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Manual Version August 2011

Contents

1. Display and Browser Options
2. Structure of the Manual
3. Amendments and Updating the Manual
4. How to find a Chapter
5. Terminology
6. Keywords
7. Compliance
8. Contact us
9. Copyright

1. Display and Browser Options

People with a visual impairment may have difficulty accessing this Manual.

To change the size of the text/layout - please use these accessibility buttons

which are on menu bar on the left side of every screen. Click a larger button to increase your text size, the very largest being high visibility mode.

2. Structure of the Manual

This manual contains the policies, procedures and guidance for Richmond Children's Services including Youth Offending. However, the Youth Offending chapters are currently under review and are expected to reappear towards the end of 2011.

We have also integrated a copy of the London Child Protection Procedures, with links to internal Children's Services Procedures.

It is also compliant with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010, a copy of which can be accessed by the button on the left hand side of the screen.

There is an integrated, web-enabled version of the National Minimum Standards for Adoption, Children's Homes and Fostering.

All Richmond's Policies, Values and Principles are located in one Chapter, which users are required to familiarise themselves with before proceeding to the main body of the Manual. These Policies, Values and Principles are located in a Chapter called 'Values' - available from the left hand side of the screen.

In an attempt to keep procedures succinct, procedures and more detailed guidance are separated - with links provided as appropriate.

• 'Procedures' summarise how Managers and Staff must act in given circumstances.
• 'Guidance' provide direction or advice to a decision or course of action.

3. Amendments and Updating the Manual

The list below indicates the chapters that have been changed in some way as part of this update. It should be noted that the liaison between Richmond and Tri.x occurred at a time of change for Children's Services and consequently you might notice something that requires attention. Please contact Shirly Davis for changes, additions or service issues or use the contact us button to bring anything about the technical/usability aspects of the manual to our attention.

New Chapters and features
National Minimum Standards	The manual now contains links to a web-enabled version of the National Minimum Standards for: Adoption; Children's Homes; Fostering.
Care Planning Guidance and Regulations	This manual has been brought up to date with the changes that came into force in April 2011.
Quick Reference Guide to Care Planning Changes	This has been retained within at 1.1.3 of the manual for reference purposes (it was previously accessed via the 'yellow button') and is a snapshot of the changes which have now been fully incorporated to the Procedures Manual
Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Change
General Looked After Chapters
Advocacy and Independent Visitors	Updated in terms of the Care Planning Regulations 2010.
Decision to Look After a Child (Care and Permanence Planning)	Updated in terms of the Care Planning Regulations 2010.
Looked After Reviews	Updated in terms of the Care Planning Regulations 2010.
Health Care Assessments and Health Care Plans	This chapter was re-written in terms of the Care Planning Regulations 2010.
Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children	Updated in terms of the Care Planning Regulations 2010.
Route Map for Looked After Children	Updated in terms of the Care Planning Regulations 2010.
Contact with Parents and Siblings	Updated in terms of the Care Planning Regulations 2010.
Education of Looked After Children	This chapter was re-written in terms of the Care Planning Regulations 2010.
Leaving the Looked After Service	Updated in terms of the Care Planning Regulations 2010.
Placements
Placements in Residential Care and Secure Accommodation	Updated in terms of the Care Planning Regulations 2010.
Placements with Relatives, Friends and Connected Persons	This is an entirely new chapter that has been updated in terms of the Care Planning Regulations 2010.
Placements in Foster Care	Updated in terms of the Care Planning Regulations 2010 and the National Minimum Standards for Fostering Services 2011
Placements with Parents	Updated in terms of the Care Planning Regulations 2010.
Placements for Adoption	Updated in terms of the Care Planning Regulations 2010 and the Adoption National Minimum Standards 2011.
Fostering
Fostering and Short Break Panels	Updated in terms of the Fostering Service NMS and Regulations 2011.
Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers, Short Break Carers and Befrienders	Updated in terms of the Fostering Service NMS and Regulations 2011.
Supervision of Foster Carers	Updated in terms of the Fostering Service NMS and Regulations 2011.
Adoption
Adoption and Permanency Panel	Updated in terms of the Adoption NMS 2011.
Assessment and Approval of Agency Adoptive Parents	Updated in terms of the Adoption NMS 2011.
Assessment and Approval of Inter-Country Adoptive Parents	Updated in terms of the Adoption NMS 2011.
Adoption Case Records	Updated in terms of the Adoption NMS 2011.
Adoption Reviews	Updated in terms of the Care Planning Regulations 2010.
Permanence Planning Guidance	Updated in terms of the Care Planning Regulations 2010.
Changes NOT Related to the Care Planning Regulations 2010
Child Plans	This chapter was amended to include the need to identify the lead professional and the frequency of visits to the child.
Death or Serious Illness/Injury in relation to a Child in Need and Looked After	This chapter was amended  to include the contact information for notifications to the Secretary of State for Education.
New Chapters
Appointment and Role of Independent Reviewing Officers	The role of the IRO has changed considerably under the new regulations and this chapter explains the new resposibilities.

Chapters that have been revised are marked as such on the contents list and there is a note in the scope box at the head of each chapter.

3.1 Future Updates

The next planned update to this manual is intended to follow the Timetable below:

Event	Date
Site Meeting	W/c 12th December 2011
Deadline for information from customer	13th January 2012
Tri.X Edits	16/17th January 2012
Handover for formatting	18th January 2012
Delivery Date	17th February 2012

If you are involved in developing procedures, policy or other such activities, please contact Nick Lister who will be pleased to help whenever possible.

You can also contribute to updates in the following way:

• If you think any Chapter needs to be amended or a new chapter is required, please discuss your suggestions with your first line manager;
• If your manager agrees with your suggested amendment, please notify Shirly Davis (Business Manager, Specialist Children's Services):

Your feedback/instructions should be forwarded to Shirly by the beginning of December 2011(tel: 020 8891 7756).

3.2 Urgent Updates

If amendments are so urgent that they can't wait until the next planned update, please contact Shirly Davis (email address above).

4. How to find a chapter

Procedures and guidance are located in individual 'Chapters' which are available from a 'traditional' Contents List - on the left hand side of the screen.

4.1 Using the Contents List

Chapters are categorised or grouped together as follows:

PARTS: The manual contains procedures categorised under a number of Service Sectors, like 'Looked After Children',

SECTIONS: Within each Service Sector e.g. 'Looked After Services', you will find a Section (group of procedures) like 'Reviews'.

CHAPTERS: Under each Section, you'll find individual Chapters/Procedures e.g. 'Looked After Reviews'

4.2 Search

This version includes a new, enhanced search facility which can be accessed via the button on the left of your screen.

5. Terminology

We believe it is crucial to use consistent terminology, which we agree with individual customers, for example:

'Home' and 'Resource'	this is a generic term which means Children's Home, Foster Home
'Child' or 'Young Person'	both these terms are used to mean any child under the age of 18
'Staff' or 'Carer'	means all Staff and Carers (including) whether employed or not
'Manager'	means Team Manager, it also means YOT Team Manager
'Line Manager'	means the first Line Manager of a team/service
'Parent'	means person with Parental Responsibility
'Regulatory Authority'	Regulatory Authority is the generic term used in this manual to describe the independent regulatory body responsible for inspecting and regulating services e.g. Ofsted.
'Social Worker'	This means the worker allocated to the child/family. If there is no allocated worker, the Duty Social Worker or Team Manager is responsible.

6. Keywords

The manual is accessed by practitioners from varying agencies, who may find terms that they are not familiar with. Therefore, a large glossary (Keywords) of terms such as Significant Harm (Try it: click on the highlighted text). We call them 'Keywords'.

Many Keywords are highlighted in the body of procedures, but you can search for the Keyword you need: Go to the Keywords Index, on the left hand side of the screen. Or, use 'Search', available from the left hand side of every screen.

7. Compliance

7.1 Regulatory Compliance

Every effort has been taken to ensure regulatory compliance. If you discover any errors or mistakes, please alert your manager or contact us.

7.2 W3C Compliance

This manual meets the double A Standards of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), for example, it can be accessed by people with high levels of visual impairment. To find out more, click on 'Display Options' on the left hand side of the screen.

8. Contact us

If you have any comments or suggestions to make about this manual please contact us by using the button on the left hand side of the screen, from anywhere within the manual.

9. Copyright

The content of this website can be accessed, printed and downloaded in an unaltered form, on a temporary basis, for personal study or reference purposes. However any content printed or downloaded may not be sold, licensed, transferred, copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or in or on any media to any person without the prior written consent of Tri-X-Childcare Ltd and Richmond Upon Thames.

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