Contents


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This contents list is sub divided into the following sections, each Section contains relevant Chapters/Procedures: (Click on the title to jump to the Section you require):

  1. All Children
  2. Case Management and Recording
  3. Children in Particular Circumstances
  4. Looked After Children
  5. Fostering and Adoption
  6. Contacts, List of Agency Decision Makers and Appendices


1. All Children

Caption: section 1 of contents
     

1.1

Policy, Values and Principles

  
  See: Documents Library  
1.1.1 Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles Updated
1.1.2 Children's Consultation and Participation  
1.1.3 Engagement Strategy (Documents Library)  
1.1.4 Equality and Diversity  


 

1.2

Early Help and Thresholds for Children's Social Care Services

  
  See: Documents Library  
1.2.1 Helping Families Early Strategy (2024 - 2027) (Documents Library)  
1.2.2 Continuum of Support for Children and Families Living in Surrey (SSCP)  
1.2.3 Capacity and Consent  
  See also: Early Intervention: Policy and Provision (House of Commons Library)  


 

1.3

Children's Social Care - Assessment and Planning

  
  See: Documents Library  
1.3.1 Contacts and Referrals Updated
1.3.2 Assessments Updated
1.3.3 Referral for a Section 7 Report  
1.3.4 Child Protection Enquiries (Section 47) Updated
  See also: Surrey Safeguarding Children Partnership Procedures  
1.3.5 Case Transfer Protocol including Step Down Procedure  


 

1.4

Safeguarding

  
  See: Documents Library  
1.4.1 Children Missing from Home and Care  
1.4.2 Missing Persons and Child Exploitation Memorandum of Understanding  
1.4.3 Missing Child Intervention Meeting  
1.4.4 Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Procedure  
 

See Documents Library for:

  • Child Sexual Exploitation - Risk Management Meetings;
  • Child Exploitation and Missing Children Risk Assessment Tool;
  • Child Exploitation Risk Ratings.
  


 

1.5

Child in Need

  
  See: Documents Library  
1.5.1 Child in Need Guidance  


 

1.6

Legal Proceedings

  
  See: Documents Library  
1.6.1 How to Arrange a Legal Gateway Meeting and Accessing Legal Advice including Urgent Duty Line  
1.6.2 Applications for Emergency Protection Orders  
1.6.3 Care and Supervision Proceedings, Legal Gateway Meetings and the Public Law Outline  
1.6.4 Disclosure of Information between Family and Criminal Agencies and Jurisdictions: 2024 Protocol  
  See: Cross-border Child Protection Cases: The 1996 Hague Convention  
  and Family Justice Resource Hub (ADCS) - This hosts a series of practical resources, such as templates, tools and practice guidance, which will be of interest to those working in the family justice system.  


 

1.7

Complaints and Whistleblowing

  
  See: Documents Library  
1.7.1 Complaints and Representations  
1.7.2 Whistleblowing  


 

1.8

Notifications

  
  See: Documents Library  
1.8.1 Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After, Child in Need or Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24) Updated
  See also: Placements Section  
  and Notifications from Other Local Authorities/Placement Providers Procedure.  


2. Case Management and Recording

Caption: section 2 of contents
     
  See: Documents Library  
2.1 Recording Policy and Guidelines  
2.2 Case Records and Retention  
2.3 Access to Records/Subject Access Requests  
2.4 Confidentiality Policy  
2.5 Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care Staff  
2.6 Storage of Data on Mobile Devices  


3. Children in Particular Circumstances

Caption: section 3 of contents
     

3.1

Children with Disabilities

  
  See: Documents Library  
3.1.1 Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities New
3.1.2 Direct Payments  
3.1.3 Overnight Short Breaks  
3.1.4 Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential Settings  
  See: Surrey's Local Offer for Children and Young People with Additional Needs  
3.1.5 Children and Young People’s Continuing Care National Framework New


 

3.2

Deprivation of Liberty and Mental Capacity

  
  See: Documents Library  
3.2.1 Deprivation of Liberty  
3.2.2 Mental Capacity  


 

3.3

Children from Abroad

  
  See: Documents Library  
3.3.1 Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery Updated
3.3.2 Families with No Recourse to Public Funds  


 

3.4

Homelessness

  
  See: Documents Library  
3.4.1 Prevention of Homelessness and Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 Year Olds who may be Homeless and/or Require Accommodation; and Duty to Refer  


 

3.5

Family and Friends Care

  
  See: Documents Library  
3.5.1 Kinship Care Policy Updated
3.5.2 Private Fostering  


 

3.6

Young Carers

  
  See: Documents Library  
3.6.1 Young Carers  


 

3.7

Relinquished Children

  
  See: Documents Library  
3.7.1 Relinquished Children  


 

3.8

Mental Health

  
3.8.1 Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 Updated


4. Looked After Children

Caption: section 4 of contents
     

4.1

Decision to Look After and Care Planning

  
  See: Documents Library  
4.1.1 Local Authority's Sufficiency Duty - Accommodation for Looked After Children  
4.1.2 Decision to Look After  
4.1.3 Care Planning  
4.1.4 Ceasing to Look After a Child  
4.1.5 Permanence Planning Guidance (Documents Library)  
4.1.6 Placement Planning and Disruption Meetings  
4.1.7 Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims for Looked After Children  
4.1.8 Risk Assessment and Planning  
4.1.9 Providing Personalised Care  
  See also: NICE Guideline: Looked After Children and Young People  


 

4.2

Placements

  
  See: Documents Library  
4.2.1 Placements with Parents  
4.2.2 Placements with Connected Persons Updated
4.2.3 Placements in Foster Care  
4.2.4 Placements in Residential Care  
4.2.5 Decision to Place in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds (Documents Library)  
4.2.6 Placements Outside England and Wales  
4.2.7 Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation  
4.2.8 Notifications from Other Local Authorities/Placement Providers  
4.2.9 Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers  
4.2.10 Placements in Other Arrangements  
4.2.11 Health and Safety  
  See also: Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services  
  Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National Guidance  


 

4.3

Monitoring and Reviews

  
  See: Documents Library  
4.3.1 Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children  
4.3.2 Advocacy  
4.3.3 Independent Visitors  
4.3.4 Looked After Reviews  
4.3.5 Appointment and Role of Independent Reviewing Officers  
4.3.6 Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews  
4.3.7 Notifications of Significant Events Updated


 

4.4

Contact and Overnight Stays

  
  See also: Documents Library  
  and Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers  
4.4.1 Contact with Parents/Adults and Siblings  
4.4.2 Social Visits (Including Overnight Stays)  
4.4.3 Supervised Contact and the Surrey Contact Service  


 

4.5

Surrey Virtual School (SVS), Education, School Trips and Holidays

  
  See also:Documents Library  
  and Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers  
4.5.1 Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children Updated
4.5.2 Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UK  
4.5.3 Leisure Activities  


 

4.6

Health and Wellbeing

  
  See: Documents Library  
4.6.1 Health Care Assessments and Plans  
4.6.2 Personal Care and Relationships  
4.6.3 Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management  
4.6.4 Restrictive Physical Intervention and Restraint  
4.6.5 Gender Identity Issues  


 

4.7

Change of Name and Marriage

  
  See: Documents Library  
4.7.1 Change of Name of a Looked After Child  
4.7.2 Marriage/Civil Partnership of a Looked After Child  


 

4.8

Leaving Care and Transition

  
  See: Documents Library  
4.8.1 Leaving Care and Transition  
4.8.2 Staying Put  
4.8.3 Financial Arrangements for Care Leavers  
  See also: Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody  


 

4.9

Youth Offending

  
  See: Documents Library  
4.9.1 Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services  
4.9.2 Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody  
4.9.3 Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National Guidance  
  See: Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation  


5. Fostering and Adoption

Caption:section 5 of contents
     

5.1

Fostering Services

  
  See: Documents Library  
5.1.1 Fostering Panel  
5.1.2 Persons Disqualified from Fostering  
5.1.3 Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers Updated
5.1.4 Exemptions and Extensions/Variations to Foster Carer Approval  
5.1.5 Supervision and Support of Foster Carers  
5.1.6 Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers  
5.1.7 Managing Allegations Against Foster Carers and Prospective Adopters  
5.1.8 Training and Development of Foster Carers  


 

5.2

Adoption and Permanence Services

  
  See: Documents Library  
5.2.1 General Statement re Adoption Functions  
5.2.2 Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters Updated
5.2.3 Adoption Panel  
5.2.4 Placement for Adoption  
5.2.5 Procedures Relating to the Child leading up to the Adoption Order  
5.2.6 Disruption of Adoptive Placements  
 

See also:

  
5.2.7 Procedures Relating to Children and Young People who have been Adopted and are in Need of Support  
5.2.8 Procedures Relating to Adults impacted by Adoption (Birth Relative, Adult Adoptees)  
5.2.9 Procedures Relating to Non-agency Adoption  
5.2.10 Other Adoption Processes and Information  
  See: Adoption Statutory Guidance (2013)  
  and Adoption Strategy: Achieving Excellence Everywhere  


 

5.3

Special Guardianship

  
  See: Documents Library  
5.3.1 Applications for Special Guardianship Orders Updated


6. Contacts, List of Agency Decision Makers and Appendices

Caption: section 6 contents
     
  See: Documents Library  
6.1 List of Agency Decision Makers, Designated Managers and Nominated Officers  
6.2 Working Together to Safeguard Children  
6.3 Ofsted Inspection Framework  
6.4 Amendments