Residential Placement Planning

The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 requires that a ‘Placement Plan’ be drawn up in relation to any child/young person who is:

Looked after by a local authority the plan be prepared under regulation 9 of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010; or the child’s detention Placement Plan prepared under regulation 47C (2) of those Regulations.

In relation to a child who is not looked after by a local authority the plan prepared under regulations 4 and 5 of the Arrangements for Placement of Children by Voluntary Organisations and Others (England) Regulations 2011(b); or (ii) the plan prepared by the registered person under regulation 18(4).

The Placement Plan must set out the identity of the Registered Person, who is responsible for keeping the Plan under review and ensuring revisions are recorded and shared as necessary.

In preparing or reviewing the Placement Plan the responsible authority must so far as reasonably practicable, ensure due regard is given to the child’s age and understanding, seek and take account of the child’s views, wishes and feelings.

The Placement Plan must include all the matters specified in Schedule 2 as are applicable, having regard to the type of the placement, and ensure that the child/young person’s wishes and feelings have been ascertained and given due consideration, and the IRO has been informed.

See Schedule 2: Matters to be dealt with in the placement plan.

If it is not reasonably practicable to prepare the Placement Plan before making the placement, the Placement Plan must be prepared within five working days of the start of the placement.

The Placement Plan must be agreed with, and signed by, the appropriate person (The Registered Manager of the children’s home under the regulations).

Schedule 2 defines matters to be dealt with in the Placement Plan and shows all information that must be included:

• How, on a day to day basis the child/young person will be cared for;
• How the child/young person’s welfare will be safeguarded and promoted by the appropriate person;
• Any arrangements made for contact between the child/young person and:
  1. Any parent of the child/young person;
  2. Any person who is not the child/young person’s parent but who has parental responsibility for the child/young person; and
  3. Any other connected person.
• If appropriate:
  1. The reasons why contact with any such person would not be reasonably practicable or would not be consistent with the child/young person’s welfare;
  2. If the child/young person is not in the care of the responsible authority, details of any order made under Section 8;
  3. If the child/young person is in the care of the responsible authority, details of any order relating to the child/young person made under Section 34;
  4. The arrangements for notifying any changes in the arrangements for contact.
• The arrangements made for the child/young person’s health (including physical, emotional and mental health) and dental care, including:
  1. The name and address of the child/young person’s registered medical and dental practitioners; and
  2. Where applicable, any registered medical or dental practitioner with whom the child/young person is to be registered following the placement;
  3. Any arrangements for the giving or withholding of consent to medical or dental examination or treatment for the child/young person.
• The arrangements made for the child/young person’s education and training including:
  1. The name and address of any school at which the child/young person is a registered pupil;
  2. The name of the designated teacher at the school (if applicable);
  3. The name and address of any other educational institution that the child/young person attends, or of any other person who provides the child/young person with education or training;
  4. Where the child/young person has a statement of special educational needs, details of the local authority that maintains the statement.
• The arrangements made for Social Worker or other social care representative to visit the child/young person in accordance with the frequency of visits regulation, and the arrangements made for advice, support and assistance to be available to the child/young person between visits;
• If an independent visitor is appointed, the arrangements made for visiting the child/young person;
• The circumstances in which the placement may be terminated and the child/young person removed from the appropriate person’s care in accordance with regulation 14;
• The name and contact details of:
  1. The Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO);
  2. The child/young person’s independent visitor (if one is appointed), c) Social Worker or other social care representative;
  3. If the child/young person is an eligible child, the personal adviser appointed for the child/young person.
• The type of accommodation to be provided, the address and, where the child/young person is placed under Section 22C(6)(d), the name of the person who will be responsible for the child/young person at that accommodation on behalf of the responsible authority (if any);
• The child/young person’s personal history, religious persuasion, cultural and linguistic background, and racial origin;
• Where the child/young person is not in the care of the responsible authority the respective responsibilities of the responsible authority and the child/young person’s parents, or any person who is not the child/young person’s parent but who has parental responsibility for the child/young person;
• Any delegation of responsibility to the responsible authority for the child/young person’s day to day care there has been by the child/young person’s parents, or any person who is not the child/young person’s parent but who has parental responsibility for the child/young person;
• The expected duration of the arrangements and the steps which should be taken to bring the arrangements to an end, including arrangements for the child/young person to return to live with the child/young person’s parents, or any person who is not the child/young person’s parent but who has parental responsibility for the child/young person;
• Where the child/young person is aged 16 or over and agrees to being provided with accommodation under Section 20, that fact;
• The circumstances in which it is necessary to obtain in advance the responsible authority’s approval for the child/young person to take part in school trips or to stay overnight away from the placement;
• The responsible authority’s arrangements for the financial support of C during the placement.

Appendix 1: Placement Planning Form

Appendix 2: Consent to Placement and Medical Treatment Form