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Contents

1.	Placements Process
	1.1	Placement Request
	1.2	Identification of Placement
	1.3	Placement Planning
	1.4	Notification of Placement
2.	Support, Monitoring, Review and Ending of Placements
	2.1	Support, Monitoring and Review of Placements
	2.2	Ending of Placements

1. Placements Process

1.1 Placement Request

Where a decision has been made that an Eligible or Relevant Young Person requires a placement in supported housing/lodgings, the Leaving Care Team worker should arrange for the placement request to be submitted to the next available Placement Panel. The Leaving Care Team worker should complete the Placements Panel Referral Form and attach the young person’s Pathway Plan and Assessment of Need which should include details of the accommodation the young person is to occupy (including an assessment of its suitability in the light of needs, and details of the considerations taken into account in assessing that suitability).

Matters to which the local authority is to have regard in determining suitability of accommodation (under Schedule 2 to the Care Leavers Regulations 2010 and Schedule 6 of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations 2010):

1. In respect of the accommodation:
   1. The facilities and services provided;
   2. The state of repair;
   3. The safety;
   4. The location;
   5. The support;
   6. The tenancy status; and
   7. The financial commitments involved for the relevant young person and their affordability.
2.  In respect of the young person:
   1. His or her views about the accommodation;
   2. His or her understanding of their rights and responsibilities in relation to the accommodation; and
   3. His or her understanding of funding arrangements.

The Placement Panel will authorise a placement if satisfied of its suitability to meet the young person’s needs.

1.2 Identification of Placement

If a placement is authorised, the Leaving Care Team worker should make enquiries directly with appropriate provider(s) about the availability of the resource or any waiting list.

The Leaving Care Team worker may arrange visits to the proposed placement, with the young person.

If the placement appears suitable, the Leaving Care Team worker will discuss the terms and conditions of a possible placement with the provider. 

The provider’s admissions procedure will then be followed.

1.3 Placement Planning

If the provider agrees that the placement is suitable, the Leaving Care Team worker will liaise with the provider about the availability of the placement and ensure that, when a vacancy becomes available, the financial arrangements for the placement are in place.

The Leaving Care Team worker will prepare the young person to move to the placement as soon as it is available, ensure that the young person understands his or her responsibilities and assist the young person to complete the necessary paperwork in relation to the placement. The worker will also give the provider a number to contact in case of emergencies.

In all cases, the young person should be accompanied to the placement by the Leaving Care Team worker and helped to settle in.

1.4 Notification of Placement

The Leaving Care Team worker must notify the placement to all those consulted and involved in the decision-making process and should complete a Start/Stop Form and distribute it in accordance with Administrative Processes in relation to Stop/Start Forms Procedure.

In addition, the Leaving Care worker must complete a Change of Circumstances Form, providing the necessary information to the relevant administrative staff so that the child's electronic recording system records can be updated. 

The social worker must also send written notification to the young person’s Independent Reviewing Officer of the placement.

2. Support, Monitoring, Review and Ending of Placements

2.1 Support, Monitoring and Review of Placements

The Leaving Care Team worker will continue to support the young person while in the placement and work with the young person towards the young person’s readiness to move to independent accommodation.

The worker will also maintain regular contact with the provider to monitor the effectiveness of the placement.

If the Relevant Young Person or Former Relevant Young Person moves to ‘unregulated’ accommodation (i.e. accommodation that is not regulated/inspected by OFSTED), the Local Authority must:

1. Arrange a review 28 days (or as soon as practicable thereafter) from the time the accommodation is provided; and
2. Determine at what intervals (not exceeding six months) subsequent reviews will be carried out.

Reviews should be brought forward where there is an assessed risk that a crisis may develop in a young person’s life, for example:

• Where a young person has been charged with an offence and there is a possibility of their being sentenced to custody, which will risk losing their accommodation;
• Where a young person is at risk of being evicted from his or her accommodation or otherwise threatened with homelessness;
• Where professionals are concerned about the parenting capacity of a ‘relevant’ or ‘Former Relevant’ young person with there being a possibility that their own child may need to be the subject of a multi-agency safeguarding plan;
• Where a young person requests a review.

2.2 Ending of Placements

The Leaving Care Team worker should inform all those notified of the placement when a placement ends.

Young people leaving placements will be given an opportunity to complete a Feedback Form giving their views on the placement.

End