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282 <h2>
282 Out of Area Placements
282 </h2>
284 </div>
287 <div id="scope_box">
288 <h3>
288 RELATED CHAPTER
288 </h3>
289 <p>
289 <a href="p_sufficiency_duty.html">
289 Local Authority's Sufficiency Duty - Accommodation for Looked After Children Procedure
289 </a>
289 </p>
290 <p>
290 <span class="bold">
290 Note
290 </span>
290 that different provisions apply to children who acquire Looked After status as a result of a
remand to local authority accommodation or Youth Detention Accommodation. In relation to those
children, please see
290 <a href="p_rem_la_yth_det_accomm.html#care_planning">
290 Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation Procedure, Care
Planning for Young People on Remand or Youth Detention Accommodation
290 </a>
290 .
290 </p>
291 <h3>
291 RELATED GUIDANCE
291 </h3>
292 <p>
292 <a
href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/441643/Children_Ac
t_Guidance_2015.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
292 The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case
Review (2015)
292 </a>
292 </p>
293 </div>
294 <div id="sections">
296 <h3 id="sections_list">
296 Contents
296 </h3>
297 <ol>
298 <li>
298 <a href="#placements_applies">
298 Placements to which this Procedure Applies
298 </a>
298 </li>
299 <li>
299 <a href="#approval_place">
299 Approval of Placement by Nominated Officer/Director of Children's Services
299 </a>
299 </li>
300 <li>
300 <a href="#place_consider">
300 Placement Considerations
300 </a>
300 </li>
301 <li>
301 <a href="#notification">
301 Notification of Placements
301 </a>
301 </li>
302 <li>
302 <a href="#emergency_placements">
302 Emergency Placements
302 </a>
302 </li>
303 <li>
303 <a href="#place_wales">
303 Placements in Wales
303 </a>
303 </li>
304 <li class="remove_bullet">
304 <a href="#app_1">
304 Appendix 1: Suggested Information for Discussion between Authorities when Planning Distant
Placements
304 </a>
304 </li>
305 <li class="remove_bullet">
305 <a href="#welsh_model">
305 Appendix 2: Welsh Model Out of Area Notification Protocol
305 </a>
305 </li>
306 </ol>
307 <h3 id="placements_applies">
307 1. Placements to which this Procedure Applies
307 </h3>
308 <p>
308 This procedure applies to any placement of a Looked After child outside the area of the local
authority, EXCEPT WHERE the placement is with a Connected Person, or a local authority foster
carer approved by the placing authority.
308 </p>
309 <h3 id="approval_place">
309 2. Approval of Placement by Nominated Officer /Director of Children's Services
309 </h3>
310 <p>
310 The decision to place the child out of area must be approved by the
310 <a href="files/sod_decision_making.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
310 Nominated Officer
310 </a>
310 , unless it is a Placement at a Distance, (i.e. outside the area of the local authority and not
within the area of any adjoining local authority), in which case the approval of the Director of
Children's Services is required.
310 </p>
311 The Nominated Officer/ Director of Children's Services must be satisfied of the following:
312 <ul>
313 <li>
313 That the child's wishes and feelings have been ascertained and given due consideration;
313 </li>
314 <li>
314 That the placement is the most appropriate placement available for the child and consistent with
the Care Plan;
314 </li>
315 <li>
315 That relatives have been consulted where appropriate;
315 </li>
316 <li>
316 That the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) has been consulted (usually the IRO will discuss
with the child after the child has visited the proposed placement);
316 </li>
317 <li>
317 That the area authority has been notified, or, for a Placement at a Distance, the area authority
have been consulted and have been provided with a copy of the child's Care Plan (see
317 <a href="#place_consider">
317 Section 3, Placement Considerations
317 </a>
317 ).
317 </li>
318 </ul>
319 <h3 id="place_consider">
319 3. Placement Considerations
319 </h3>
320 <p>
320 Placements at a Distance will require effective planning, engagement and information sharing with
the services likely to be responsible for meeting the child's needs in the future. Consultation
with the area authority must (except in an emergency) be undertaken in good time to enable a
thorough assessment of appropriateness to be made.
320 <a href="#app_1">
320 Appendix 1: Suggested Information for Discussion between Authorities when Planning Distant
Placements
320 </a>
320 suggests information that might be discussed with the area authority.
320 </p>
321 <p>
321 Where the placement under consideration is in a children's home, account should be taken of the
information in the home's Statement of Purpose and its location assessment (which should include
details of the home's safeguarding arrangements, including any measures taken by the home to
manage safeguarding concerns arising from the neighbourhood where the home is located).
321 </p>
322 <p>
322 In assessing the suitability of an out of authority placement, consideration should be given to
the arrangements which will need to be put in place to enable the child to access services such as
primary and secondary health care. Where the child will require specialist health services such as
CAMHS, the Clinical Commissioning Group (local health board in Wales) that commissions secondary
healthcare in the area authority should be consulted, to establish whether the placement is
appropriate and able to meet the child's needs. The designated nurse for looked-after children in
the area authority will also be a valuable source of advice and information.
322 </p>
323 <p>
323 Similarly, the Virtual School Head for looked-after children in the area authority, (Looked After
Children Education Co-ordinators (LACE) in Wales) should be able to advise about access to school
support.
323 </p>
324 <p>
324 For children vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, children's services in the area authority will
be an important source of intelligence and information about local arrangements for safeguarding
children.
324 </p>
325 <h3 id="notification">
325 4. Notification of Placements
325 </h3>
326 <p>
326 Written notification must be given to the area authority of the arrangements for the placement
before the placement is made or, if the placement is made in an emergency, within five working
days of the start of the placement unless it is not reasonably practicable to do so.
326 </p>
327 <p>
327 The notification must include:
327 </p>
328 <ol style="list-style-type:lower-roman">
329 <li>
329 Details of the assessment of the child's needs and the reasons why the placement is the most
suitable for responding to these; and
329 </li>
330 <li>
330 A copy of the child's care plan (unless already provided in the case of a Placement at a
Distance).
330 </li>
331 </ol>
332 <h3 id="emergency_placements">
332 5. Emergency Placements
332 </h3>
333 <p>
333 In the case of a placement made in an emergency, the approval of the
333 <a href="files/sod_decision_making.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
333 Nominated Officer
333 </a>
333 /Director of Children's Services is still required and s/he must be satisfied that the child's
wishes and feelings have been ascertained and given due consideration and that the placement is
the most appropriate placement available consistent with the Care Plan. Within 5 working days the
IRO must be informed; relatives be consulted (where appropriate) and the area authority notified.
333 </p>
334 <h3 id="place_wales">
334 6. Placements in Wales
334 </h3>
335 <p>
335 For placements in Wales, the Welsh Government has developed a protocol for notifying the local
authority and the local health board when a child has been placed there from outside the area, and
again when the placement ends. This protocol is attached at
335 <a href="#welsh_model">
335 Appendix 2: Welsh Model Out of Area Notification Protocol
335 </a>
335 .
335 </p>
336 <h3 id="app_1">
336 Appendix 1: Suggested Information for Discussion between Authorities when Planning Distant
Placements
336 </h3>
337 <h4>
337 Basic information about the child
337 </h4>
338 <ul>
339 <li>
339 Name and date of birth;
339 </li>
340 <li>
340 Legal status (subject of a care order (s.31 Children Act); voluntarily accommodated (s.20)
remanded (s. 21);
340 </li>
341 <li>
341 Number of previous placements – outline reasons for child leaving earlier placements.
341 </li>
342 </ul>
343 <h4>
343 Plans for the child's care
343 </h4>
344 <ul>
345 <li>
345 Details of the assessment of the child's needs, with information about the child's wishes and
feelings, with reasons the planned placement is suitable;
345 </li>
346 <li>
346 Duration of placement (emergency/short-term/long-term/permanent). If it is not possible to
assess the intended duration of placement – reasons for this and when this information will be
available;
346 </li>
347 <li>
347 Arrangements for contact;
347 </li>
348 <li>
348 Details of who will be responsible for implementing plans for the child's day to day care (the
'placement plan') including details of arrangements for delegating responsibilities to the
child's carer(s);
348 </li>
349 <li>
349 Details of any plans to offer the child care leaving support (as an 'eligible child') during the
anticipated duration of the placement;
349 </li>
350 <li>
350 Contingency arrangements if the plan to support the child in the current placement does not
succeed.
350 </li>
351 </ul>
352 <h4>
352 Services to support the child
352 </h4>
353 <ul>
354 <li>
354 Details of plans to meet the child's educational needs – information about the school the child
is expected to attend; details of plans for supporting the child if a school has not been
identified;
354 </li>
355 <li>
355 Information about plans to meet the child's health needs, e.g. whether the child requires
secondary health care (including metal health and other specialist health care), including
details about the CCG acting as “responsible commissioner.”
355 </li>
356 <li>
356 Details of any youth justice supervision order that would need to be overseen by youth justice
services in the area authority.
356 </li>
357 </ul>
358 <p>
358 Local authorities have a common interest in supporting high standards of corporate parenting for
all looked-after children.
358 </p>
359 <p>
359 When approached for consultation about potential placements, area authorities should be able to
offer a professional view about the benefits of a planned placement, the benefits of living in the
neighbourhood where the placement is located and the potential for local services to respond
appropriately to the needs of the child concerned.
359 </p>
360 <p>
360 Local authorities could also advise about other sources of information to assist social workers
and commissioners in determining whether a distant out of authority placement is the most
appropriate for the child concerned (e.g. the Virtual School Head or the Designated Nurse for
looked-after children).
360 </p>
361 <h3 id="welsh_model">
361 Appendix 2: Welsh Model Out of Area Notification Protocol
361 </h3>
362 <p>
362 <span class="italic">
362 (This protocol was developed by the Welsh Government in conjunction with the children's
residential care sector in Wales.)
362 </span>
362 </p>
363 <p>
363 Where a child who is looked-after is placed at distance the responsible authority has a statutory
duty to notify the local authority and the health care provider, in the area in which the child is
to be placed, of the arrangements for placement prior to placement and no later than 10 days
thereafter.
363 </p>
364 <p>
364 Similarly, where a child is provided with accommodation by any Local Health Board, Special Health
Authority, Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS Trust or by a local authority in exercise of
education functions for three months or more or with the intention of the placement lasting for
this time the Accommodating Authority has a duty to notify the appropriate officer of the
responsible authority.
364 </p>
365 <p>
365 Where a child is provided with accommodation in any care home or independent hospital for three
months or more or with the intention of the placement lasting for this time the residential
setting has a statutory duty to notify the lead Director of Social Services in the area in which
the establishment is situated.
365 </p>
366 <p>
366 Notification should be sent to the Director of Social Services in the local authority in which the
home is situated.
366 </p>
367 <p>
367 <a href="files/out_of_area_pr_form.doc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
367 Click here to access the Out of Area Notification Protocol Form for use by children's homes in
Wales
367 </a>
367 *.
367 </p>
368 <p class="tiny_text">
368 * This information has been reproduced from the Department for Education publication: The Children
Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review.
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