Children Looked After
The term ‘looked after’ refers to children who are under 18 and have been provided with care and accommodation by family services. There are three main ways that children and young people under eighteen years of age become looked after:
- With parental agreement – this is under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989: this may include short breaks.
- Under a care order from a family court, Section 31 of the Children Act 1989: when a care order is made, family services acquire parental responsibility and become a legal parent alongside the parent / guardian.
- If a court orders the young person to be remanded into Local Authority accommodation.
Children may only need to be looked after for a short period of time and then return to their family, but sometimes the arrangement is more permanent. To help us decide what the appropriate plan is for the children and their family we will carry out an assessment of needs, which will include the views of the child and the parents.
After the assessment of the child and their circumstances has been completed, we will agree with the family and child the arrangements for their care.
They are set out in two documents: a care plan and a placement plan.
The Care Plan
The care plan explains what we are going to do to support the child’s needs in relation to their health, education, religion, culture, hobbies and people they want to spend time with. The care plan is reviewed on a regular basis through regular review meetings chaired by an Independent Reviewing Officer.
The Placement Plan
The placement plan sets out where and with whom the child will live, looking at any specific arrangements about the placements including travel, and any restrictions that might be placed on the child while placed with the foster carer for example people they cannot see. The placement plan is completed within five days of a child being looked after.
Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO)
Family Services have a duty to appoint an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO). The IRO is employed by Family Services but they work independently of them in the sense that they do not have any direct management or budget holding responsibility of the case.
The role of the IRO is to:
- Chair the review meetings.
- Meet with the child on their own to seek their wishes and feelings.
- Monitor the care the child is receiving.
- Try to resolve any disputes about the review or the child’s care plan.
Looked After Children (LAC) review meetings
When a child is looked after, their situation is regularly reviewed at Looked After Children (LAC) review meetings.
The purpose of these meetings is to:
- look at the child’s care plan,
- make sure that the right arrangements are in place for the child whilst they are looked after,
- discuss any changes since the last review, and
- consider whether decisions made at the last meeting were acted on.
The first Looked after Children’s Review meeting must be held within 2twenty-eight days of a child being looked after. The second is held within the next three months and the third and later reviews are held every six months. LAC review meetings are chaired by an IRO.
The meetings are normally attended by:
- parents/others with parental responsibility for the child,
- the social worker,
- the child,
- an advocate or independent visitor,
- the foster carer, and
- the foster carer’s supervising social worker
- other professionals may be there too, but it shouldn’t be so many that it overwhelms the child.
Safeguarding Children who are Looked After
Children may enter care for all sorts of reasons. But most enter because they have been abused or neglected. These experiences can leave children with complex emotional and mental health needs. And this can increase their vulnerability to abuse.
Many children also move repeatedly in and out of care, or between placements. This can prevent them from forming stable relationships with the adults who could help protect them.
What works in safeguarding children in care
No two children in care are the same. Each child has their own characteristics and individual needs. But all children need strong, caring and trusting relationships with those who care for them.
Through talking to looked after children and young people the NSPCC has identified 6 ways the care for young people and the care system can be improved:
- ensure young people’s voices are heard
- strengthen the social care work force and improving practice
- promote the right to advocacy
- improve emotional support
- support transitions in and out of care
- improve public understanding of the care system