Kinship (Family & Friends) Placements

When identifying the needs of young people the Committee will consider a range of options and not be unreasonably restricted to available resources.

Any work to identify how a child's needs can be met should include consideration of the wider family network. The child should be actively involved in any such decision and if there are differences of opinion these should be actively explored.

Ideally, no child should become looked after if there are other options available within the extended support network.

Policy Status

Guernsey and Alderney Child Protection Guidelines.
Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their families.
My World Triangle.
The Children (Guernsey and Alderney) Law 2008.

Key Points

In identifying the needs of young people the Committee will look at how these can be met within the young person's family - The views of the child/young person and parents/carers must be actively sought and any difference of opinion actively explored.
The role of the Committee is to provide family support services where appropriate to enable children to be looked after within their family, or the community, when this is likely to be consistent with the child's well being.
No child should become looked after until there has been a proper assessment of the child's needs. This includes consideration to be given to family, community, departmental or other agency resources which may appropriately support the child to be cared for by their parents/carers or extended family.
The assessment of the child's needs will involve looking at all relevant aspects of the child's life and the Committee will liaise with relevant partnership agencies such as health and education in the assessment process.
In identifying need the assessment must be needs led and not unreasonably restricted by available resources.

Task	Responsible Officer	Record	Timescale
When child is unable to be cared for within family carry out a viability assessment to identify their needs.	Social worker	CID	At time when child may need to be looked after.
When it is in child's best interest to be looked after by parent(s)/other family/friends, identify resources to meet this child's needs, through family support etc	Social worker/social work manager/service manager etc	CID/Planning Meeting Minutes (multi-agency if appropriate)	At time when child may need to be looked after.

Kinship (Family & Friends) Placements

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