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

  
1.1.1 Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles Updated
1.1.2 Children's Consultation and Participation  
1.1.3 Equality and Diversity  


 

1.2

Early Help and Thresholds for Children's Social Care Services

  
1.2.1 Multi-Agency Safeguarding Threshold Guidance  
1.2.2 Capacity and Consent  
  See also: Early Intervention: Policy and Provision (House of Commons Library)  


 

1.3

Children's Social Care - Assessment and Planning

  
1.3.1 Contacts and Referrals  
1.3.2 Assessments  
1.3.3 Chronologies - General Guidance  
1.3.4 Child Protection Enquiries (Section 47)  
  See also: London Safeguarding Children Procedures  
1.3.5 Case Transfer Protocol  


 

1.4

Child in Need

  
1.4.1 Child in Need Plans and Reviews  


 

1.5

Legal Proceedings

  
1.5.1 Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline Updated
1.5.2 Legal Gateway/Planning Meetings  
1.5.3 Applications for Emergency Protection Orders  
1.5.4 Social Workers Guide to Children in Proceedings - under review  
  See also: Social Worker Guide to the Conduct of Care Proceedings  
1.5.5 LBTH Protocol for Filing of Evidence  
1.5.6 Disclosure of Information between Family and Criminal Agencies and Jurisdictions: 2024 Protocol  
  See also: Cross-border Child Protection Cases: The 1996 Hague Convention  
1.5.7 Protocol re Naming of Staff in Court Judgements  
1.5.8 Family Justice Resource Hub (ADCS)  


 

1.6

Complaints and Whistleblowing

  
1.6.1 Complaints and Representations  
1.6.2 Whistleblowing  


 

1.7

Notifications

  
1.7.1 Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After, Child in Need or Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24) Updated


 

1.8

Staff Supervision

  
1.8.1 Supervision Policy  


2. Case Management and Recording

Caption: section 2 of contents
     
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 Electronic Recording of Meetings and Conversations  
2.6 Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care and Safeguarding Staff  
2.7 Storage of Data on Mobile Devices  


3. Children in Particular Circumstances

Caption: section 3 of contents
     

3.1

Children with Disabilities

  
3.1.1 Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Updated
3.1.2 Direct Payments  
3.1.3 Short Breaks  
3.1.4 Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential Settings  
3.1.5 Children and Young People’s Continuing Care National Framework New


 

3.2

Deprivations of Liberty and Mental Capacity

  
3.2.1 Deprivations of Liberty  
3.2.2 Mental Capacity  
3.2.3 Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983  


 

3.3

Children from Abroad

  
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

  
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

  
3.5.1 Family and Friends Care  
3.5.2 Private Fostering  


 

3.6

Young Carers

  
3.6.1 Young Carers  


 

3.7

Relinquished Children

  
3.7.1 Relinquished Children  


 

3.8

Safeguarding and Child Protection

  
  Note: these chapters are contained in the London Safeguarding Children Procedures and will open in a new window/tab.  
3.8.1

Missing:

  
3.8.2

Child Sexual Exploitation:

  
3.8.3 Allegations Made Against Staff Working In The Children's Workforce  


4. Looked After Children

Caption: section 4 of contents
     

4.1

Decision to Look After and Care Planning

  
4.1.1 London Borough of Tower Hamlets - Placement Sufficiency Strategy for Looked After Children and Care Leavers: 2019-2022  
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  
4.1.6 Permanence Planning Meetings  
  See also: Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters  
4.1.7 Placement Support Protocol  
  See also: Resolution Process IRO/LAC - Process for Resolving Disputes Around Looked After Children Planning  
4.1.8 Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims for Looked After Children  
4.1.9 Risk Assessment and Planning  
4.1.10 Providing Personalised Care  
  See also: NICE Guideline: Looked After Children and Young People  


 

4.2

Placements

  
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 Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds Updated
4.2.6 Out of Area Placements  
4.2.7 Placements Outside England and Wales  
4.2.8 Placement in Other Arrangements  
4.2.9 Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation  
4.2.10 Notifications from Other Local Authorities/Placement Providers  
4.2.11 Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers  
4.2.12 Health and Safety  
  See also: Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services  


 

4.3

Monitoring and Reviews

  
4.3.1 Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children  
4.3.2 Advocacy and Independent Visitors  
4.3.3 Looked After Reviews  
4.3.4 Appointment and Role of Independent Reviewing Officers  
4.3.5 Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews  
4.3.6 Notifications of Significant Events Updated
4.3.7 Resolution Process IRO/LAC - Process for Resolving Disputes Around Looked After Children Planning  


 

4.4

Contact and Overnight Stays

  
  See also: 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)  


 

4.5

Education, School Trips and Holidays

  
  See also: 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  
4.5.2 Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UK  
4.5.3 Leisure Activities  


 

4.6

Health and Wellbeing

  
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  


 

4.7

Change of Name and Marriage

  
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

  
4.8.1 Leaving Care and Transition  
4.8.2 Through Care Service Policy and Procedure  
4.8.3 Staying Put Updated
4.8.4 Tower Hamlets Local Offer 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 also: Standards for Children in the Youth Justice System  
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 Updated
  See also: Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation  


5. Fostering and Adoption

Caption: section 5 of contents
     

5.1

Fostering Services

  
  Please see the Fostering Handbook found in the Local Resources.  
5.1.1 Fostering Panel  
5.1.2 Persons Disqualified from Fostering  
5.1.3 Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers  
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 Allegations Against Foster Carers  
  See also: Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters  


 

5.2

Adoption and Permanence Services

  
5.2.1 Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters  
5.2.2 Adoption Panel  
5.2.3 Placement for Adoption  
5.2.4 Adoption Support  
5.2.5 Monitoring and Supervision of Adoptive Placements  
5.2.6 Adoption Reviews  
  See also: Adoption Strategy: Achieving Excellence Everywhere  
5.2.7 Disruption of Adoptive Placements  
5.2.8 Allegations Against Prospective Adopters and in Relation to Children Placed for Adoption or Already Adopted  
5.2.9 Inter Country Adoption  
5.2.10 Non Agency Adoption  
5.2.11 Adoption Case Records  
5.2.12 Access to Birth Records and Adoption Case Records  
5.2.13 Intermediary Services  
5.2.14 Life Story Books Guidance  
5.2.15 Later Life Letters  
5.2.16 Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters  


 

5.3

Special Guardianship and Other Permanence Arrangements

  
5.3.1 Applications for Special Guardianship Orders Updated
5.3.2 Court Reports in Placement Order Applications and Adoption/Special Guardianship Guidance  
5.3.3 Guidance on the Payment of Special Guardian/Adoption/Arrangement Order Allowances  


6. Contacts, List of Agency Decision Makers and Appendices

Caption: section 6 of contents
     
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