Children's Services

Children's Services departmental procedures

Chronological list of procedures

This list of procedures is arranged in chronological order by procedure number

  • 05/12 Children’s Services Scheme of Delegation Microsoft Word 526kb

  • 04/12 Children and Young People Missing from Home

  • 03/12 Allowances, Skills Fees and Associated Expenses for Children in Foster Care
    The purpose of this procedure is to set out the allowances for children in foster care, for project care and skill fees, allowances for Family Link and arrangements for reimbursement of expenses and fees in respect of foster carers' training courses, and other miscellaneous expenses

  • 02/12 Placement of a Child/Young Person who is Subject to a Care Order/Interim Care Order With a Parent(s) Microsoft Word 487kb  (current - June 2012)
    This procedure seeks to provide a framework for good professional practice in relation to placements of children/young people who are subject to Care Orders or Interim Care Orders, with their parent/s.

  • 01/12 Dispensing, administrating, storing and recording of medicines Microsoft Word 161kb.

  • 15/11 Children and Young People Missing From Care Procedure Microsoft Word 1mb (current October 2011)
    The purpose of this procedure is to inform carers in children's homes, in family placement, social workers and managers of the action to be taken in circumstances where a child is missing/absent without permission from accommodation provided by Hampshire Children’s Services.

  • 14/11 Family and Friends Care Policy  Microsoft Word 213kb (Current September 2011)
    The purpose of this procedure is to set out Hampshire County Council’s Children’s Services approach towards promoting and supporting the needs of children and young people who are unable to remain living at home, or with an adult with parental responsibility, and are living with family and friends carers in a range of legal circumstances.

  • 13/11 Children and Families Branch Line Management Supervision Policy (current: Steven Handforth September 2011)
    This procedure endeavours to define for all staff in the Branch, the minimum standards for oversight and management of their work and to clarify the responsibilities of each staff member within the process.

  • 12/11 Safeguarding Children policy Microsoft Word 584kb (current - Dave Watson 2011)
    The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that all staff working within the department are aware of their roles and responsibilities in respect of work to safeguard children. That where staff have specific responsibilities there is clarity as to the processes to be followed, practices required and the standards to which duties should be carried out.

  • Planning, monitoring and reviewing for looked after children Microsoft Word 596kb
    This updated procedure takes into account recent changes to the Regulatory Framework for planning and reviewing for looked after children and the associated amended guidance (Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and Statutory Guidance.

  • 10/11 Residence orders and residence orders allowances Microsoft Word 317kb
    The purpose of this procedure is to set out the mechanism for approving plans for children who are looked after or at risk of becoming looked after, to be cared for by way of a Residence Order. It also sets out who can be paid a Residence Order Allowance to support the plan for the child

  • 09/11 Contributions towards maintenance and personal allowances for young people aged 16+ who are preparing for or have left care Microsoft Word 231kb
    The aim of this procedure is to standardise the Department’s approach in how it financially supports young people looked after who become care leavers between the ages of 16 to their 25th birthday.

  • 06/11 Special Guardianship Orders Procedure Microsoft Word 337kb
    The purpose of this procedure is to describe the Local Authority’s legal duties in respect of Special Guardianship Orders (SGO) and to describe Hampshire County Council Children’s Services processes for SGO assessments, including financial assessment, and post SGO support.

  • 05/11 Recharging for family placement services to other local authorities Microsoft Word 311kb

    To provide details of the re-charge mechanism and charges for:
    • all foster care placements with Hampshire County Council foster carers, including family link carers, carried out on behalf of another local authority.
    • all foster carer assessments, or components of assessments e.g. referee visits; preparation training, carried out on behalf of another local authorities in relation to the prospective foster carer for that local authority.
    • all foster carer support e.g. preparation or post approval training, carried out on behalf of another local authority in relation to a foster carer approved by that local authority

  • 04/11 Placing a child with a family and friends foster carers following temporary approval of a connected person under regulation 24 Microsoft Word 216kb
    To set out the procedures for the temporary approval as a foster carer of a connected person to enable the immediate placement of a looked after child where the local authority is satisfied that this is the most appropriate placement for the child

  • 34/10 Social care transport Microsoft Word 270kb
    This procedure provides guidance to staff in relation to making transport arrangements for children and young people who are ‘Looked After Children’ by Hampshire County Council to get to school and also for children who require transporting in order to facilitate contact arrangements to designated family members.

  • 31/10 Care leavers practice manual Microsoft Word 49kb the full manual can be accessed on the Childens Services intranet pages.
    This document is designed to provide necessary and relevant information to staff working with young people between the ages of 16 and 25 years who have a designated care leaver status.

  • 30/10 Supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children Microsoft Word 687kb
    This document provides guidance to Children’s Services staff working with unaccompanied asylum seeking children in Hampshire.

  • 26/10 Access to specialist services for disabled children Microsoft Word 290kb
    The purpose of this document is to outline the new process by which disabled children and their parents / carers  access specialist social care services. This includes an eligibility criteria statement to identify those children who can access such services e.g. overnight short breaks, care support within & outside the home, and social work support.

  • 20/10 Adoption Allowances Microsoft Word 234kb
    This procedure applies to Adoption Allowances and other financial support available to prospective adopters who are not already fostering the child/ren who is/are to be adopted.

  • 18/10 Investigating concerns, complaints and allegations against Foster Carers, including historical issues Microsoft Word 288kb
    The purpose of this procedure is to provide staff with a framework to identify, distinguish between and respond to a concern (level 1), complaint (level 2) or allegation (level 3) in relation to the actions of, or care provided by, a foster carer or placement both currently or historically in line with both departmental and regulatory requirements.

  • 17/10 Private fostering Microsoft Word 370kb
    To ensure that social workers are aware of the definition of children who are privately fostered and to set out the duties and responsibilities of the Children’s Services Department.

  • 10/10 Investigating concerns, complaints & allegations against prospective and approved adopters Microsoft Word 239kb
    This procedure relates to all concerns, complaints and allegations made against the Department’s approved adopters, whether or not they are prospective adopters who have been approved by Hampshire County Council (HCC) or prospective adopters who have been approved by another adoption agency and reside within the County of Hampshire.

  • 03/10 Hampshire Direct Payments scheme Microsoft Word 321kb
    This procedure outlines the legislative framework, departmental financial and care management arrangements for operating the Hampshire Children’s Services Direct Payments Scheme.

  • 45/09 Smoking policy and procedure: fostering services Microsoft Word 558kb (current Gill Horrobin - December 2009)
    To set out the smoking policy of Hampshire County Council’s Fostering Service, including the rationale behind that policy, in order to reduce children’s exposure to passive smoking within our foster homes and to discourage young people from taking up smoking.

  • 29/09 Looked after children - babysitting Microsoft Word 181kb (current - December 2009)
    This document is to enable those who are caring for looked after children to make safe arrangements for babysitting. To enable young people who are looked after to babysit for others. All children and young people accommodated under S20 of the Children Act 1989 and those looked after on Interim or full care orders under S34 of the Children Act 1989, including children placed at home with parents.

  • 28/09 Looked after children - overnight stays Microsoft Word 2mb  (current - December 2009)
    This procedure is to enable young people who are looked after by Hampshire County Council to stay overnight with friends and family, in a way which does not discriminate against them, yet promotes their welfare and safety. Applies to all children looked after under S20, or an interim or full care order S34 Children Act 1989, who are placed in residential homes, or family placements, within Hampshire or in residential placements purchased from external providers, by Hampshire, or children on interim or full care orders S34 Children Act 1989 placed at home with parents.

  • 23/09 Family placement staff manual (being revised, incorporating 14/04 - Gill Burtwell July 2009)
    This manual is currently being updated. If the link you require is not yet live, please refer to 14/04 Fostering Handbook Download Acrobat Reader to view this PDF 2mb until these pages have been updated.The purpose of the Family Placement Staff Manual is to provide a reference manual for all social care staff in Children's Services Department. It covers all information social workers and other child care staff need to have about Hampshire County Council's Fostering Service, about placing a child who needs to live away from home and about meeting that child's needs in foster, or other forms of family based, care. The manual is intended to ensure that all staff working within family placement, or with children living away from home and placed in family based care, are aware of, understand, and work within regulations, standards, policies, procedures and good practice guidelines.

  • 17/09 Writing, developing and reviewing departmental procedures and guidelines Microsoft Word 174kb (current - December 2009)
    This procedure is prepared to assist in fulfilling the departments’ policy of achieving an organisational structure which is easy to understand, displays clear lines of accountability and delegation, and promotes quality of service.

  • 13/09 Procedures For the Authorisation and Placement of Young People in Non-County Children’s Home Microsoft Word 251kb (current - December 2009
    The purpose of this procedure is to set out guidelines that must be followed by all staff who are considering a placement in Non - County Children’s Homes.

  • 32/08 Prosecution of young people in the care of the Local Authority Microsoft Word 316kb (current -Gill Horrobin August 2009)
    This procedure contributes to the Hampshire Children’s Services (CSD) local authority’s commitment to reduce the level of offending by looked after children in care. It describes expectations of staff members and Family Placement carers should they be involved in supporting young people through police and court processes

  • 24/07 Language and communication standards for work with D/deaf  and Deafblind people (current - Pauline Winder November 2009)
    Updates policy and procedure for provision of language and communication standards for work with D/deaf and Deafblind people to ensure equity of access.

  • 12/07 Managers' Internet and IT equipment use policy for service users Microsoft Word 913kb (current - Christine Hardie August 2009)
    This procedure sets out the roles and responsibilities of the manager in ensuring adequate supervision and protection of service users in the use of internet and IT equipment within social care establishments.

  • 06/07 Records management and Data Protection Act 1998 policy and procedure Microsoft Word 2mb (being revised by Christine Hardie August 2009)
    This document provides guidance in the management of Adult Services and Children's Services records, both electronic and manual, so that the departments comply with the Data Protection Act 1998.

  • 05/07 The provision of aids and adaptations for children in care Microsoft Word 111kb (being re-written or withdrawn Gill Horrobin August 2009)
    This procedure relates to looked after children with disabilities who require aids and adaptations to enable their permanent placement.

  • 02/07 Irregularities and break-ins Microsoft Word 137kb - contacts were updated in September 2010
    This document sets out the procedure to be followed when financial irregularities and break-ins occur.

  • 27/06 Section 117 policy, Mental Health Act 1983 Microsoft Word 159kb (being revised by Jason Brandon August 2009)
    The objective of this procedure is to set out the policy requirements for provision of after-care services under section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

  • 30/05 Health care of children looked after Microsoft Word 133kb (being revised by Gill Horrobin in 2009/2010 - August 2009)
    Designed to ensure that the health care needs of children and young people looked after by Hampshire Children’s Services Department are properly met and their health promoted.

  • 29/05 Disaster recovery Microsoft Word 95kb (being revised by John Dillon -August 2009)
    This document is the Department's Policy on continuity of service in the event of the loss of an office base or local loss of access to critical systems, applications or data. The Procedure contains guidance on actions to be taken to ensure a service to the public following a temporary or permanent loss of a major office base, or associated systems, equipment or records.

  • 28/05 Premises management - waste disposal Microsoft Word 101kb (being revised by John Dillon -August 2009)
    Designed to describe the Departments’ obligations in respect of collection and disposal of waste.

  • 22/05 Quality practice case file auditing policy and procedure (children) Microsoft Word 201kb (current - Dave Watson - July 2009 - should be updated by March 2010 - Kate Hart August 2009)
    This document provides guidance in the auditing of Children’s Services case files both electronic and manual.  The Auditing Policy and Procedure ensures that electronic and paper files are audited routinely to assure social care practice and decision making. It includes auditing compliance with recording practices as detailed in the Records Management Policy and Procedure (24/00).

  • 20/05 Disability registration procedure Microsoft Word 219kb (awaiting reply from Martin Parker - November 2009)
    The purpose of this document is to update and streamline our policy and procedure for disability registration. This document covers disability registration for people of all ages in Hampshire, who may or may not be service users. It is distinct from, and operates alongside, the children’s Joint information Link (JIL).

  • 19/05 Sexual health and education of service users Microsoft Word 123kb (current but being superseded - Jayne Shelbourn-Barrow August 2009)
    The aim of the following procedure is to provide a framework underpinning work on sexual health and education by Social Services staff with service users in all three sectors of the Department.

  • 14/05 Foster carers adopting children in their care Microsoft Word 81kb (being revised by Gill Burtwell - August 2009)
    To ensure that foster carers, social workers, children looked after by the local authority (dependant on their age and understanding), and their birth families are aware of the departmental policy and procedures in relation to foster carers applying to adopt children in their care, including arrangements for financial and practical support once the adoption order has been made.

  • 08/05 Furniture and equipment - acquisition, repair and maintenance Microsoft Word 90kb (being revised by Pauline Purnell - August 2009)
    The objective of this procedure is to set out the County Council’s and Social Services Departments requirements for the purchase, repair and maintenance of furniture and equipment.

  • 22/04 Parental contributions for children looked after by Hampshire County Council Microsoft Word 77kb (current - Richard Trim August 2009)
    This procedure describes the steps to be taken to collect parental contributions and applies to all area staff who deal with children accommodated or looked after by Hampshire County Council.

  • 16/04 Joint Information Unit Microsoft Word 80kb (current - to be updated this year for new system - Howard Firth November 2009)
    The purpose of this procedure is to set out the process for the establishment and maintenance of an inter-agency register (Joint Information Link) of children with disabilities in accordance with schedule 2, paragraph 2 of the Children Act 1989.

  • 03/04 Contract management - social care contracts Microsoft Word 115kb (current -to be revised Mick Moorhouse August 2009)
    The objective of the procedure is to assist managers in good contract management in line with practice and standards required by the County Council.

  • 01/04 Team Briefing Microsoft Word 99kb (being revised by Nicky Capell July 2009)
    The objective of this procedure is to set out the standards and requirements for Social Services’  system of Team Briefing. This procedure explains the timing of Team Briefing cycles and the roles and responsibilities of different members of staff. It also explains how Team Briefing will be delivered and how the feedback cycle works. In addition, it outlines the methods which will be used to measure the effectiveness of the system.

  • 37/03 Placement of children who abuse Microsoft Word 117kb (awaiting reply from Rita Crowne November 2009)
    The purpose of this document is to define policy, guidance and procedure for the management of risk associated with the accommodation of children and young people in group living situations who have been convicted of, or have been assessed as in danger of, sexually abusing other children. This procedure covers all cases where children and young people with a risk or history of sexually abusing other children are placed in group living within Hampshire, or children placed by Hampshire outside the county.  All children from other local authorities cared for in Hampshire resources will be subject to this procedure.

  • 28/03 IT & Telecoms equipment procurement Microsoft Word 93kb (current - to be revised by Lee Bond August 2009)
    The objective of the procedure is to inform staff of the policies and processes that should be adhered to regarding procurement of telecommunications (including fixed and mobile communications) & IT equipment.

  • 07/03 Children's residential services - positive management of behaviour Microsoft Word 154kb (being revised by Steve Fallowfield - Gill Horrobin August 2009)
    The procedure lays out a framework for managing behaviour in children's homes. It is intended to inform managers and staff of the forms of control that are permitted for use in children's homes and those that are prohibited; and to provide a basis on which managers and staff can develop 'in unit' policies reflecting the particular circumstances of their home.

  • 03/03 Regulation of investigatory powers Act 2000 Microsoft Word 165kb (to be revised in 2010 by Christine Hardy - July 2009)
    This procedure sets out the responsibilities placed upon all departments of the County Council with regard to investigations which are subject to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA).

  • 15/02 Major incidents Microsoft Word 112kb (being revised by Jane Graham - August 2009)
    This document is the Department's Policy on preparedness for and response to a Major Incident or Civil Emergency. It contains guidance on staff roles and tasks in partnership with other agencies.

  • 02/02 Adoption/permanence manual-2002-2005 Microsoft Word 73kb (current but being revised by Chris Stay & Liane McDonald - November 2009)
    This is to provide full details of departmental philosophy, policy, legislation and procedures relating to adoption and permanence work.

  • 35/00 Deafblind people - services Microsoft Word 89kb (current - Charlie Burch November 2009)
    Tri-partite policy with Portsmouth and Southampton Social Services Department to give guidance on service standards for people who are Deaf Blind or have a dual sensory loss.

  • 34/00 Work experience students Microsoft Word 43kb (current - Dave Vallender August 2009)
    The procedure describes the responsibilities of managers who take charge of students before, during and after work experience placements.

  • 02/00 Contracts - TUPE Microsoft Word 58kb (current - being revised by Mick Moorhouse August 2009)
    The purpose of this procedure is to advise on conditions which must be included in all tender documents and contracts, where it is considered that TUPE may apply.

  • 23/99 Police checks - voluntary organisations Microsoft Word 67kb (being revised by Dave Watson - Rita Crowne July 2009)
    The objective for this procedure is the checking of those appointed to positions in Voluntary Organisations with substantial access to children

  • 35/98 Premises - closure Microsoft Word 53kb (being revised by Jane Graham August 2009)
    The objective of this procedure is to define the respective roles and responsibilities of staff in the Social Services and other Departments relating to the closure of establishments.

  • 31/98 Ethnic recording Microsoft Word 62kb (being revised by Camilla Gibson November 2009)
    To provide guidelines on the use of ethnic recording.

  • 30/98 Criminal injuries - compensation Microsoft Word 69kb (awaiting reply from Ian Langley November 2009)
    This procedure provides guidance for Children and Families Social Work staff when considering whether they should commence a claim to the CICA on behalf of a child or young person.  It also offers comprehensive guide to the completion of the Claims Procedure.

  • 30/97 Contractors working in occupied premises Microsoft Word 49kb (being revised by Jane Graham - August 2009)
    The purpose  of this  procedure is  to ensure  that maintenance  and other building  and  engineering works  are  carried out  in  Social Services premises in a  way that does not  create risks for  service users, staff, visitors or contractors.

  • 20/97 Furniture and equipment - inventories and disposal Microsoft Word 47kb (being revised by Pauline Purnell - August 2009)
    The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that the maintenance of furniture and equipment inventories, and the disposal of surplus or obsolete items are in accordance with County Council regulations.

  • 06/97 Secure accommodation - referral - authorisation - application Microsoft Word 48kb (awaiting reply from Ian Langley November 2009)
    To detail policy and procedure for the use of Secure Accommodation including the progress of referral and authorisation. This Procedure applies to all young people whose needs are such that they may be considered to be at risk of significant harm to themselves or others.