Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children

1. Normal Frequency

It is good practice that when a Looked After Child is placed they should be accompanied by the social worker to the placement. Following this the child's social worker must visit the child in the placement at the following intervals, subject to the exceptions in Section 2, Exceptions:

• Within one week of the start of any placement;
• Then at intervals of not more than six weeks during the first year of the placement;
• Thereafter, at intervals of not more than six weeks (or 3 months if the placement is intended to last until the child is 18);
• Where a child is in a designated long-term foster placement, visits after the first year may take place at intervals of not more than six months. The child should be of sufficient age and understanding, and has agreed to be visited at this minimum frequency.

NB These are minimum requirements and the Looked After Review may recommend more frequent visits. The frequency of visits should always be determined by the circumstances of the case and visits should be made whenever reasonably requested by the child or foster carer regardless of the status of the placement.

In addition, the child's social worker should visit:

• Whenever reasonably requested to do so by the child;
• Immediately a complaint is received from the child or from another person relating to the child concerning the standard of care they are receiving; or
• If there is any proposal to remove the child from placement where concerns have been raised about his/her welfare.

This applies to all new placements where, for example, a child moves from one placement to another. For children who are placed for adoption, see Monitoring and Supervision of Adoptive Placements Procedure.

Some visits should be unannounced. (The foster carers, parent or residential unit should be informed by the child's social worker at the time of placing that there will be occasional unannounced visits and the reason for this explained.)

Meetings involving a child e.g. looked after reviews, do not in themselves constitute a visit, unless time is taken outside of the meeting to talk with and spend time with the child.

The child's social worker should on occasion take the child out from the placement (for example for a snack or a visit to a park) as this can strengthen the relationship between the child and the social worker and is also in the interests of child protection in that the child may feel more able to discuss issues that are of concern to him/her. 

2. Exceptions

2.1 Children Placed with Parents

If the child is placed with parents pending assessment, social work visits must take place at least once a week until the first Looked After Review, thereafter at intervals agreed in the review but not more than 6 weeks.

If the child is living with the parents under an Interim Care Order, visits must take place at least once a week until the first Looked After Review, thereafter at intervals agreed in the review but, as a minimum, four weekly until the final hearing has been completed in the care proceedings.

If the child is placed with parents under a Care Order, within one week of the Care Order, thereafter at intervals of not more than 6 weeks.

2.2 Children Placed with Connected Persons

If the child is placed with a Connected Person with temporary approval, visits must take place at least once a week until the first Looked After Review, thereafter at intervals agreed in the review but, as a minimum, four weekly until the carer is approved as a foster carer.

2.3 Children Placed in a Young Offenders' Institution or Health Care Setting (etc.)

If the child is in the care of the Local Authority but another person/organisation is responsible for the child's living arrangements (for example where a child is placed in a Youth Offenders' Institution or a health care setting), within a week of the start/any change of living arrangements, at intervals of not more than 6 weeks for the first year; at intervals of not more than 3 months in any subsequent year.

2.4 Notice of Concern by the Registration Authority

Where a Registration Authority notifies a local authority in respect of a children's home, a fostering agency, a voluntary adoption agency, or adoption support agency, that the Registered Manager:

• Has had their Registration withdrawn, suspended or notice of this extended;
• Has proceedings brought against them by the Registration Authority for an offence which it alleges has been committed in respect of the establishment or agency;
• Has had notice served upon them by the Registration Authority to ensure no child is further accommodated (excepting a child that is already accommodated or continues to be accommodated);
• Has served a Penalty Notice for allegations in respect of an alleged offence which the Registered Manager has then paid.

A visit must also be made within one week of receiving a notification made under section 30A of the Care Standards Act 2000.

(See Reg 28 (7)(b), The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010).

3. Who Should be Seen?

It is important to be clear that the exceptions set out in Section 2, Exceptions apply only to the placement. Whatever the placement arrangements  and irrespective of where the child is placed, the child must be seen in private and alone (unless the child is of sufficient age and maturity and refuses or the social worker considers it inappropriate to do so, having regard to the child's age and understanding). If this is not possible, a further visit must be made at short notice in order that the child can be seen alone and observed with the staff/carer.

The social worker should be aware of who else lives in the placement and they should know about changes in structure and composition as well as the relationships within the household or unit.

For children who are not able to communicate their views verbally, the social worker should ensure that observations of the child are made in their placement and also in other settings, for example, school. Information and opinion should also be gathered from other professionals about their presentation.

If the child has particular communication difficulties, or if he/she requires specialist communication support (e.g. a specialist advocacy service), the social worker will need to consider what specialist resources should be utilised to ensure the child is able to express his/her wishes and feelings, including a request for a visit. This should be considered at the outset and included in the child's care and placement plan.

On some occasions, the social worker should also arrange to visit at times when all members of a household can be seen; or for children's homes, a significant number of adults and children.

Social workers must consider the balance of time spent with staff/carers and with children during a statutory visit. The social worker must prioritise their time with the child as opposed to the staff/carer. Issues raised by staff/carers can be discussed when a child is not present for example when they are at school.

Social workers should provide feedback to staff/carers regarding their visit.

4. Purpose

The purpose of the visit is to ensure the placement continues to promote the child's welfare and in particular:

1. To give the child the opportunity to express his or her wishes, feelings and views;
2. To advise, assist and befriend the child and to ascertain who they would turn to in times of difficulty;
3. To promote an effective relationship between the child and social worker with particular reference to the role of the social worker as a link with the child's history and birth family;
4. To identify daily routines including getting up and going to bed, meal times (including whether the children in the placement all eat together), the arrangements for washing and whether the child is provided with privacy and support that is relevant to his or her stage of development;
5. To identify arrangements for holiday and leisure time including playing games, access to clubs, cultural and sporting activities;
6. To identify what special arrangements are made to meet any needs that arise from their culture, religious or heritage including communication, diet and skin/hair care;
7. To observe the child with the staff/carer/parent and to analyse parenting styles and the promotion of the child's self esteem;
8. To monitor the standard of care offered by the placement including the physical standards, house rules and behaviour management strategies;
9. To identify whether there are toys or games to play with and the access that the child has to them;
10. To monitor how the contact arrangements with family members and friends are working and to discover whether these are promoted within the home;
11. To consider the child's sleeping arrangements such as room sharing, display of personal belongings and the physical state of the room. Has the child got clean clothes that are stored appropriately?
12. To identify any areas where additional support is required;
13. To evaluate whether the placement is helping to achieve the objectives of the child's care plan, with particular reference to whether the placement is meeting the educational, health and social development needs of the child. Where it is a long-term/permanent placement, the social worker should observe whether there are signs that the child is an integral part of the family such as whether they are included in photographs on display;
14. To carry out specific casework tasks with the child, for example carrying out a programme of life story work;
15. To identify whether older children are encouraged to play an increasing part in their own care such as laundry, food preparation and the purchase of food, clothes and budgeting;
16. To identify the arrangements for the child to get support with school work, do homework (including where appropriate, access to a computer) and visit a library. Do the carers attend parent's evenings?
17. To identify whether the child knows about the complaints procedure and the availability of advocacy services;
18. To monitor that the Child Health Record is stored safely, is up to date and is accessible to the child as appropriate to the child's age and understanding;

Social workers visiting children with disabilities and/or complex health needs should also consider the following:

• Whether practices that are being employed are appropriate and do not compromise the child's safety e.g. the method of lifting a disabled child;
• Does the carer have sufficient equipment i.e. bath chair / hoist etc.?
• Who arranges the child's health appointments and who attends? For children in residential placements in particular, is there consistency of worker?
• Is there clear written information re the administration of medication?

It may not be possible for a social worker to gain all the information listed in one visit but they must try to obtain a holistic view of the placement.

When visiting children in residential settings the social worker should read the running sheets to gain an understanding of recent events and also to identify any themes highlighted in the recording for example, behaviour and staff strategies for managing situations.

5. Recording

The social worker should record each visit stating clearly:

1. Who was seen;
2. Whether the child was seen and if not why not;
3. Whether the child was seen alone;
4. The child's view;
5. Any comments made by the child or the staff/carers/parents;
6. Any matters of concern or difficulties;
7. Any observations on the child's welfare and the success of the placement;
8. Any requirements for action.

6. Consequences of Visits

Where a social worker has concerns about whether a placement is adequately promoting a child's welfare, the IRO should be informed and the Authority must review the child's case in accordance with Part 6 of the 2010 Regulations [Reg 30]. This includes reviewing the child's care and placement plan and identifying actions which must be taken to ensure that the placement is able to meet his/her needs appropriately and, if not, to consider alternatives.