Notification of Placements for Children Looked After in another Local Authority

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

This chapter explains the notification requirements when a Calderdale Child Looked After is placed in another Local Authority Area; it was added to the procedures manual in December 2014.

See also: Notification Procedure for Calderdale CLA Placed out of Authority – which contains flow charts summarising the Process and a step by step guide to making the required notifications.

1. Notifications

Written notification must be given to the area authority of the arrangements for the placement before the placement is made or, if the placement is made in an emergency, within five working days of the start of the placement unless it is not reasonably practicable to do so.

The notification must include:

  1. Details of the assessment of the child's needs and the reasons why the placement is the most suitable for responding to these; and
  2. A copy of the child's care plan (unless already provided in the case of a Placement at a Distance).
See: Appendix 1: Notification of a Calderdale CLA Placed in your Authority.

2. Process

  • When the placement address is entered into CASS it will alert Social Workers that the address is outside of the Calderdale boundary and this procedure should then be implemented. N.B. Basic details of the child or young person will, by and large, be populated by CASS so it is essential that that all relevant details are current and up to date and that these are checked before the notifications is sent;
  • Within 5 Working Days of the placement, CASS should be updated, including: Basic Information; Maintained Episode to be updated to include details of the Local Authority in which the child is placed; Notifications to be sent to Parents/Carers;
  • Social Worker to inform Admin Pod  to send standard notification (Ref  OLA1/2014) FAO of the Director of Children's Services in the relevant Local Authority, nominated Calderdale CLA personnel and upload a copy onto CASS;
  • Notification to be sent to the following Calderdale Designated CLA personnel and services: Designated Nurse for CLA; Virtual School Head; Child's GP; Independent Reviewing Officer, Safeguarding and QA (CP.ADMIN@calderdale.gov.uk);
  • If the proposed placement is a Placement at a Distance – over 20 miles from the Calderdale border, an 'At a Distance' Placement Information Form (see Appendix 2: At a Distance Placement Information Form)  must be completed and submitted to the Director of Children's Services for approval;
  • When a placement ends, the standard notification (Ref OlA2/2014) is used to notify the relevant authority. Whereby the child or young person remains in the same Local Authority but the placement address changes then OLA2/2014 can be used to notify the change of placement details.

Appendices: Forms / Documents used to make notifications

Appendix 1: Notification of a Calderdale CLA Placed in your Authority

Appendix 2: At a Distance Placement Information Form

Appendix 3: End or Change of Placement Notification - Calderdale CLA