Complex needs panel

Any request for an ongoing out of jurisdiction service to be provided has to be presented before a multi-disciplinary complex needs panel prior to the placement finding commencing to approve the plan and thereafter to approve the plan.

The overall aim of the Complex Needs Panel is to provide for children and young people and their families, where it is not possible to meet their needs on island, access to out of jurisdiction placements that:

protect the rights of children and young people;
ensures that the child or young person is safe;
are effective i.e. demonstrate the ability to meet the needs identified;
allow for the likely effect on the child, in the short, medium and long-term and for how the placement may affect reintegration into Guernsey / Alderney;
represent value for money.

Process

The panel must firstly approve the plan to visit and identify prospective placements prior to further consideration if the plan is approved.
The social worker should prepare a case to take to complex needs outlining the reasons why out of jurisdiction provision is felt necessary and the costs involved.
All significant costs in out of jurisdiction placements must be approved by complex needs panel prior to implementation.
For additional costs up to £500 approval can be given outside the complex needs format either by the assistant director or the chair of the complex needs panel.
Complex needs panel meets every six weeks and requests should be with the chair nine days before panel.

Actions

Task	Responsible officer	Record	Timescale
Report prepared for complex needs panel (including costs) with consideration of independent advocacy for young people with complex needs and communication difficulties placed out of jurisdiction	Social worker	Child's plan to replace interagency summary	Nine days before panel
Approval (or not) given for placements to be visited	Complex needs panel	Minutes of panel	At complex needs panel
Placements visited	Social worker / Educational psychologist Clinical psychologist / Fostering & adoption social worker	Computer	Prior to next panel
Case returned to panel for consideration of out of jurisdiction placement	Social worker	Child's plan	Nine days before panel
If placement costs in excess of £250,000 director to be advised to advise CMT / board	Designated senior manager	Minutes/email	Immediately
Approval given to progress out of jurisdiction placement	Complex needs panel	Minutes of panel	At complex needs panel
Placement progressed	Social worker / Educational psychologistClinical psychologist / Fostering and adoption social worker	Computer	As agreed at complex needs panel

Complex needs panel

Process

Actions

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