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Contents

1. Introduction
2. Timing of Placement Planning Meetings
3. Chairing Placement Planning Meetings
4. Who should Attend Placement Planning Meetings?
5. Conducting Placement Planning Meetings
6. Recording Outcomes

N.B. See Care Planning Guidance, which includes guidance on Placement Planning Meetings.

1. Introduction

Placement Plans/Placement Information Records for Looked After Children should be kept up to date in order to reflect the day to day arrangements for the child and to meet their needs as set out in a Care Plan or Pathway Plan.

The Placement Plan/Placement Information Record will be reviewed as part of the child’s Looked After Review. 

The child’s social worker and foster carer/supervising social worker (in relation to children placed in foster care) or manager of the home (in relation to a child placed in residential care) may also request modifications to the Placement Plan/Placement Information Record as circumstances require, so long as this has been agreed between the social worker and carer as well as with the child, parents and others affected.

See also Placements in Foster Care Procedure and Placements in Residential Care Procedure for the agenda for Placement Planning Meetings and the process for the reviews of placements by the Placement Panel.

2. Timing of Placement Planning Meetings

As indicated in the Introduction above, the Placement Plan/Placement Information Record will be considered as part of a Looked After Review or as part of the regular communication between the child’s social worker and the carer. 

Placement Planning Meetings should be held at the following intervals:

1. Within 5 working days of the child’s placement in foster care or residential care if a Placement Plan/Placement Information Records was not completed prior to the placement - see Decision to Look After and Care Planning Procedure;
2. After serious incidents or in the light of significant changes in the child’s circumstances that suggest it is necessary to review the arrangements set out in the Placement Plan/Placement Information Record;
3. At other times agreed between the social worker and provider/carer;
4. Where the Statement of Purpose for a children’s home determines that such meetings should occur.

3. Chairing Placement Planning Meetings

• In children’s homes, the manager of the home, or a person delegated to act on the manager’s behalf such as the Link Worker, may chair Placement Planning Meetings;
• Otherwise, the social worker will chair the meeting.

4. Who Should Attend Placement Planning Meetings?

The people who should contribute are:

• The child’s social worker;
• The child (if appropriate);
• The child’s parents;
• The foster carer and foster carer’s supervising social worker or a representative from the children’s home;
• Any other relevant professionals, e.g. a representative from the child's school;
• Anyone else considered appropriate or who will have a role in the placement.

Other significant people should be invited to contribute, including any providers/carers who have been looking after the child immediately prior to the placement.

5. Conducting Placement Planning Meetings

Please see Section 1.4 Placement Planning, Placements in Foster Care Procedure or the Placements in Residential Care Procedure for the matters to be considered at the first Placement Planning Meeting.

At any meeting where the child’s placement is to be considered and/or reviewed, the chairperson should obtain or be updated on the following:

• The child’s Placement Plan/Placement Information Record;

• Any work which has been undertaken by key professionals involved in supporting the child’s placement;

• The child’s Care Plan and/or Pathway Plan.

The chairperson should also ensure that the child, parent(s) and others who have been asked to contribute, understand the purpose of the meeting, how it will be conducted and are given the opportunity to put their views and suggestions.

During the meeting, the chairperson should ensure the following:

• That consideration is given to the continuing appropriateness of the placement within the context of the child’s Care Plan and/or Pathway Plan and the need for the Placement Plan/Placement Information Record to be amended as appropriate;
• That the child’s Placement Plan/Placement Information Record is updated if appropriate, and new or updated copies are circulated to those who were invited or contributed.

If there are concerns about the suitability of the placement, a risk assessment should be carried out to consider the following:

• Whether it is possible to sustain the placement until the next Looked After Review by, for example, providing additional support to the placement;    
  
  and/or
  
  
• Whether to consider a change of placement or whether the child may be returned home;    
  
  and/or
  
  
• Whether to bring forward the date of the next Looked After Review.

6. Recording Outcomes

The chairperson must ensure the following is recorded at the end of the Placement Planning Meeting:

• The updating or amendment of the child’s Placement Plan/Placement Information Record;
• If it seems appropriate, additional minutes.

Copies of these records should be circulated to those who attended or were invited to contribute.

End