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Regulation 5 – Engaging with the Wider System to Ensure Each Child’s Needs are Met
The arranging of Our Children’s Review Meetings, sometimes referred to as 'Looked After Reviews', is the responsibility of the child’s social worker, in collaboration with the Independent Reviewing Officer. However, staff in children’s homes play a crucial role in the process.
This chapter explains the purpose of the Our Children’s Review and summarises the responsibilities of the social worker, Independent Reviewing Officer and staff in the home.
Section 2, Frequency of Our Children’s Reviews was updated in January 2018 to reflect when they should be bought forward.
An Our Children’s Review must take place before any significant change is made to the child's Care Plan, unless that is not reasonably practicable, including a decision to cease looking after a child.
Our Children’s Reviews are normally chaired by an Independent Reviewing Officer.
The purpose of the Review is to:
It is important that decisions taken at Our Children’s Reviews are implemented, to ensure this happens responsibility for actions following the Review should be clearly defined.
The key plans that should be considered at the Review are:
Usually, Our Children’s Reviews Meetings should be convened at the following intervals
Subsequent Reviews should be conducted not more than 6 months (183 days) after any previous Review.
These are maximum timescales, Our Children’s Reviews Meeting can be convened sooner if consideration is being given to ending or changing the child’s placement, or the urgency of the case determines a Review is needed e.g. the child’s social worker assesses that the child’s welfare is not being adequately safeguarded and promoted.
Reviews should be brought forward by the Independent Reviewing Officer where the circumstances of an event has a significant impact upon the child’s Care Plan, as suggested in the following sorts of circumstances:
This is not an exhaustive list, and the IRO may judge that other events are significant and require an earlier review. The parents and child should also be consulted about the need for an additional review.
As soon as a child becomes Looked After, the child's social worker must notify the Independent Review Unit by telephone and/or email.
This will trigger the appointment of an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) for the child. The Independent Review Unit will then arrange the date, time and venue of the first Our Children’s Review.
The venue will be agreed with the social worker and the allocated IRO - ideally the Review should take place in the placement.
At the end of each Review the IRO will set the date, time and venue of the next meeting, taking account of what is convenient for participants.
Review dates cannot be rearranged unless there are exceptional circumstances and then only if the rearranged meeting can take place within statutory timescales.
In the event of a key participant being ill or unable to attend the Review, the meeting will go ahead but the IRO may decide that the Review be adjourned to a new date when all participants can attend.Discussions will take place between the social worker and the child (subject to age and understanding) at least 20 working days before the Review to look at who the child would like to attend the meeting and where the meeting will be held.
Invitations to Reviews will be sent by the Independent Review Unit following consultation with the child's social worker and the IRO, who will decide who should be invited in consultation with the child. Invites will be sent out at least 10 working days before the meeting.
The following people should normally be invited:
A balance must be struck in relation to who the child wishes to be present and the need for information and input from the professionals and family members involved. Efforts should be made to keep the number present at the meeting as small as possible. It may be appropriate for information to be provided in writing or at a separate meeting where the contribution is strictly factual.
Children and parents should also be informed that they can arrange to see the IRO separately if they wish or bring a supporter or interpreter to the Review.
Where the child does not wish to attend the Review, the IRO must at the very least speak to the child before the meeting- wherever possible in a face to face meeting.
The child's social worker must ensure that children and families have been given information about the Complaints Procedure. They should also provide the child with details of independent advocacy services who may provide support if the child requires it.
Staff in the home should ensure that children are properly informed and prepared before the Review and encouraged to contribute to any report prepared by the home. If the child wishes, s/he should be assisted in preparing their own contribution.
The Review will consider the extent to which the aims and objectives of the Care Plan and associated Personal Education Plan (PEP) and, if relevant, Pathway Plan have been achieved. At the second and subsequent Reviews, attendees must consider whether there is a suitable Permanence Plan in place. The child's Placement Plan should also be reviewed to ensure it continues to meet the needs of the Care and associated plans.
In time for the Review, or beforehand if required, the home should arrange for an up to date Placement Plan to be available demonstrating the arrangements in place to meet the child's needs. The home should also produce a report of the work undertaken since the child's placement or the last Review, and evidence what has been done to achieve engagement, including any actions to taken to escalate concerns.
The agenda will be agreed at the beginning of the meeting, and each participant will be invited to contribute their own items to the agenda and have the opportunity to contribute to the discussion.
The IRO will decide on what actions in principle are necessary to meet the child's reviewed needs and make recommendations as to how these should be achieved.
The IROS will ensure that decisions are clear, and establish who is responsible for action and the timescales agreed for completion.
The representative of the home attend the Review should take notes of the meeting and ensure the action points are recorded to prevent delay in supporting the child/young person.After the Review, the social worker is responsible for updating and circulating the Care Plan, Personal Education Plan (PEP) and, if appropriate, the Pathway Plan. The manager of the home is responsible for updating circulating the child's Placement Plan.
The Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) normally prepares and circulates a record of decisions and recommendations within 5 working days. A full record of the meeting will competed within 15 working days and sent to all relevant parties within 20 working days of the Review.
Within 10 working days, the social worker must update the Care Plan and re-circulate it.
The home's manager has an important role in making sure that recommendations are implemented, by the home and other agencies. If there are concerns that recommendations are not being implemented, the home's manager should discuss the concerns with the Independent Reviewing Officer and/or their line manager.The IRO is also responsible for monitoring the child’s case in between Looked After Reviews.
For example:
If the IRO has concerns about the child’s case e.g. that the Care Plan is not being properly progressed, they have duty to report this to CAFCASS
The home’s manager should ensure that children are informed of their right to contact their IRO the IRO. Furthermore the home’s manager should also consult the IRO if they have any concerns about the child’s placement.
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