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4.1.6 Permanency Planning for Looked After Children

RELATED CHAPTER

Caring for Somebody Else's Child - Options

AMENDMENTS

This chapter was amended in October 2009 to require that a Permanency Planning Meeting should be convened after the child's first Looked After Review if there is no clear plan for the child's rehabilitation to his or her birth family.

This chapter was further updated in June 2011 to take account of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010, which became effective on 1 April 2011.


Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Procedure - Permanency Planning Meetings


1. Introduction

1.1 Early permanency planning is essential for all Looked After children to avoid drift and ensure that they have the opportunity of reaching their full potential from a safe and secure base.
1.2 In this context, the use of the term ‘permanence’ is wide, and acknowledges that permanence can be achieved through different routes - with existing or reconstituted birth families, with friends or relatives, Adoption, long term fostering with new or existing carers, Residence Orders, Special Guardianship Orders and, for a minority of children, permanent residential care.
1.3 This procedure is applicable to all children looked after by the London Borough of Enfield, where the care episode is part of a family support package with rehabilitation being the planned outcome, or where the Care Plan is for permanent placement outside the birth family.


2. Procedure - Permanency Planning Meetings

2.1 All children who become Looked After by the London Borough of Enfield will have been presented at the Placement Panel.
2.2 At the first Looked After Review held within 20 working days of the child being looked after, consideration should be given to developing a Parallel Plan for the child, noting any legal timescales.
2.3 Following the first Looked After Review, and if there is no clear plan for rehabilitation with the birth family, the social worker should convene a Permanency Planning Meeting, chaired by the Manager of the CIN Team/ Looked After Children Team /Hospital Team no later than 2 weeks after the Looked After Review meeting. NB If it is apparent that a child is likely to need a permanent placement from the outset of a looked after episode e.g. a relinquished baby, then this can be held earlier.
2.4 The Permanency Planning Meeting should consider the route to permanence for the child. This can be adoption, long term fostering, or by arrangements for the child to live with a family member or friend ('Connected Person') - see Friends and Family Care Policy and Placement of Looked After Children with Connected Persons Procedure. Consideration should be given to the use of a Residence Order or Special Guardianship Order as a means of securing permanence for a child. Any likely support issues for the child and the birth family or permanent carers should be highlighted at this stage.
2.5 In the case of a sibling group where there is a possibility of splitting the group then the social worker should convene a separate meeting to explore this and ensure that the reasons are clearly documented. It is vital that a clear assessment of each child’s needs is taken into account, as well as how they function as a sibling group.
2.6 Consideration should be given to holding a Family Group Conference at this stage in order to consider any possible kinship placements within the extended family or friends network and involve the birth family in the planning process - see Family Group Conference Procedure.
2.7 The child’s social worker should ensure that all communications, both written and oral, with birth parents, any other person with Parental Responsibility and the child or children concerned is in a format which is easily understood, taking account of physical, sensory and learning impairments, communication, difficulties and language. The social worker must arrange for any documents to be read, translated, or explained to any person who requires it.
2.8 The social worker should consult other professionals involved with the child to ascertain a view on any contact plans, and support issues, whatever the Permanence Plan. This may be particularly useful in Care Proceedings, when there may be some dispute between the parties. It is important that any contact plans are made in the child’s best interests, are realistic, and will not unnecessarily hinder family finding.
2.9 The social worker should ensure that the case is re-presented at the Placement Panel if there are likely to be any funding issues in finding a permanent placement for any child, i.e. where a placement with an external agency is likely to be required or where a package of continuing financial support may be required for example through Residence Order Allowances - see Residence Order Allowances Procedure - or Special Guardianship Support - see - Pan London Adoption/Special Guardianship Procedures.
2.10 Where the Permanence Plan is for Adoption or Special Guardianship, the social worker should refer to the Pan London Adoption/Special Guardianship Procedures.
2.11 Where the plan for long term fostering is in relation to a child who is under 12, the plan should be referred to the Adoption and Permanence Panel for approval.  In the case of siblings being placed together, where one or more children are over the age of 12, then the case should be presented in its entirety to the Adoption and Permanence Panel.  The child’s social worker should also make a referral to the Family Placement Team for family finding to achieve the plan, which may involve an assessment of the current carers.  See Placements in Foster Care Procedure.

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