Placement and Admissions
Amendment
In December 2024, this chapter was updated in line with Ofsted Guidance Social Care Common Inspection Framework (SCCIF): Supported Accommodation for Looked After Children and Care Leavers Aged 16 and 17.
Young people should be able to move into their accommodation in a sensitively and carefully planned way.
Effective placement planning and the arrangement of suitable accommodation depends on strong working relationships between providers and the accommodating authority for the success of placements and arranged accommodation.
For looked after young people and care leavers aged 16 and 17, these planning duties fall to the accommodating authority. The registered person should ensure that they and their staff engage proactively with the accommodating authority to contribute fully to the relevant plans for the young person on an ongoing basis.
There is a wide range of diverse types of settings within supported accommodation, which differ in size, structure, purpose and which offer varying degrees of supervision and support, for young people with varying needs. The registered person should accept placements for young people only where they are satisfied that the setting can respond effectively to the young person’s assessed needs as set out in the young person’s relevant plans. When making decisions about a young person’s placement, the registered person and the accommodating authority should have regard to the Equality Act 2010 and jointly endeavour to ensure the cultural heritage of a young person is respected and that no young person is unfairly treated or stigmatised. In addition, the registered person should fully consider the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of young people in that setting and vice versa. The registered person should assess if there may be an impact on the young person entering the provision as a result of the needs or personal histories of any young person in the existing group, including adults aged 18 or over who are supported at the setting. It is the responsibility of both the accommodating authority and the registered person to assess the previous experiences and any trauma of the young person when determining if a placement is appropriate.
The registered person should challenge any accommodating authority that asks them to accept a young person in the absence of complete and current information about the young person and their needs in the form of relevant plans, as it would not normally be acceptable to expect that a placement/accommodation arrangement of a young person without the necessary information would go ahead in circumstances other than an emergency, whereby this information should be shared with urgency.
At the point when it is determined that a Service may be required, and throughout the subsequent process of identification, planning and placement, the social worker must consult and take account of the views of the following people:
- The young person;
- The parents, if relevant or appropriate;
- The Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO), if the young person is moving from another Looked After Placement;
- Anyone who is not a parent but has been caring for or looking after the young person;
- Other members of the family who are significant;
- The school/education establishment or education authority;
- The Youth Offending Service, if the young person is known to them.
The social worker should ensure that the proposed placement is in keeping with the overall Care Plan for the young person.
The Care Plan should demonstrate that the young person’s needs will be met by the proposed Service.
The Care Plan should be completed before the young person becomes Looked After, or within 10 working days of the young person moving into the property.
If a placement is approved, the social worker should ensure that a Placement Information Record is drawn up before the placement starts, or within 5 working days of the placement.
The registered person should ensure there are procedures in place for welcoming and introducing each young person to the setting, and that they are sensitive to the needs of the young person at the time of arrival, whether they are admitted in a planned way or in an emergency situation.
A referral will be made to the appropriate Supported Independent Living provider. This will be based on an assessment of need and risk assessment. Once an appropriate home has been identified for the young person, they will be informed and provided with information regarding when and how they will be supported to move into the accommodation. We will always aim to complete this in a planned way. On occasion this may be in an emergency however this will be avoided where possible. The level of floating support that is provided will be assessed on an individual basis and may be more intense when first moving into the accommodation.
Prior to moving into the accommodation, the young person will be provided with a young person’s guide which will inform them about what to expect from their accommodation. It will also provide information regarding all the ‘need to know’ information to support young people to successfully live independently. It contains information from how to pay bills, read meters, useful contact numbers to how to look after yourself and your own mental wellbeing.
The young person will also be supported to complete a licence agreement which will outline responsibilities and expectations of accommodation.
The registered person must notify, without delay, the local authority for the area in which the premises used as supported accommodation are located, of the admission of a young person into that accommodation and every discharge of a young person from that accommodation, unless that authority is also the young person’s accommodating authority.
The notification must state:
- The young person's name and date of birth;
- Whether the young person is Accommodated under section 22C(6)(d) or section 23B(8)(b) of the Children Act 1989;
- Whether the young person is subject to a care or supervision order under section 31 of the Children Act 1989, or to an interim care order under section 38 of that Act;
- The contact details for:
- The young person's accommodating authority; and
- The young person's Independent Reviewing Officer or Personal Adviser.
- Whether the young person has an Education, Health and Care Plan and, if so, details of the local authority which maintains the Plan.
The young person’s social worker must visit the young person in the placement within one week of the placement and then at specified intervals; which are set out in Social Worker Visits Procedure.
The social worker must also co-operate with the manager by attending Placement Plan Reviews, as set out in Care and Pathway Planning.
Last Updated: December 10, 2024
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