Designated Managers |
Designated Managers are managers who have delegated authority to approve certain decisions or who must be notified in certain circumstances.
Contents
1. Authorisations
NOTE
This section outlines the circumstances where managers have delegated authority to approve certain decisions.
These arrangements do not replace the line management communication or authorisation structure; in all cases, it is assumed that managers and line managers will be consulted or notified as appropriate.
Designated Managers are those managers who should additionally be consulted or notified.
- Adoption: Agency Decision Maker
- Adoption: Publicity
- Adoption: Support
- Care Plan
- Care Proceedings
- Change of Name of Looked After Child
- Complaints
- Contact with Parents and Siblings
- Fostering Panel
- Foster Carer Approval
- Fostering Placement Exemptions
- Inter-Country Adoption
- Passports
- Pathway Plans/Leaving Care
- Permanence Plans/Agency Decision-Maker
- Placements Outside England and Wales
- Placements Outside the Authority
- Placements With Parents
- Placements With Relatives and Friends
- Placements: Secure Accommodation
- Private Fostering
- Residence Order Allowances
- Review of Foster Carers
- Secure Placements
- School or Educational Trips/Holidays Abroad/Outdoor Activities for Looked After Children
- Special Guardianship Support
| Adoption: Agency Decision Maker |
| The Agency Decision-Maker who may approve recommendations of the Adoption and Permanence Panel
Designated Manager(s): Deputy Director, Children's Services |
| Adoption: Publicity |
| The Manager who must authorise publicity relating to adoptions.
Designated Manager: Adoption Team Manager |
| Adoption Support |
| See Adoption Support Services Procedure
The manager who must authorise proposed financial support Designated Manager(s): Principal Manager (Looked After & Leaving Care Services) |
| Care Plan |
| See Decision to Look After, Care and Permanence Planning Procedure
The manager who must approve Care Plans in relation to Accommodated Children Designated Manager(s): Social Work Team Managers |
| Care Proceedings |
| See Care Plan Guidance, Decision to Look After a Child (Care and Permanence Planning) Procedure
The manager who may authorise a Care Plan in relation to Care Proceedings Designated Manager: Principal Manager (Looked After & Leaving Care Services) |
| Change of Name of a Looked After Child |
| See Change of Name of a Looked After Child Procedure
The manager who may authorise the taking of court proceedings where parental agreement is not forthcoming Designated Manager(s): Deputy Director, Children's Services |
| Complaints |
| See Representations, Complaints and Claims Procedure
The Manager who is the Designated Complaints Officer Designated Manager(s): Customer Liaison Manager Deputy Director, Children's Services |
| Contact with Parents and Siblings |
| See Contact with Parents and Siblings Procedure
The manager who is responsible for the Approval of Risk Assessments in relation to contact of Looked After Children with Parents Designated Manager(s): Social Work Team Managers The manager who is responsible for the suspension of termination of contact between a Looked After Child and Parents Designated Manager: Principal Manager (Looked After & Leaving Care Services) |
| Fostering Panel |
| See Fostering Panel Procedure
Appointment of the Chair of Fostering Panel: Deputy Director, Children's Services |
| Foster Carer Approval |
| See Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers Procedure, Review of Foster Carers Procedure
Approval recommendation of Fostering Panel in relation to approval of Foster Carers Designated Manager(s): Deputy Director, Children's Services |
| Foster Placement Exemptions |
| See Limit of the Number of Children in Foster Homes Procedure
Approval of recommendation of Fostering Panel to exceed the usual limit Designated Manager: Deputy Director, Children's Services Approval of Interim Exemption Designated Manager: Deputy Director, Children's Services |
| Inter-Country Adoption |
| See Assessment and Approval of Inter-Country Adoptive Parents Procedure
Agency Decision Maker: Deputy Director, Children's Services |
| Passports |
| See Holidays and School Trips Outside the UK Procedure
Passports for Looked After Children, the manager who may authorise passports Designated Manager(s): Principal Manager (Looked After & Leaving Care Services) |
| Pathway Plans/Leaving Care |
| See Leaving the Looked After Service Procedure Procedure
The manager who should approve Pathway Plans Designated Manager(s): Leaving Care Team Manager |
| Permanence Plans/Agency Decision Maker |
| See Placements for Adoption Procedure, Placement in Foster Care Procedure
The manager who should approve the recommendations of Adoption or Fostering Panel in relation to Permanence Plans Designated Manager(s): Principal Manager (Looked After Services) |
| Placements Outside England and Wales |
| See Placements Outside England and Wales Procedure
Placements outside England and Wales, the Manager who may authorise the placement, including emigration, of a child outside England and Wales Designated Manager(s): Deputy Director, Children's Services |
| Placements Outside the Authority |
| See Placements in Foster Care Procedure, Placements in Residential Care Procedure
The Manager who can authorise Out of Borough Placements for children pending consideration by the Children's Resources Panel. Designated Manager(s): Deputy Director, Children's Services |
| Placement With Parents |
| See Placement With Parents Procedure
The Manager who may authorise Planned and Unplanned Placements with Parents Designated Manager(s): Principal Manager (Looked After & Leaving Care Services) |
| Placements With Relatives and Friends |
| See Placements with Relatives, Friends and Connected Persons Procedure
The manager who may authorise Placements with Relatives and Friends Designated Manager: Principal Manager (Looked After & Leaving Care Services) |
| Placements: Secure Accommodation |
| See Placements in Residential Care and Secure Accommodation Procedure, Secure Accommodation Criteria Reviews Procedure
The Manager who may authorise that a child be placed in secure accommodation for up to 72 hours. Designated Manager(s): Deputy Director, Children's Services |
| Private Fostering |
| See Private Fostering Procedure
The Manager who may authorise approvals and other matters in relation to Private Foster Carers Designated Manager(s): Fostering Team Manager NB: Whilst post vacant, please contact Principal Manager (Looked After & Leaving Care Services) |
| Residence Order Allowances |
| See Kinship Care Policy Guidance
The Manager who must approve the weekly living allowances in relation to children placed with relatives or friends under a Residence Order. Designated Manager(s): Principal Manager (Safeguarding and Family Support Services) |
| Review of Foster Carers |
| See Review of Foster Carers Procedure
The Manager who will approve the recommendations of the Fostering Panel in regard to the review of Foster Carers. Designated Manager(s): Deputy Director, Children's Services |
| Secure Placements |
| Designated Manager(s):
Deputy Director, Children's Services |
| School or Educational Trips/Holidays Abroad/Outdoor Activities for Looked After Children |
| See Holidays and School Trips Outside the UK Procedure, Leisure and Recreation Procedure
School or Educational Trips/Holidays Abroad or Outdoor Activities:; the Manager who may authorise such trips for Looked After Children, including Passports. Designated Manager(s): Principal Manager (Looked After & Leaving Care Services) |
| Special Guardianship Support |
| See Special Guardianship Procedure
The manager who must approve Special Guardianship Support Plans and applications for Special Guardianship Orders Designated Manager(s) Principal Manager (Looked After & Leaving Care Services) |
2. Notifications
NOTE
This section outlines the managers and agencies who must be notified in certain circumstances; usually after serious incidents or events.
These arrangements do not replace the line management communication or authorisation structure; in all cases, it is assumed that managers and line managers will be consulted or notified as appropriate.
In ANY EVENT, where an incident or event is likely to have significant public, political or legal implications for the authority the Designated Managers and agencies listed below are those who should additionally be consulted or notified without delay:
- Abduction or Attempted Abduction
- Attempted Suicide
- Child Protection Enquiry - Looked After Child
- Death or Serious Injury of a Looked After Child
- Missing/Absent Child
- Police Assistance
- Prostitution or Sexual Exploitation
- Protection of Children
- Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews
- Serious or Malicious Damage Caused
- Serious Illness, Serious Accident or Outbreak of any Infectious Disease
- Serious Offence
| Abduction, or Attempted Abduction |
| Abduction or attempted abduction of a child receiving services, the Manager who should be notified
Designated Manager(s): Deputy Director Children's Services |
| Attempted Suicide |
| Attempted suicide of a child receiving services, the Manager who should be notified
Designated Manager(s): Deputy Director Children's Services |
| Child Protection Enquiry - Looked After Child |
| Where a Child Protection allegation is made in relation a member of staff the Manager who must be notified
Designated Manager(s) Deputy Director Children's Services |
| Death or Serious Injury of a Child |
| See Death or Serious Illness/Injury in Relation to a Child in Need Procedure
The managers who should be notified of Death or Serious Injury. If a child is placed in a Children's Home or Foster Home the Secretary of State, Regulatory Authority and Health Authority must be notified. Designated Manager(s) Deputy Director Children's Services |
| Missing/Absent Children |
| See Absent Children Procedure
The Manager who must be notified if a Looked After Child has been absent for five days Designated Manager(s) Principal Manager (Looked After & Leaving Care Services) |
| Police Assistance |
| See Contacting the Police Procedure
Where an Incident results in the police being called to provide assistance in a Children's Home or Foster Home, the Manager must be notified Designated Manager(s) Principal Manager (Looked After & Leaving Care Services) |
| Prostitution or Sexual Exploitation |
| Involvement or suspected involvement of a Looked After Child in prostitution or sexual exploitation
Designated Manager(s) Principal Manager (Looked After & Leaving Care Services) |
| Protection of Children |
| Referral to the Secretary of State under Sec 2 (1) (a) of the Protection of Children Act 1999 (a) of an individual working at the home, the people/agencies who should be notified
Designated Manager(s): Principal Manager (Looked After Services) Other Agencies: If the Child is placed in a Children's Home or Foster Home, the Regulatory Authority must be notified, and the Protection of Children Team. |
| Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews |
| See Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews Procedure
The Manager who should be informed of the outcome of these reviews Designated Manager(s) Deputy Director, Children's Services |
| Serious or Malicious Damage Caused |
| Where an Incident results in serious damage being caused to or Foster Home; the Manager who must be notified.
Designated Manager(s): Principal Manager (Looked After & Leaving Care Services) Other Agencies: If the Police are called for assistance, the Regulatory Authority must also be notified. |
| Serious Illness, Accident or Outbreak of Any Infectious or Notifiable Disease |
| See: Death or Serious Illness/Injury in Relation to a Child in Need Procedure
Serious Serious illness or serious accident sustained by a Looked After Child; Outbreak of any infectious or Notifiable disease relating to a Looked After Child that, in the opinion of a registered medical practitioner, is sufficiently serious to require notification. Designated Manager(s) for both: Principal Manager (Looked After & Leaving Care Services) Other Agencies: If the child is placed in a Foster Home, the Regulatory Authority must be notified. The Health Authority must additionally be notified if there is an Outbreak of an Infectious Disease. |
| Serious Offence |
| The manager who must be notified of allegations of offence committed by a Looked After Child. If placed in Children's or Foster Home, the Police must be notified.
Designated Manager(s) Principal Manager (Looked After & Leaving Care Services) |
End