Decision Making and Accountability Framework

DECISION MAKING AND ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK

The table below provides guidance about which posts have authority for decision making in the areas of childcare, finance and human resources. The posts listed indicate the lowest level at which decisions can be made but do not preclude decision making at a higher level.

This framework should be used in conjunction with the Delegated Authority – Decision Support Tool and the Leicestershire, Leicester City and Rutland Child Protection Procedures.

CHILDREN’S CASEWORK DECISIONS

Decision Post Body Notes about the process

Decision about First Response Team N/A See Service specification acceptance of referral Manager Service manager to monitor activity and performance on a monthly basis Single Assessment Team Manager N/A Commence Section 47 Team Manager Strategy meeting with Should clearly be recorded by Team Manager enquiries the police and other agencies Agreement to end S47 Team Manager and 2 LSCB Senior Practitioner or Team Manager to discuss ICPC with the two multi- investigation without Agency Colleagues agency colleagues before closing and/or refer back to a reconvened strategy going to Child meeting Protection Conference or Legal Proceedings

Agreement to refer a Team Manager LCSB LSCB procedures to be followed child for a Child Protection Conference Presentation and Social Worker/Senior The Team Manager will make a decision about who should attend the conference attendance at Child Practitioner / taking into account the complexity of the case and the experience of the Social Senior Social Worker. Protection Conference Worker/Team Manager

Reviewed: September 2016 Next Review: March 2018 Attendance at court Senior Social Worker / Other members of Unit may be delegated to go if straightforward hearing Senior Practitioner

Transfer to another Senior Practitioner / Follow up in writing local authority Team Manager

Acceptance of a case First Response Team Should follow LSCB timescales and ICPC within 15 days from another Local Manager Authority Case Closure – Single Team Manager Service Manager to monitor activity and performance on a monthly basis Assessment Children staying with Service Manager and Expenditure over £50 per annum on one family to be monitored by Budget friends or family under Team Manager Monitor Section 17 agreements

LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN

The table below only gives the level of decision making – not the detailed procedure. The assumption is made that parents/carers with parental responsibility will be consulted when appropriate.

Accommodating a child Service Manager N/A The child should also have been considered under S47 before requesting under Section 20 accommodation Accommodation in an Service Manager N/A If accommodated in emergency S47 enquiries to be completed. EPO emergency EPO/PPO (Locality) applications must be approved by the Head of Service Application to the court Service Manager N/A Applications will only be accepted following a legal planning meeting and to look after a child compliance with PLO regulations including ICO Placement in in-house Service Manager Service Manager for Fostering and Placements or the relevant covering foster care, supported Service Manager (usually the SM for the Children in Care Service) Reviewed: September 2016 Next Review: March 2018 lodgings or a contracted 16+ provision Agreement to search for Assistant Director In-house placements and searches should always be done before this an Independent Fostering authorisation is sought; the view of the Service Manager/s for Fostering and Agency Placement Placement Services should be sought before AD authorisation is sought; Consideration should be given to additional resource to support an in-house provision to enable placement; A clear trajectory/end date should be identified with continued search for in- house provision. Authorisation for Director In-house placements and searches should always be done before this Residential Placement authorisation is sought; the view of the Service Manager/s for Fostering and Placement Services should be sought before Director’s authorisation is sought; Consideration should be given to additional resource to support an in-house provision to enable placement. A clear trajectory/end date should be identified with continued search for in- house provision or supported lodging/contracted bed where appropriate. Authorisation for Placements and Resource Chair: Head of Strategy The panel will consider placement resources including:- Placements and Panel  Approval of out of authority (agency) placements in advance of Resources planned placements  Ratification of any emergency out of authority (agency) placements  Applications for Special Guardianship Orders and Child Arrangements Orders where enhanced allowances are being considered  Foster carer requests for adaptations to their property or additional resources  Funding requests for young people to remain in an independent agency fostering or residential placement at intervals of one month, three months after placement is made until permanency decision is made  Adoption support e.g. adoption support plans and therapeutic costs that have not been agreed when the Adoption order was made Reviewed: September 2016 Next Review: March 2018  High cost independent living provision for children in care  Requests for exceptional resources for children in need under Sec 17  Variation to IFA or Residential placement  Spot purchase 16+

Terms of Reference are available.

Packages of Integrated Children’s Chair: Assistant All decisions to be made or ratified at the Integrated Children’s Panel – a support/care for Panel Director CSC or multi- agency decision making panel for children and young people with children and young Equivalent in Health or complex needs, who require multi agency assessment and intervention in people whose needs the form of support packages/ programmes. Equivalent in Education cannot be met through Terms of Reference are is available. universal and specialist services alone

Placement of a child in Director Secure Planning Assistant Director must approve recommendation from Secure Planning secure accommodation Meeting chaired by Meeting Head of Service Attendance at Review of Senior Practitioner / Meeting / As per procedure Arrangement Social Worker Communication department Overnight stays away Parent/ Foster Carer / As per procedure from placement for LAC Social Worker Holidays abroad for LAC Service Manager As per procedure (Locality) Approval of passport Team Manager As per procedure. Can be signed by someone with PR applications for LAC Adoption plan decision Agency Decision Maker Legal Planning (ADM) Meetings chaired by Service Manager;

Reviewed: September 2016 Next Review: March 2018 Placing a child for Agency Decision Maker / Legal Planning Following Planning Procedure; adoption Meetings chaired by Permanency Panel - The panel will consider and make decisions regarding Service Manager; the following Statutory Guidance: Permanence, long term foster placements Adoption Panel to and ceasing to look after a child- March 2015, and Care Planning and Fostering ( Misc Amendments) Regulations 2015 recommend matches; Permanency Panel chaired by Assistant Director Approval of foster Agency Decision Maker Fostering Panel to As per regulations carers Fostering manager to recommend to Head of sign off the report Service Children in Care service for decision Allowances paid for Service Manager The policy has been updated. Special Guardianship, Fostering and Residence Orders or Adopotion Adoption Revocation of Care Service Manager with LAC review Order legal advice Legal Planning meeting Placement with parents Nominated Officer is Nominated officer approval for decision to place a looked after child with the (nominated officer Head of Strategy – parents – this must not be put into effect until approved by the Nominated approval required) Fostering, Adoption Officer and the Placement Plan is prepared. and Children in Care. The Nominated Officer must be satisfied by a number of conditions outlined in the guidance/regs. before approving such a placement. This arrangement must not be put into effect until the Nominated Officer has been approved.

Placements with Nominated Officer is Nominated Officer might consider it necessary and consistent with child’s parents before Head of Strategy – welfare to place with parents before assessment of the suitability to care for assessment is Fostering, Adoption the child provided that a number of conditions are met (outlined in the Care

Reviewed: September 2016 Next Review: March 2018 completed (Nominated and Children in Care. Planning, Placement and Review guidance/regs, March 2010 – and updated). Officer approval required) Out of hours the nominated officer is the on call Service Manager.

Placements out of area Nominated Officer is Nominated Officer must approve decision to make such placements subject (Nominated Officer Service Manager to being satisfied with a number of conditions (outlined in the Care Planning, approval required) Children in Care. Placement and Review guidance/regs, March 2010 – and updated). Approval is not required where placement out of area is with a LA foster Any placement outside Nominated Officer as parent, either connected or approved by the responsible LA). England and Wales above. Emergency placements Case responsible Nominated Officer must be satisfied that the child’s feeling/wishes have made out of area Service Manager to been ascertained and considered, and must take steps to ensure within 5 (except emergency ensure that all the working days that the IRO has been informed, relatives consulted (where placement with a LA steps have been appropriate) and area authority notified. foster carer under undertaken by the regulation 23) social worker and then (nominated officer to obtain Nominated approval required) Officer approval Avoiding placements Nominated Officer Nominated Officer must approve any change of placement that will lead to a that disrupt education change in a school place of a child in key stage 4. However, Nominated (nominated officer Officer approval is not required if the change is a result of an emergency or approval required) where placement termination is due to immediate risk or serious harm or to protect others from serious injury Temporary approval of Head of Strategy The Head of Strategy for Fostering, Adoption and Children in Care will a ‘connected person’ consider the Viability Assessment and make the decision as to whether the one extension of up to placement meets the child’s needs and whether welfare needs can be met. Reviewed: September 2016 Next Review: March 2018 8 weeks or extension to the duration of an IRM appeal being concluded (nominated officer approval required) Placing with a Head of Strategy Staff must complete the proforma and obtain approval of the Head of ‘connected person’ i.e. Strategy for Fostering, Adoption and Children in Care. Grandparent(s), child minder, teacher, etc. Placement cannot commence without this authorisation, including out of Must be done under hours. the Care Planning, Where the Head of Strategy for Fostering, Adoption and Children in Care is Placement and Review not available to make this decision, another Head of Strategy or Director can guidance/regs (March make this decision. 2010). Representative to visit Should be embedded A qualified social worker employed by the LA, usually the child’s social a former looked after as good social work worker or personal advisor allocated to the child for maintaining the care or child in custody to practice – Team pathway plan before they entered custody. In some circumstances a assess their needs. re: Manager. residential care worker or a foster carer known to the child might be LA responsibilities to appropriate to carry out this role). This role should not be carried out by a former LAC in custody YOS worker Designated manager To Head of Strategy – To inform the following where the decision is not to continue to support receive reports from Safeguarding formerly looked after child after assessment by the representative: the representative and - The child’s case manager in the YOS decide how the LA will - The Governor or manager of the custodial establishment act on their - The child, their parents and others with PR. recommendations re: LA responsibilities to former LAC in custody Designated Manager – Placement Officer Any notification received from another LA that a LAC has been – Reviewed: September 2016 Next Review: March 2018 Notifications Notifications placed within the LA should be passed to the Designated manager – Notifications, who should ensure that the relevant information is provided and recorded in the register; information is collected and communicated to relevant staff/agencies.

FINANCE

Section 17 payments Within council guidelines about cumulative amounts and ceiling. Sums above £50 go to Heads of Service Field work for decision Payments to support a See Section 23 guidance LAC in placement e.g. Up to £350 per equipment, transport transaction – Team costs, educational Manager materials, leisure activities Up to £1500 per Payments to care transaction – Service Payment limits in this area need to be transparent for both staff and young leavers – Section 24 Manager people using the service Children Leaving Care Act Up to £4000 per Packages of care for transaction – Heads of children with Strategy disabilities including homecare and Direct Payments Jointly funded Service Managers Joint Funding Joint Solutions Forum Placements Panel/Solutions Forum placements with

Reviewed: September 2016 Next Review: March 2018 health or education Adoption Allowances, Service Manager As per guidance Residence Order Fostering and Adoption Allowances, Special Guardianship, interagency adoption fees Payments to support a Service Manager/s for Discretionary Budget LAC in placement e.g. Fostering, Adoption or And see Section 23 guidance equipment, transport Children in Care costs, educational materials, leisure activities Payments to support Senior Practitioner – Team Managers until systems are robust to manage spend contact arrangements within agreed See Section 23 guidance for LAC (including limits/guidance transport costs) Payments to care Team Managers – LAC As per policy leavers – Section 24 Children Leaving Care Act Packages of care for Team Managers DCT children with and Service Manager disabilities DCT Commissioning expert Service Manager Service Manager approval required process reports for court Budget expenditure for Divisional Director SMT new temporary staff/agency

Reviewed: September 2016 Next Review: March 2018 Budget expenditure for Divisional Director SMT new permanent staff Expenditure to support Head of Strategy Placement and Terms of Reference is available. kinship carers that Resource Panel cannot be drawn from the Adoption Support Fund Expenditure to support Head of Strategy Placement and Terms of Reference is available. adoptive parents that Resource Panel cannot be drawn from the Adoption Support Fund Therapeutic support Head of Strategy Placement and Terms of Reference is available. costs LAC Resource Panel Exceptional S17 Service Manager / Head of Strategy

Reviewed: September 2016 Next Review: March 2018