Bromley CYP Social Care Services

Susan Webb Deputy Group Manager Quality Assurance Unit

Legislation & Guidance

> The Children Act 1989 – Sections 17, 27 & 47 place duties on LA to assist where children are in need or are at risk of significant harm.

> Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families 2000 > > > The Children Act 2004 of Children’s Services – LSCBs replace ACPCs, established a Children’s Commissioner, Director What to do if You’re Worried a Child is being abused 2003 > > > Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 – national framework within which agencies and professionals should work together to safeguard children .

All London Child Protection Procedures 2007

Universal Services

 Universal services are ones that all children have access to  Health visitors  GP service  Hospitals,  Inoculations,  Education,  Children’s Centres

Vulnerable Children – targeted services

 Targeted Services are ones that some children need access to  School Action/School Action Plus  Parenting classes  They could also include  CAMHS Tier 2/3  YISP  Education Welfare or Voluntary Sector

Vulnerable Children with Multiple & Complex Needs

 These are children where a number of agencies have concerns and a multi-agency approach is required  CAMHS Tier 3  Youth Offending Team (YOT)  Education Welfare / Court  Behaviour Service  Drug and Alcohol Services  Domestic Violence Services

Vulnerable Children with Acute or Highly Complex Needs

 These are children who are assessed as having 

Suffered or is at risk of suffering significant harm/significant impairment to health or development

 These children will required the involvement of the statutory Social Care services as authorised by the 1989 Children’s Act and revised in the 2004 act

Statutory Duties of the Local Authority

 These duties are outlined in the 1989 Children’s Act  Section 17 identifies Children in Need as being children that are unlikely to reach of maintain a satisfactory level of Health or Development  Section 31 gives the definition of harm being attributable to a lack of parental care or control

Child Protection Procedures

   A Local Authority has a duty to investigate Child Protection Concerns Investigating Child Protection is a joint responsibility for Children’s Social Care and Police If those concerns continue a Child Protection Case Conference is held and Children can be made ‘ the

subject to a plan

The allocated social worker is

Lead Professional

’. This is decided by the agencies who are working with the family and who will attend the meeting.

Child Protection Procedures

 What happens when nothing changes for children and they are still seen to be ‘

at risk or suffering significant harm’

?

 The allocated social worker will consult with their legal department and make an application to court for Magistrates or a Judge to decide whether the children can remain living within their family  The Court then decides on the future for the children

Looked After Children

 The other area of statutory social work which the Local Authority is responsible for is ‘Looked After Children’ –  These are children who are either being looked after with the agreement of their parent/carer (s20)  or have been removed from their parents care under a Court Order (s31)

The allocated social worker is the Lead Professional

How does Bromley Children’s Social Care organise it’s service?

  

Social Care services for Children are provided by two area offices West (Penge) and East (Orpington)

R&A are the Referral and Assessment Teams which undertake the initial assessment of a referral and also S47 CP investigations. Safeguarding & Care Planning are the teams which have responsibility for children with a Child Protection Plan and Legal proceedings.    

There are also Central Services where one team provides a service for the whole of Bromley

Children in Need Team – based at Orpington Family Centre, has responsibility for children and families who require a more intensive support package than can be provided in the community LAC Team – based at Civic, has responsibility for children who are Looked After under Care Orders or long term accommodation Leaving Care Team following their 16 th – based at Civic, has responsibility for young people who are Looked after Birthday

Who is who in Children’s Social Care

Assistant Director (Interim) Safeguarding & Social Care Kamini Rambellos Heads of Service Olivia Butler – Susan Phillips

Referral & Assessment – Safeguarding & Care Planning

Ian Leadbetter

– Care & Resources

Julie Daly

– Safeguarding & Quality Assurance          

Group Managers Simon Harrison –

Referral & Assessment East

Alison Mills-Clarke –

Referral & Assessment West

Paul Meggitt

– Safeguarding & Care Plan East

Sue Sleet

– Safeguarding & Care Plan West

Sheila Birkin

– Children in Need Team

Andrew Bravery

– Looked After Children Team

Grahem Glazier

- Leaving Care Team

Ruth Wood –

Commissioning Team

David Bromberg

– Fostering Team

Vacant –

Adoption Team

Referral Process

 If you have concerns about a child/family you can phone the Referral and Assessment Teams (R&A) for a Consultation.

 To make a referral you will need to fill out a Common Assessment Framework referral form (CAF Referral)  The R&A social worker will undertake an initial assessment and a decision will be made as to what happens next.

 It can include no further action; referral to a vol. org; referral to education services, health services or to either the CHIN team or Safeguarding Team

How to deal with issues & concerns

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If you have concerns about a child and you know all their basic details including their home address. Contact the relevant area office RAT team.

If you have concerns about a child who already has a social worker, contact the worker – if they are not available, ask for their line manager. If this does not resolve your concern – contact the Group Manager. There is also a professionals resolution process which you can get information from the Bromley Safeguarding Board Website If you have general enquiries about a child where you only know their name the child has been known – contact me and I will find out if we are involved or if If you wish to make a complaint – use the complaints process, that is what it is there for: Our complaints Officer is Stephanie Kilcoyne who is based in the Civic Centre