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December 2011

Contents

1. Status of the Manual
2. Structure and Style
3. Display and Browser Options
4. Terminology
5. Keywords and Search
6. Contacts and Designated Managers
7. Printing and Retaining Copies
8. Amendments and Additions
9. Planned Updates
10. Compliance
11. Contact us and Alerts
12. Copyright

1. Status of this Manual

This Manual is designed to contain all of Wakefield's Children's Social Care Procedures.

This is the sixth version of this manual and it includes the sections listed below.

• All Children in Need Procedures including Referrals, Assessments and Safeguarding - including a copy of the West Yorks Safeguarding Children Board Procedures;
• Preventive Services;
• Children's Disability;
• Children's Centres and Nurseries;
• Looked After Children including Leaving Care;
• Fostering and Adoption;
• Children's Homes.

These procedures are operational - they replace any procedures that are held elsewhere.

2. Structure and Style

2.1 Home Screen

The procedures listed above, have been categorised and divided into discreet Contents Lists - which are available from a 'HOME SCREEN'.

To find the procedures you require, go to the 'Home Screen' and click on the relevant category/topic e.g. you will see button like this:

You can come back to the Home Screen at any time, by clicking on 'Home' on the left hand side of the screen.

2.2 Policies, Values and Principles

All Wakefield's Policies, Values and Principles are located in one Chapter, which readers must familiarise themselves with before proceeding to the main body of the Manual. These Policies, Values and Principles should then inform practice when implementing procedures. To access the Policies, Values and Principles Chapter click on the 'Values' button on the 'Home Screen'.

2.3 Procedures and Guidance

Procedures and Guidance are usually located in separate Chapters. Procedures summarise how Managers and Staff must act in given circumstances. Guidance provides direction or advice to a decision or course of action.

3. 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.

4. Terminology

As far as possible, consistent terminology is used in this Manual, which means that some generic terms are used - as follows:

Term	Definition
'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
Designated Manager	The term Designated Manager is often used where notifications or approvals are required by a Manager above the level of Team Manager. Where users see this term they may click on it to view relevant contact details
'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.
Placement Plan/Placement Information Record	Both these terms are used in this manual to mean the same thing. Previously, Social Workers were required to complete an LAC Placement Plan for a Looked After Children, but the arrangement is changing with the implementation of The Integrated Children's System: Placement Plans are being replaced by Placement Information Records. Therefore, both terms are used in this manual to mean the same thing. NB: Where a child is placed in a Children's Home or in Foster Care, the Home/Carer will have their own plan or agreement which is designed to complement the Placement Plan/Placement Information Record.

5. Keywords/Search

5.1 Keywords

Keywords are terms or phrases which require further definition or explanation (such as 'Significant Harm', 'CAFCASS' or 'Personal Education Plan').

This manual contains a 'Keywords Appendix' with over 400 definitions and cross references, some of which are highlighted within the body of chapters, like this - Significant Harm. If you find a Keyword like this, access the definition by clicking on it.

The majority of terms are not highlighted, but are defined in the Keywords Appendix - which acts like a 'search' facility. You can search for key terms, read definitions and see links to relevant chapters, if they exist in the manual.

5.2 Search

You can search the whole manual for Chapter titles and sub sections of individual Chapters.

To do this, click on 'Search' on the left hand side of the screen.

6. Contacts and Designated Managers

We have created an index of key contacts, agencies and teams including postal and website addresses - available from the 'Contacts' button located on the Home Screen.

7. Printing and Retaining Copies

The Manual should normally be viewed on line.

However, users may print chapters, using the "print" icon in the top right of the manual;

Please note, the Manual will be updated regularly, so staff should avoid retaining printed versions - hard copies are only valid for 72 hours.

8. Amendments and Additions

This is the sixth version of the Procedures Manual.

Where a chapter has been amended, it is marked as 'updated' in the Contents list and at the top of each chapter. Changes in the text of each chapter have also been highlighted. Some new chapters have been introduced as a result of the above legislation; they are marked as 'new' in the contents list.

Amended and new chapters in this manual are:

Amended Chapters
Section	Title	Description
Children's Social Care
4.2	Private Fostering	This chapter was revised in relation to the definition of a close relative.
6.1.3	Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers	Section 13.1 of this chapter was amended in relation to partners of foster carers.
10.1.1	Transfer Protocol for Fieldwork Services	This has been revised in relation to team changes.
Children's Homes
9.3.2	Privacy and Confidentiality	This chapter was amended in relation to surveillance and the use of electronic monitoring devices in children’s homes. It should be re-read in its entirety.
New Chapters
Children's Social Care
1.2.8	Guidance: Use of Social Networking Sites (Facebook) by Social Care Staff in the Course of Their Work	This chapter concerns the use of social networking sites by staff for the purpose of gathering information about service users and their families, and known associates and/or suspected associates.
3.1.8	Electronic Monitoring (Tagging of Children and Young People)	This chapter details the interface between Wakefield’s Safeguarding and Family Support Services and the Wakefield Youth Offending Team regarding electronic monitoring, or ‘tagging’
3.1.9	Provision of Accommodation to Homeless 16 and 17 Year Olds	This is Guidance to children’s services authorities and local housing authorities about their duties under Part 3 of the Children Act 1989 and Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 to secure or provide accommodation for homeless 16 and 17 year old young people. It was issued in April 2010.
3.4.1	Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) Operating Protocol	This chapter outlines the operating protocol for Safe@Last IDVA's.
3.4.2	Additional Role of the Third Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA)	This chapter relates to the additional role of the third IDVA.
3.4.3	Safe@Home: Teenage Referral Process (Victim/Perpetrator)	This chapter relates to the referral process for teenagers, who are either victims or perpetrators.
3.4.4	Safe@Home Process regarding Attendance at Initial Child Protection Conferences	This chapter relates to the process for Safe@Last staff required to attend Child Protection Conferences.
5.2.10	Family and Friends Care Policy	This policy sets out Wakefield’s approach towards promoting and supporting the needs of children who are looked after by extended family and friends or other people connected to them. It covers the assessments which will be carried out to determine the services required, and how such services will then be provided.
Nurseries
8.1.15	Use of Communications Equipment (Computers, Telephones, Mobiles, Fax and Internet/Social Networking Sites)	This document sets out the policy and procedural framework within which all staff will operate and use communications equipment provided in the nursery.
8.1.16	Hot Drinks Policy	This chapter addresses health and safety issues of staff having hot drinks in the nursery environment.

9. Planned Updates

Every effort has been made to ensure all the procedures in this Manual are up to date, legislatively and operationally.  However, it's possible that errors and mistakes will be discovered. In the next 12 months, we intend to update the manual twice, when we can take account of feedback and recommendations for inclusion/amendment. You, the reader and user of this manual may have comments and contributions to the manual and it is important that you feel able to contribute to the process. The next planned update will be June 2012.

Your Contact/Co-ordinator for feedback/contributions is:

Victoria Gibbs
Service Manager Safeguarding, Family Services

T: 01924 306 817 
Email: vgibbs@wakefield.gov.uk

10. Compliance

10.1 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.

10.2 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.

11. Contact us and Alerts

11.1 Comments and Suggestions

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

11.2 Alerts

If you would like to be notified when this manual is updated, register your contact details in 'Contact Us' - on the left hand side of any screen.

12. 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 Wakefield Safeguarding and Family Support (Children's Services).

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