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Review

For the cycle of planning and intervention to be effective there is a need for regular review, both on a single agency basis and as a multi-agency team. In some aspects of social work practice reviews are built into the formal process (e.g. child protection, children looked after), however it is important that reviews take place regardless of the status of the case.

This section will specifically consider review of child in need plans.  Reviews of child protection plans and care plans for children in care are covered separately.

The review period of children in need plan is usually every six weeks, unless more frequent reviews are considered necessary through supervision.  These reviews take the format of a multi-agency meeting involving the family and, if old enough, the child.  The meetings are chaired by the social worker or their manager with a view to making sure that the identified outcomes are being achieved or that progress is being made towards achieving them.

A good review will ensure that recent events since the last meeting are discussed and that progress of otherwise in relation to the actions on the child in need plan are discussed. It is important to ensure that the wider picture analysed in the review, as opposed to a check box exercise of ensuring that all have done their actions.  Maintaining the broader view should also ensure that information that may have significant bearing is not overlooked or explained away.

The outcome of a review can be one of four options: that the plan can come to an end as the child is no longer a child in need, that the plan should continue, that additional services are required or that there are concerns that the child is suffering significant harm requiring a strategy discussion to take place.

Following a review the social worker (with the help of the Administration Support Team) is responsible for distributing the minutes and new plan to all those who attended and any people invited who could not attend.

If at any time there are significant changes then an early review must be called.

Booking a review

To book a review the social worker must liaise with the Administration Support Team and complete the pro-forma to identify who needs to be invited and to identify a room to be booked.  

Reducing the level of support

Following a period of intervention it may be decided that there is no longer a role for Social Care in working with the family.  In such circumstances all of the agencies involved will need to be informed.  Further information on the process can be found in the Closing Cases section.

Summary of key actions, responsible person and associated timescale

No.

Action

Person responsible

Timescale

1.

Child in need plan review to be arranged

Social worker

Within 6 weeks of plan being set or last review

2.

Review to be booked with ... ***details of unit / person that deals with review bookings***

Social worker

***Timescale required***

3.

Invites to be sent out

***Who does this?***

***Timescale required***

4.

Room to be booked ... ***detail of where rooms usually booked***

***Who does this?***

***Timescale required***

5.

Review held

Social worker

 

6.

Minutes and updated plan circulated

Social worker / business support

Within 5 working days of review date

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