Statutory Visits to Children/Young People Looked After

1. General Statutory Visiting Requirements

The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations 2010 states:

‘Looked after children deserve the best experiences in life, from excellent parenting which promotes good health and educational attainment, to a wide range of opportunities to develop their talents and skills in order to have an enjoyable childhood and successful adult life. Stable placements, good health and support during transitions are all essential elements, but children will only achieve their potential through the ambition and high expectation of all those involved in their lives.’

A child’s / young person’s relationship with their social worker plays an essential role towards achieving this ambition.

The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations 2010 go on to state that the child’s Social Worker must visit:

1. Within one week of the start of any placement;
2. At intervals of not more than 6 weeks for the first year of any placement;
3. Thereafter, at intervals of not more than 6 weeks (3 months if the placement is intended to last until the child is 18).

In Hertfordshire, the general statutory visiting frequencies are regarded as a minimum and social workers should aim to see a child or young person alone on a four weekly basis except where the need or risk indicates that greater frequency is required. Visits should always be booked in advance and not left to the last minute to arrange.

Children should be visited more frequently when a new social worker is allocated in order to build up a relationship with the child.

A change from 4 weekly to 6 weekly visits can be considered if:

• The child / young person has been in our care for over 12 months;
• The child / young person has requested this;
• The IRO is in agreement;
• The Team Manager is in agreement;
• There is a clear rationale for this decision recorded on LCS by both the Team Manager and IRO in the case notes section of the child’s record.

Furthermore, The Care Planning and Fostering (Miscellaneous Amendments)

(England) Regulations 2015 state in regulation 28 (3A) Where -

The child is in a long term foster placement (see definition) and has been in that placement for at least one year, and the child being of sufficient age and understanding, agrees to be visited less frequently than required by paragraph (2)(c), the responsible authority must ensure visits at intervals of no more than 6 months.

Any decision to extent the frequency of visits as outlined above must be agreed by the IRO at a CLA review.

On each visit, the social worker must speak to the child/young person alone unless he/she is unable to do so, considers it inappropriate or the child/young person (being of sufficient age and understanding) refuses. The views and wishes of the child or young person in respect of their care must always be sought.

2. Social Work Visits to Children in Foster Placements

The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations 2010 state that a child or young person must be visited within the first week of the start of the placement and then at 6 weekly intervals for the first year of placement. 

After the first year visiting at 6 weekly intervals should continue unless the placement has been formally agreed to be 'long term'. Where a placement is intended to last until the child/young person is 18 visiting intervals can be extended to 3 months.

Regulation 35(1) (b) states that a visit must also take place when reasonably requested by the child/young person or foster carer.

Regulation 35(3) (b) requires that a record of each visit is made on LCS and include the Social Workers full name, the date of the visit and the date the recording was made. Supervising Social Workers for the foster carers should be sent a copy of this recording.

3. Social Work Visits to Children Placed with Connected Persons Carers

If a child/young person is placed with a Connected Person Carer (family or friend carer) with temporary approval visits must take place at least once a week until the first Looked After Review, thereafter at intervals of not more than 4 weeks.

Regulation 35(1) (b) states that a visit must also take place when reasonably requested by the child or young person or Connected Person Carer.

Regulation 35(3) (b) requires that a record of each visit is made on LCS and include the Social Workers full name, the date of the visit and the date the recording was made. The Supervising Social Worker for the family and Connected Persons Carer should be sent a copy of this recording.

Once the Connected Persons Carer has been approved as a foster carer the child/young person must be visited at the frequency prescribed for children/young people in foster placements (as above).

4. Social Work Visits to Children Placed with Foster Carers for a Series of Short Breaks

A visit to the child/young person in placement by a member of Children's Services staff must take place within the first 7 calendar days of placement (that is 7 days when the child/young person is actually in placement) or before the first review, whichever is the sooner.

Thereafter, if the series of placements continues the child/young person must be visited at intervals of not more than 6 months, or if the interval between placements exceeds 6 months, during the next placement.

5. Social Work Visits to Children in Residential Placements

The Social Worker must visit:

1. Within one week of the start of any placement;
2. At intervals of not more than 6 weeks for the first year of any placement;
3. Thereafter, at intervals of not more than 6 weeks (3 months if the placement is intended to last until the child is 18).

On each visit, the social worker must speak to the child/young person alone unless he/she is unable to do so, considers it inappropriate or the child/young person (being of sufficient age and understanding) refuses. The views and wishes of the child or young person in respect of their care must always be sought.

A visit must also take place when reasonably requested by the child/young person or children's home staff.

The views and wishes of the child/young person in relation to their care must always be sought.

The Social Worker must seek to establish from the child/young person that they do not wish to see them and the reasons for this rather than merely accepting the word of staff that the child/young person refuses to see them.

Sometimes this may not be possible if the child/young person has absented her or himself from the placement. In such circumstances the Social Worker must arrange to visit the child/young person again as soon as possible. The failed attempt to see the child must be clearly recorded. If the Social Worker is still unable to establish direct contact with the child they must discuss the case immediately with their supervisor or line manager who must decide on what further action is needed.

A record of each visit must be made on LCS.

6. Social Work Visits to Children Placed with Parents

The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations 2010 set out requirements regarding visits to Children Looked After placed with parents as outlined below:

Where a child/young person is placed with parents pending assessment (Regulation 19)

Social work visits must take place at least once a week until the first Looked After Review, thereafter at intervals of not more than 6 weeks.

Where a child/young person is placed with parents under an Interim Care Order

Social Work visits must take place at least once a week until the first Looked After Review, thereafter at intervals of not more than 4 weeks

Where a child/young person is placed with parents under a Care Order

Social Work visits must be made within one week of the Care Order, thereafter at intervals of not more than 6 weeks.

In all instances where a child/young person is placed with parents a visit must also take place when reasonably requested by the child/young person or the person with whom the child/young person is placed.

At each visit the Social Worker must discuss the child/young person's welfare and progress with the caregivers and, in so far as is practicable, see the child/young person alone.

The Social Worker must record the outcomes of each visit on LCS.

7. Social Work Visits to Young People on Remand

If a young person becomes 'looked after' even for a brief period of time, whilst on remand, they must be visited and the impact of offending regarding themselves and others is explicitly considered.

See also: Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation Procedure.