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135 <div class="panel-body">
136 <h1>
136 Out of Area Placements
136 </h1>
141 <div class="well">
142 <p class="bold">
142 RELATED GUIDANCE
143 </p>
144 <p>
144 <a href="p_sufficiency_duty.html">
144 Local Authority's Sufficiency Duty - Accommodation for Children in Care Procedure
144 </a>
144 </p>
145 <p>
145 <span class="bold">
145 Note
145 </span>
145 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
145 <a href="p_rem_la_yth_det_accomm.html#care_plan">
145 Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation Procedure,
Care Planning for Young People on Remand
145 </a>
145 .
145 </p>
146 <p class="bold">
146 RELATED GUIDANCE
146 </p>
147 <a
href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/441643/Childre
n_Act_Guidance_2015.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
147 The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case
Review
147 </a>
148 </div>
155 <div class="section">
155 <h2 id="placements_applies">
155 1. Placements to which this Procedure Applies
155 </h2>
156 <p>
156 This procedure applies to any placement of a Child in Care 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.
156 </p>
157 </div>
158 <div class="section1">
158 </div>
164 <div class="section">
164 <h2 id="approval_place">
164 2. Approval of Placement by Nominated Officer /Director of Children's Services
164 </h2>
165 <p>
165 The decision to place the child out of area must be approved by the
165 <a href="pr_desg_man.html#nom_off_out_of_area" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
165 Nominated Officer
165 </a>
165 , 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.
165 </p>
166 The Nominated Officer/ Director of Children's Services must be satisfied of the following:
167 <ul>
168 <li>
168 That the child's wishes and feelings have been ascertained and given due consideration;
168 </li>
169 <li>
169 That the placement is the most appropriate placement available for the child and
consistent with the Care Plan;
169 </li>
170 <li>
170 That relatives have been consulted where appropriate;
170 </li>
171 <li>
171 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);
171 </li>
172 <li>
172 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
172 <a href="#place_consider">
172 Section 3, Placement Considerations
172 </a>
172 ).
172 </li>
173 </ul>
174 </div>
175 <div class="section1">
175 </div>
181 <div class="section">
181 <h2 id="place_consider">
181 3. Placement Considerations
181 </h2>
182 <p>
182 Placements out of area 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.
182 <a href="#app_1">
182 Appendix 1: Suggested Information for Discussion between Authorities when Planning Out of
Area Placements
182 </a>
182 suggests information that might be discussed with the area authority.
182 </p>
183 <p>
183 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).
183 </p>
184 <p>
184 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 Nurse
for Children in Care in the area authority will also be a valuable source of advice and
information.
184 </p>
185 <p>
185 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.
185 </p>
186 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.
186 </div>
187 <div class="section1">
187 </div>
193 <div class="section">
193 <h2 id="notification">
193 4. Notification of Placements
193 </h2>
194 <p>
194 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
5 working days of the start of the placement unless it is not reasonably practicable to do
so.
194 </p>
195 <p>
195 The notification must include:
195 </p>
196 <ol style="list-style-type:lower-roman">
197 <li>
197 Details of the assessment of the child's needs and the reasons why the placement is the
most suitable for responding to these; and
197 </li>
198 <li>
198 A copy of the child's care plan (unless already provided in the case of a Placement at a
Distance).
198 </li>
199 </ol>
200 <p>
200 See
200 <a href="files/notif_place_out_la.docx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
200 Notification of Warrington Child Placed Out of Area (March 2018)
200 </a>
200 .
200 </p>
201 </div>
202 <div class="section1">
202 </div>
208 <div class="section">
208 <h2 id="emergency_placements">
208 5. Emergency Placements
208 </h2>
209 <p>
209 In the case of a placement made in an emergency, the approval of the
209 <a href="pr_desg_man.html#nom_off_out_of_area">
209 Nominated Officer
209 </a>
209 /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.
209 </p>
210 </div>
211 <div class="section1">
211 </div>
217 <div class="section">
217 <h2 id="place_wales">
217 6. Placements in Wales
217 </h2>
218 <p>
218 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
218 <a href="#welsh_model">
218 Appendix 2: Welsh Model Out of Area Notification Protocol
218 </a>
218 .
218 </p>
219 </div>
220 <div class="section1">
220 </div>
226 <div class="section">
226 <h2 id="app_1">
226 Appendix 1: Suggested Information for Discussion between Authorities when Planning Out of
Area Placements
226 </h2>
227 <h3>
227 Basic information about the child
227 </h3>
228 <ul>
229 <li>
229 Name and date of birth;
229 </li>
230 <li>
230 Legal status (subject of a care order (s.31 Children Act); voluntarily accommodated (s.20)
remanded (s. 21);
230 </li>
231 <li>
231 Number of previous placements – outline reasons for child leaving earlier placements.
231 </li>
232 </ul>
233 <h3>
233 Plans for the child's care
233 </h3>
234 <ul>
235 <li>
235 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;
235 </li>
236 <li>
236 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;
236 </li>
237 <li>
237 Arrangements for contact;
237 </li>
238 <li>
238 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);
238 </li>
239 <li>
239 Details of any plans to offer the child care leaving support (as an 'eligible child')
during the anticipated duration of the placement;
239 </li>
240 <li>
240 Contingency arrangements if the plan to support the child in the current placement does
not succeed.
240 </li>
241 </ul>
242 <h3>
242 Services to support the child
242 </h3>
243 <ul>
244 <li>
244 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;
244 </li>
245 <li>
245 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."
245 </li>
246 <li>
246 Details of any youth justice supervision order that would need to be overseen by youth
justice services in the area authority.
246 </li>
247 </ul>
248 <p>
248 Local authorities have a common interest in supporting high standards of corporate parenting
for all looked-after children.
248 </p>
249 <p>
249 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.
249 </p>
250 <p>
250 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 Nurse for
Children in Care).
250 </p>
251 </div>
252 <div class="section1">
252 </div>
258 <div class="section">
258 <h2 id="welsh_model">
258 Appendix 2: Welsh Model Out of Area Notification Protocol
258 </h2>
259 <p class="italic">
259 (This protocol was developed by the Welsh Government in conjunction with the children's
residential care sector in Wales.)
259 </p>
260 <p>
260 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.
260 </p>
261 <p>
261 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 3 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.
261 </p>
262 <p>
262 Where a child is provided with accommodation in any care home or independent hospital for 3
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.
262 </p>
263 <p>
263 Notification should be sent to the Director of Social Services in the local authority in
which the home is situated.
263 </p>
264 <p>
264 <a href="files/out_of_area_pr_form.doc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
264 Click here to access the Out of Area Notification Protocol Form for use by children's
homes in Wales
264 </a>
264 *.
264 </p>
265 <p class="tiny_text">
265 * 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 (2015).
265 </p>
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