another local authority area, within the East of England Region. |
| Tools for Supporting Children and Young People's Mental Health | This guide for social care teams has been added to the manual. |
| Decision to Accommodate Young People 13 Years Plus under Section 20 | This Hertfordshire guidance document has been added to the manual. |
| Decision to Place Children in Residential Care | This Hertfordshire guidance document has been added to the manual. |
| The Hertfordshire Care Planning and Placement Choice Approach | This Hertfordshire guidance document has been added to the manual. |
| Children Looked After – Placement Moves (Guidance) | This Hertfordshire guidance document has been added to the manual. |
| Children Looked After Joining the Housing Needs Register | This Hertfordshire guidance document has been added to the manual. |
| Tenancy Sign Up | This Hertfordshire guidance document has been added to the manual. |
| Leaving Care, Life Skills and Transition to Adulthood Checklist | This Hertfordshire checklist document has been added to the manual. |
| Financial Allowances for Children Looked After and Young People Living in Hertfordshire Children's Homes | The June 2016 edition of this document has been added to the manual. |
August 2016
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Professional Supervision | The definition of Reflective Supervision has been added to Section 4, A Model of Reflective Practice. |
| Child and Family Assessments | Section 10, Recording Requirements has been updated. |
| Assessment Tools | Section 3.5, Guidance in Assessment: Parents with Learning Difficulties has been updated. |
| Consent to Information Sharing | A link to the Hertfordshire Family Safeguarding Services: Guide to Information Sharing has been added. |
| Child in Need, Visits, Plans and Reviews | Section 3, Reviews of Child in Need Plans has been updated. |
| Private Fostering | This chapter has been substantially revised and updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Mental Capacity Act | Information regarding assessing competence in under 16's has been added into Section 2, Children Under 16. |
| Disabled Children | This chapter has been extensively revised and should be re-read in full. |
| Placement Endings | An updated version of the Ceasing CLA Checklist has been added. |
| Placement with Parents or Person who has, or has held Parental Responsibility Immediately Prior to Making of a Care Order or Interim Care Order | Section 11, Financial Arrangements for CLA Under 16 Years has been updated. |
| Statutory Visits to Children Looked After | Section 7, Social Work Visits to Young People on Remand has been added. |
| Independent Visitors | This chapter has been updated throughout. Also, a new Section 3, Referral Process has been added. |
| Looked After Reviews | Section 5, Invitations and the Child's Participation and Section 10, Looked After Reviews for Children Subject of Child Protection Plans have been updated. |
| Staying Put Policy | An updated version of this policy has been added to the manual. |
| Transition to Adulthood (Leaving Care) Finance Policy and Guidance 2016-2017 | An updated version of this policy has been added to the manual. |
| Children Looked After Personal Finances | Section 6, CLA's Savings has been updated. |
| Child Trust Funds and Junior Individual Savings Accounts for Children Looked After | This chapter has been updated throughout. |
| The Management of Disability Benefits Children Looked After 2016-2017 | An updated version of this guidance has been added to the manual. |
| Fostering - Introduction, Purpose and Overview | This chapter has been reviewed. |
| Persons Disqualified from Fostering | This chapter has been reviewed. |
| Employees of Hertfordshire County Council Acting as Foster Carers | This chapter has been reviewed. |
| Allowances and Payments | Hyperlinks in this chapter have been revised and updated. |
| Foster Carer Reviews | A link to the Independent Review of HCC Foster Carers Procedure has been added into Section 2, Review Process - Summary. |
| Notification to Ofsted (Foster Care) | This chapter has been reviewed. |
| Independent Review of HCC Foster Carers | This chapter has been revised and updated. |
| Foster Care Case Recording | This chapter has been reviewed and a link to the Foster Carer Case Recording Policy has been added. |
| Appropriate Adult | This chapter has been reviewed. |
| Keeping Safe - Behaviour Management in Foster Care | This chapter has been reviewed. |
| Panel Papers Required by Adoption Panels/Agency Decision Maker Considering the Adoption of a Child | An updated version of the separate Guidelines for Papers and Reports for ADM Decision has been added |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Hertfordshire Family Safeguarding Service: Guide to Information Sharing | This guide has been added to the manual. |
| The Prevent Guidance (Hertfordshire SCB Link) |
A link to this guidance has been added to the manual. |
| 'Capacity' and Financial Arrangements for Children Looked After and Care Leavers Aged 16 & 17 | This guidance sets out the financial processes and arrangements where a 16 or 17 year old child looked after is assessed to lack 'Capacity' in respect of their ability to manage their financial affairs. |
| Standard Benefits Claim Letter (Staff may access this letter in the Staff Access Library) |
A link to this letter has been added to the manual. |
| Children Looked After – Remands and Custodial Sentences up to the Age of Sixteen (and those who Cease to be Looked After as a result of being Sentenced to a Period of Custody) | This guidance sets out the allowances to be provided to children looked after who are remanded into custody and/or receive a custodial sentence. The allowances also apply to children who cease to be looked after, i.e. those who were 'Accommodated' under Section 20 who cease to be looked after on receiving a custodial sentence. |
| Protocol for Joint Working Between Targeted Youth Support Services (TYSS), Youth Justice within TYSS and Probation to Support Care Leavers aged 18+ | A link to this protocol has been added to the manual. |
| Children Looked After – Detained, Placed or Living in an NHS Hospital (and those who Cease to be Looked After as a result of the Placement or being Detained) | This guidance sets out the allowances to be provided to children looked after who are detained, placed or are living in an NHS hospital setting and those who cease to be looked after as a result of being detained or placed, i.e. those who were Accommodated under Section 20, Children Act 1989 and cease to be CLA as a result of the detention/placement. |
| Managing and Monitoring of Children Looked After Finances – Process Note | This guidance sets out the processes and arrangements in managing and monitoring the finances of children who become Looked After. |
| Transfer of Savings and Finances to Children Looked After and Care Leavers – Process Note | This guidance sets out the process to follow when transferring savings and financial allowances to children ceasing to be looked after (at any age) or young people leaving care at the age of 18. |
| Children Looked After & Care Leavers Trust Panel Arrangements | This guidance sets out the process to be followed when seeking to establish arrangements for managing and overseeing financial assets on behalf of children looked after and care leavers who are the responsibility of Hertfordshire Children's Services; some of whom may subsequently receive support from Hertfordshire Adult Services. |
| Monitoring and Auditing of Allowances to Children/Young People (Fostering) | This procedure sets out how Foster Carers should monitor and record expenditure in providing for the needs of the child/young person. |
March 2016
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Ofsted Notifications and Need to Know Notifications | This chapter has been revised and updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Kinship Care Policy | A minor change has been made to Section 4.4, Child Arrangement Orders. |
| Scheme of Delegation to Officers | The 1 September 2015 edition of this document is now accessible through this online manual. |
| Retention and Destruction of Records | The table of record retention timescales in Section 2, Destruction of Files of this chapter has been revised. |
| Transfers Protocol | A link to the CLA Transfer Checklist has been added. |
| Child and Family Assessments | Section 9, Actions and Outcomes has been extended in respect of children who move across local authority boundaries. |
| Child in Need, Visits, Plans and Reviews | This chapter has been updated throughout. Section 5, Visits to Children in Need, in particular, has been entirely revised and should therefore be re-read. |
| Targeted Youth Support Services | The July 2015 edition of the TYS Operational Procedures is now accessible through this online manual. |
| International Cross Border Child Protection Cases | The title and introduction of this chapter have been revised. |
| Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children | A link has been added from this chapter to the ADCS Asylum Task Force "good practice documents". |
| Children Who Go Missing from Home or Care, or Who are Vulnerable to Sexual Exploitation | The September 2015 edition of this multi-agency procedure is now accessible through this online manual. |
| Mental Capacity Act | This chapter has been revised and updated throughout and a new Section 4, Money Matters for 16 and 17 Year Olds and Those Leaving Care has been added. The chapter should be re-read in full. |
| Decision to Look After and Initial Care Planning | This chapter has been revised and updated throughout and should be re-read in full. |
| Care Planning Guidance | An amendment has been made to the final bullet point in Section 10.5, Section 3 - The Plan. |
| Permanence Planning | Section 4, Permanence Planning Meetings has been revised and updated. |
| Placement Endings | This chapter has been entirely revised and updated to fully reflect requirements in respect of 16 and 17 Year Olds. |
| Looked After Reviews | This chapter has been entirely revised and updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Supervised Contact and the Hertfordshire Contact Service | Amendments have been made to the following: Section 3, Criteria for Referral to Hertfordshire Contact Service, Section 7, Cancellations and Section 10, Refusal or Suspension of Contact. |
| Staying Put Policy | Version 10 of this policy document (dated 15 July 2015) is now accessible through this online manual. |
| Leaving Care Finance Policy | Version 4 of this policy document (dated 4 April 2015) is now accessible through this online manual. |
| Children Looked After in Contact with Youth Justice Services | Section 2, Looked After Children who have been Arrested has been updated and a new Section 6, National Guidance has been added. |
| Managing Disability Allowances for Children Looked After | The 1 April 2015 edition of this document is now accessible through this online manual. |
| Financial Allowances Policy for Children Looked After Placed in Residential Schools | The 2015-2016 edition of this policy document is now accessible through this online manual. |
| Support and Supervision of Foster Carers | A link to the Transfer of Foster Carers Protocol has been added to this chapter. |
| Panel Papers Required by Adoption Panels/Agency Decision Maker Considering the Adoption of a Child | A link to the separate Guidelines for Papers and Reports for ADM Decision has been added to this chapter. |
| Staff Access Library | A new Section 3, What's New and Practice Guidance Notes has been added to this Library |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Age Assessment | A new section on Age Assessment has been added to the manual giving easy access to a wide range of relevant materials. |
| Multi-Agency Panel Terms of Reference | The August 2015 edition of these terms of reference is now accessible through this online manual. |
| Hertfordshire's Strategy to Prevent Child Sexual Exploitation (Hertfordshire SCB Link) | A link to this strategy document on the Hertfordshire SCB website has been added to this online manual. |
| Children at Risk of Self Harm and Suicidal Behaviour (Hertfordshire SCB Link) | A link to this document on the Hertfordshire SCB website has been added to this online manual. |
| Ceasing to Look After a Child | This new chapter reflects the statutory guidance 'Ceasing to look after a child' in 'Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations (2015)' as amended by the 'Care Planning and Fostering (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2015' together with Working Together to Safeguard Children. |
| Documents Library | A new open access documents library has been added to this manual. |
September 2015
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Childcare Policy, Strategy and Principles | Section 2, Confidentiality Policy, Values and Principles has been revised to reflect the March 2015 national guidance Information Sharing Advice For Practitioners Providing Safeguarding Services To Children, Young People, Parents And Carers. |
| Ofsted Notifications and Need to Know Notifications | This chapter has been entirely revised and should be re-read in full. |
| Child and Family Assessments | Section 7, Agency Information, has been revised to include further guidance regarding work with children and young people with links to a foreign country. |
| Consent to Information Sharing | A link to the March 2015 National Guidance, Information Sharing - Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers, has been added to this chapter. |
| Court Proceedings | Section 4, Involvement of CAFCASS Children's Guardians, has been entirely revised and updated. |
| Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation | Section 1, Youth Remand Framework Under LASPO, has been entirely revised. |
| Homeless 16 and 17 Year Olds | A link to the May 2015 Hertfordshire Joint Housing Protocol has been added to this chapter. A link to an information leaflet for homeless 16 & 17 year olds has been also added). |
| Children Who Go Missing from Home or Care, or Who are Vulnerable to Sexual Exploitation | An entirely new version of this document has been added to this manual. |
| Children Missing from Education | A link to Children Missing Education - Statutory guidance for local authorities (January 2015) has been added to this chapter. |
| Direct Payments for Disabled Children | Section 4.3, Workplace Pensions has been added to this chapter. References to the 'Brokerage Service Provision Team' have been revised to read the 'Brokerage and Short Breaks Review Team' throughout the chapter. |
| Short Breaks | Further detail has been added to Section 3, Levels of Assessment. Section 7, Short Break Settings has been also revised to link to the new Quality Standards for Children's Homes and Care Quality Commission (CQC). |
| Permanence Planning | Section 3, Planning for Permanent Placements, has been revised to include further references to children and young people with links to foreign countries. |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation | A link has been added to the February 2015 Department for Education guidance, Secure children's homes: how to place a child aged under 13. |
| Statutory Visits to Children Looked After | Section 1, Revised General Statutory Visiting Requirements has been revised to reflect the requirements of the The Care Planning and Fostering (Miscellaneous Amendments) (England) Regulations 2015. |
| Looked After Reviews | Revisions have been made throughout the chapter which should therefore be re-read in full. |
| Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews | Section 3, Secure Accommodation Review Panels has been revised and updated to clarify chairing arrangements. |
| Child Trust Funds and Junior Individual Savings Accounts for Children Looked After | A note has been added to advise that from April 2015 money held in Child Trust Funds can be transferred into Junior ISAs. The maximum contribution rates have been also updated. |
| Placing for Adoption Babies and Children Relinquished by their Mother and Father | Sections 5, After the Birth - the Mother, and Section 11, Parent withdraws Consent after Placement with Adopters, have been revised and linked with the separate chapter Placement Endings. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Delegated Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers | This July 2015 document is now accessible through this online manual. |
June 2015
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Case Recording | The following information has been added in to Section 6, What Should be Recorded and How – 'The case record for each child should include a separate case note of each significant event, activity or transaction which relates to that child, which describes in appropriate detail what happened, has been observed, and has been discussed. The case summary should be updated monthly'. |
| Management Reviews: Single Agency, Multi-Agency and External | References to Independent Management Review have been updated throughout to Individual Management Review; references to Working Together 2013 have been updated to Working Together to Safeguard Children throughout; Section 7, Monitoring and Tracking has been updated throughout. |
| Initial Contacts and Referrals to Social Care | Section 2, Screening Process, has been updated; new Section 9, Case Allocation Considerations has been added. |
| Child and Family Assessments | A minor change has been made in Section 5, Planning, relating to situations where there are continuing arrangements for a child to be routinely cared for in more than one household. |
| Risk Assessment & Risk Management Manual | An updated version has been added. |
| Private Law Applications (including Section 7 and Section 37 Reports) | Minor amendments have been made to Sections 2, 3 and 4, and those sections should be re-read. |
| Placement of Children Looked After | Section 4, Placement Planning Meeting, has been updated throughout. |
| Looked After Reviews | Minor amendments have been made in Sections 1, 2.3, 6, and 7.4. |
| Care Leavers and Transition to Adulthood | Additional information has been added in to Section 6, The Pathway Plan, in relation to the role of the IRO. |
| Intermediary Services | This chapter has been marked to show that, with effect from 31st October 2014, the Adoption Information and Intermediary Services (Pre-Commencement Adoptions) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 extended Intermediary Services to persons having a Prescribed Relationship with an adopted person. This chapter is currently under review. |
March 2015
| Updated/Amended Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Whistleblowing | A link to Raising Concerns at Work: Whistleblowing Guidance for Workers and Employers in Health and Social Care published by Care Providers Alliance with a forward from Secretary of State for Health has been added to this chapter. |
| Case Recording | Section 6, What Should be Recorded and How has been revised to clarify what should included, the required level of detail and the frequency of updating. |
| Professional Supervision | A link to the separate Lone Working Guidance has been added to this chapter. |
| Initial Contacts and Referrals to Social Care | Section 2, Screening Process, has been revised to make clear the extent and reach of the family member checks which are required. |
| Child and Family Assessments | Section 5, Planning has been revised in respect of children who are cared for in more than one household. Section 10, Recording Requirements has been also revised to more fully reflect expectations. |
| Assessment Tools | Section 4, Guidance to Follow When Planning or Undertaking Assessments has been revised to include a reference to children who are routinely cared for in more than one household. |
| Child in Need, Visits, Plans and Reviews | Section 7, Management Arrangements for Children In Need Services has been revised to set out that the allocation of each child within a household (whether full or part time) to the same caseworker should always be considered. Where different caseworkers are involved the need for coordination and communication is stressed. |
| Family Group Conferences | This chapter has been revised throughout and should be re-read in full. |
| Court Proceedings | A link to Court Orders and Pre-Proceedings for Local Authorities has been added (above) but the chapter as a whole remains under review. |
| Public Law Outline | Revisions have been made to Section 1.4, Pre Proceedings with Specific Required Action, but this chapter remains under review. |
| Legal Planning Meetings | This chapter has been substantially revised and updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation | This chapter has been substantially revised and updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children | This chapter has been substantially revised and updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Young People with Mental Health Difficulties | A link to Mental Health and Behaviour in Schools: Departmental Advice for School Staff June 2014 has been added to this chapter. |
| Private Fostering | This chapter has been substantially revised and updated and should be re-read in full. |
| Children Missing from Care or Home | New links to the relevant statutory and HSCP guidance have been added to this chapter and Section 7, Return Interview, has been revised and updated. |
| Decision to Look After and Initial Care Planning | This chapter has been updated in line with Looked-after Children: Contact with Siblings - Update to Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review. Additional information has been added in to Section 2, Actions required after a Decision to Look After is made, in relation to sibling placement. |
| Placement of Children Looked After in Supported Lodgings | Section 1, What is Supported Lodgings and Who is it For? has been revised and updated in respect of the relevant age range and to make reference to Staying Put. |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation | This chapter has been slightly updated and new links have been added to related guidance and a related chapter. |
| Placement with Parents or Person who has, or has held Parental Responsibility Immediately Prior to Making of a Care Order or Interim Care Order | Section 3.8, Termination of Placements has been revised to the recent High Court judgements in Re DE (A Child) (2014). |
| Placement Outside Hertfordshire | This chapter has been updated in line with Out of authority placement of looked-after children - Supplement to Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review. |
| Looked After Reviews | Section 15, Conflict Resolution, has been extensively revised and hyperlinks throughout the chapter have been revised and updated. |
| Local Authority Responsibilities in the Appointment of IROs and Establishment of an Effective IRO Service | This chapter has been entirely revised and updated and should be read in full. |
| Contact with Parents, Family and Friends | This chapter has been updated in line with the above statutory guidance. Additional information has been added in to Section 1, Introduction and Overview, in relation to sibling placement. |
| Education of Children Looked After | This chapter has been substantially revised and updated to reflect the following statutory guidance: Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (2014): Statutory Guidance from the Department for Education and Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years - Statutory guidance for organisations who work with and support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (2015). New hyperlinks have been also added. The chapter should be re-read in full. |
| Health Care Assessments, Health Checks and Health Care Plans | Section 2.1, When Required and 2.3, Initial Health Assessments have been substantially revised and should be re-read. |
| Care Leavers and Transition to Adulthood | Hyperlinks in this chapter have been revised and updated. The chapter however, remains under review. |
| Staying Put Supported and Staying Put Lodgings | New links have been added to this chapter. The chapter however, remains under review. |
| Leaving Care Finance Policy | Section 6.2, Failed Asylum Seekers aged 18 - 21/25 has been entirely revised and replaced. Other part of the chapter however, remain under review as indicated. |
| Children Looked After Personal Finances | Hyperlinks in this chapter have been revised and updated. |
| Staying Put Supported and Staying Put Lodgings Carers | Hyperlinks in this chapter have been revised and updated. |
| Polices, Procedures, Forms and Leaflets | This chapter has been revised and updated. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Case Escalation Process | This new protocol has been developed to ensure that Hertfordshire County Council has a robust escalation process through which issues or concerns might be raised and resolved involving care plans for children looked after, or children subject to a child protection plan. |
| Lone Working Guidance | This new document sets out Hertfordshire's policy in respect of lone working on the part of Children's Services Staff. |
| Management Reviews: Single Agency, Multi-Agency and External | This new chapter provides an overview of the different management review which may be undertaken. |
| Risk Assessment & Risk Management Manual | This new guidance provides a framework and clear processes for managers and practitioners in managing risk in their work with children, young people and families in order to deliver statutory and voluntary interventions which are effective and of high standard. |
| Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (Supplement) - Looked After Children and Youth Justice - Application of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 to Looked After Children in Contact with Youth Justice Services | This statutory guidance is now accessible from this online manual. |
| Financial Allowances Policy for Children Looked After Placed in Residential Schools | This new chapter sets out the schedule of payments and allowances for Children Looked After placed in residential schools most of which will be residential special schools. |
| Disclosure and Barring Checks: Procedures for Children aged 17 who will remain in Placement on Reaching their 18th birthday (Fostering and Residential Care) | This new chapter sets out expectations in respect of Disclosure and Barring Checks in the context of placements which continue beyond the young person's 18th birthday. |
