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• working together 2010

Contents

1. Decision to Seek a Residential Placement
2. Looked After Status
3. Funding Streams
4. Pre-placement Checks
5. Supervision and Monitoring of the Placement
6. Review of Jointly Funded Placements

1. Decision to Seek a Residential Placement

In most cases, this decision will be taken following a multi-disciplinary assessment and having regard to the holistic needs of the child and family. Occasionally, the decision will be taken by the SEN panel alone if the need is based solely on educational grounds.

2. Looked After Status

A child may be placed in a residential setting without becoming looked after by the local authority. Determination of looked after status will depend on the child's assessed needs, the ability of the family to maintain primary responsibility for the child and the views of the professionals involved with the child and family.

In most circumstances (but not all), if a child is in a residential placement for fifty-two weeks per year, then it will be in the child's best interests to be looked after by the local authority. Children who return home to their parents' care during school holidays will, in general, not need to be regarded as looked after.

3. Funding Streams

• A residential school placement may be fully funded by the local authority because the child's special educational needs can only be met in that placement;
• A residential school placement may be fully funded by the local authority because of the child's educational needs, their care needs and/or their family's inability to meet those needs even with additional available support;
• A residential school placement may be jointly funded by the local authority and the Primary Care Trust under Continuing Care criteria and guidance;
• A residential placement may be fully funded by the Primary Care Trust if the child's health needs are so complex that they require constant nursing care;
• The proportion of funding contributed by each agency will be agreed on an individual basis at the Joint Funding Panel.

4. Pre-placement Checks

These will be carried out as described in the Safeguarding/Monitoring Policy (September 2007)

In all cases, parents and young people themselves will take an active role in deciding on the suitability of the placement and whether it will meet the child's needs.

5. Supervision and Monitoring of the Placement

If the placement is made primarily for educational reasons, then lead responsibility for monitoring the placement will lie with the SEN section. A representative from SEN will maintain a link with the school and the parents. A representative from SEN will attend the annual review of the statement of special educational need. They will also have regard to the child's well-being in school.

If the placement is made primarily to meet care and health needs, the placement will be monitored by the child's allocated social worker, irrespective of the child's looked after status. The social worker will visit the child in placement at least once every three months and will have the responsibility for maintaining a link with the school and the parents. The social worker will attend the annual review of the statement.

If the PCT is contributing to the funding of the placement through Continuing Care, then a representative of the PCT will visit the child in placement and maintain a link with the school and the family. The PCT representative will attend the annual review of the statement.

In addition to the above, SEN and social work staff will contribute as required to the monitoring of residential placements undertaken by the Specialist Children's Services Resource Panel.

6. Review of Jointly Funded Placements

The Joint Funding Panel will receive annual reports on each child in placement.  This will determine the need to continue the placement.  If a child and family need additional support in school holidays, and this forms part of the care plan, provision will be agreed at this panel, with financial responsibility clearly established.

End