List of Agency Decision Makers, Designated Managers and Nominated Officers

NOTE

Consent to life-ending withdrawal of medical support for a child will require an application to the High Court even if all relevant parties are in agreement. Legal advice must be sought as a matter of urgency.

AMENDMENT

This chapter was updated in December 2024.

Designated Managers with Specified Area of Responsibility

Caption: designated Managers

Designated Managers with Specified Area of Responsibility	Post Title and Contact Details
Agency Decision Maker (Adoption) The Agency Decision Maker who makes decisions on all adoption matters (some of which will be made on the basis of a recommendation of the Adoption Panel).	Service Director, Children's Social Care
Agency Decision Maker (Fostering) The Agency Decision Maker who makes decisions on fostering matters (on the basis of recommendations of the Fostering Panel).	Head of Service, Fostering and Adoption
Designated Manager (Adoption Panel Appointments) The manager who can authorise appointments to the Central List of Adoption Panel members.	Service Director, Children’s Social Care
Designated Manager (Adoption Support) The manager who can authorise the level of adoption support to be provided to children, adopters (including financial support) and their family or birth family members.	Head of Service / Principle Manager
Designated Manager (Care Plans) The manager who can authorise the final Care Plan to be taken before the Court within Care Proceedings.	Principle Manager, Children's Social Care
Designated Manager (Care Proceedings) The manager who can authorise the initiating of Care Proceedings.	Head of Service, Children's Social Care
Designated Manager (Change of Name) The manager who can authorise the change of name of a Looked After Child.	Director, Children's Social Care
Designated Manager (Contact with Parents) The manager who can authorise the suspension or termination of contact between a Looked After child and his or her parents (subject to the Court's approval after 7 days for children on Emergency Protection Orders, Interim Care Orders or Care Orders).	Head of Service, Children's Social Care
Designated Manager (Death or Serious Injury to a Child) The senior manager who should be notified in the event of death or serious injury to a child.	Head of Service, Safeguarding and Quality Assurance: Death of a child in a care home Registered Manager (if not on duty), the Small Group Home Co-ordinator and the Strategic Manager, the social worker, and the Assistant Director.
Designated Manager (Decision to Look After) The manager who can authorise a child becoming Looked After.	Head of Service, Children's Social Care
Designated Manager (Emergency Protection Orders) The manager who can authorise an application for an Emergency Protection Order.	Head of Service, Children's Social Care. Principle Manager EDT
Designated Manager (Emigration) The manager who can authorise the placement of a Looked after child outside England and Wales.	Head of Service, Children's Social Care
Designated Manager (Exemptions and Extensions from Fostering Limit) The manager who can authorise any exemptions from the usual fostering limit for foster carers living in the local authority area.	Head of Service, Children's Social Care. Agency Decision Manger
Designated Manager (External Placements) The manager who can authorise placements of Looked After children with external providers of residential care or foster carers from an independent fostering agency.	Head of Service, Children's Social Care with the agreement of the Director
Designated Manager (Fostering Panel Appointments) The manager who can authorise appointments to the Central List of Fostering Panel members	Head of Service, Fostering and Adoption
Designated Manager (Leaving Care) The manager who can approve a Pathway Plan.	Team Manager, Children's Social Care
Designated Manager (Notifications) Where a Looked After Child from another local authority has been placed in the area, the manager to whom the notification should be sent.	Fostering Team
Designated Manager (Passports) The manager who can authorise a passport application for a Looked After child.	Team Manager, Children's Social Care
Designated Manager (Placement Orders) The manager who can authorise an application for a Placement Order.	Principle Manager, Children's Social Care
Designated Manager (Private Fostering) The manager who can approve assessments of private foster carers, impose requirements on private foster carers or decide to prohibit someone from acting as a private foster carer.	Team Manager, Children's Social Care
Designated Manager (Secure Accommodation) The manager who can authorise: A placement of a Looked After child in secure accommodation for up to 72 hours without a Secure Accommodation Order; and/or An application for a Secure Accommodation Order; and/or A child's continued secure placement on the recommendation of the Secure Accommodation Review Panel; and/or Applications to renewal Secure Accommodation Orders on the recommendation of the Secure Accommodation Review Panel.	Director, Children's Social Care
Designated Manager (Special Guardianship) The manager who can authorise Special Guardianship as the permanence plan for a Looked After child.	Principle Manager, Children's Social Care
Designated Manager (Special Guardianship Support) The manager who can authorise the level of special guardianship support to be provided, including financial support to special guardians.	Head of Service, Children's Social Care
Nominated Officer (Disruption of Education) The manager who can authorise the change of placement affecting a Looked After child in Key Stage 4.	Director Virtual Head
Nominated Officer (Fostering for Adoption) The person who can authorise Fostering for Adoption.	Principal Manager Fostering Service
Nominated Officer (Out of Area Placements) The manager who can authorise the placement of a Looked After child outside the area of the local authority.	Director / Head of Service, Children's Social Care
Nominated Officer (Immediate Placement of a Looked After Child with Connected Person) The manager who can authorise the placement of a Looked After child with a family or friend ('Connected Person') who is not already approved as a foster carer.	Director Head of Service
Nominated Officer (Placement of a Looked After Child subject to Care Order or Interim Care Order with Parents) The manager who can authorise the placement of a Looked After child with a parent, person with Parental Responsibility or person who held a Residence Order/Child Arrangements Order specifying with whom the child was to reside immediately before the Care Order.	Director

List of Agency Decision Makers, Designated Managers and Nominated Officers

Designated Managers with Specified Area of Responsibility

Agency Decision Maker (Adoption)

Agency Decision Maker (Fostering)

Designated Manager (Adoption Panel Appointments)

Designated Manager (Adoption Support)

Designated Manager (Care Plans)

Designated Manager (Care Proceedings)

Designated Manager (Change of Name)

Designated Manager (Contact with Parents)

Designated Manager (Death or Serious Injury to a Child)

Designated Manager (Decision to Look After)

Designated Manager (Emergency Protection Orders)

Designated Manager (Emigration)

Designated Manager (Exemptions and Extensions from Fostering Limit)

Designated Manager (External Placements)

Designated Manager (Fostering Panel Appointments)

Designated Manager (Leaving Care)

Designated Manager (Notifications)

Designated Manager (Passports)

Designated Manager (Placement Orders)

Designated Manager (Private Fostering)

Designated Manager (Secure Accommodation)

Designated Manager (Special Guardianship)

Designated Manager (Special Guardianship Support)

Nominated Officer (Disruption of Education)

Nominated Officer (Fostering for Adoption)

Nominated Officer (Out of Area Placements)

Nominated Officer (Immediate Placement of a Looked After Child with Connected Person)

Nominated Officer (Placement of a Looked After Child subject to Care Order or Interim Care Order with Parents)