Independent Reviewing Officer

The Independent Reviewing Officer's primary focus is to quality assure the care planning and review process for each child and to ensure that their current wishes and feelings are given full consideration.

LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN

PROCEDURE FOR CONVENING REVIEWS

Children and Family Community Services

Reviewing Officers:

Anne-Marie Grinsell (on-island)

Jackie Edwards (off-island)

New Admissions

For every child who becomes Looked After the following will apply.

1. The Social Worker who admits the child into the Department's care mustensure that all required paperwork is completed by the next working day after admission by sending the following information to the Office Manager so that an accurate LAC record can be entered on the Department's database.

Childs correct name ,( including any aliases) and date of birth
Details of child's carers prior to becoming LAC including address and contact tel nos.
Details of who holds parental responsibility
Child's home address and address from which they were admitted if different
Date child became Looked After
Legal Status
Child's ethnicity and first language
Education details ie Name of school / pre school
Health details ie name of GP, Health Visitor / School Nurse
Placement details , name and address of carer
Type of placement
Movement form in line with current procedures this is to be completed by the Family Placement Service for all foster placements and by the child's Social Worker for all other placements.

2. Allocated Social Worker to E Mail the Reviewing Officer within 5 working days of the child becoming Looked After to set the first Review date which must be within 1 month of the admission.

A date must be set even if it is anticipated that the child may return home / be discharged within the 1 month timescale and therefore not require a Review.

Reviewing Officer and Social Worker will agree the invite list and the arrangements for the Reviewing Officer to meet the child or whether they should be invited to all or part of their Review. The final decision rests with the Reviewing Officer .
The Reviewing Officer will be responsible for arranging to see the child if they do not attend their Review meeting .
The Reviewing Officer will liaise with their administration support team who will process the formal invitations .
Invitations will be sent by E Mail to all Professional Agencies and carers who have an E Mail address. Written invitations will only be sent to family members, children where appropriate and carers without E Mail.

Procedure for convening Reviews for children already Looked After .

After a Review has been completed the Reviewing Officer will E Mail their administration support team of the date for the next Review if one has been set, this will be entered in the Review database .
A Review database specifically for all LAC reviews will now be used.The Office Manager will delegate responsibility for ensuring this is kept up to date .
The Reviewing Officer will liaise with the administration support team at the beginning of each month to review all Review dates set for the following month and ensure that all invitations are processed .
Procedures re invitation list as detailed in no. 2 above will then be followed.

E Mail Database.

The Office Manager or delegated administration support will ensure that an up to date / accurate list is kept in the Review Diary and / or electronically of all E Mail addresses of professional agencies / contacts who are invited to Reviews .

The Out of Jurisdiction Reviewing Officer will ensure that there is an accurate list of E Mail contacts for all Out of Jurisdiction placements.

Independent Reviewing Officer

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