Transfer of Cases Protocol

• Social Worker from the Safeguarding Team attends the Initial Child Protection Conferenceand the Initial Core Group. A manager from the Assessment Team or the Children with Disabilities Team will attend the conference;
• Cases are to be transferred to the Safeguarding Team/Children with Disabilities Team at the Initial Core Group;
• A handover/transfer meeting with the Referral and Assessment Team, Safeguarding Team/Children with Disabilities Team and the family should take place either on a joint visit or a meeting prior to the start of the Initial Core Group;
• The Referral and Assessment worker needs to record this prior to transfer;
• The C and F assessment should be completed within 45 working days;
• An audit of the file will take place by the Referral and Assessment Manager at transfer;
• The Safeguarding Social worker and Team Manager should record they have read the file at point of transfer.

• All cases being considered for PLO/care proceedings should be presented to the Legal Gateway Panel following HOS approval.
  Exception to this procedure would be emergency situations where immediate action is necessary. This would require HOS agreement. At this stage allocation of case to a Safeguarding worker will be considered to ensure a timely handover;
• Referral and Assessment Social Worker and their manager will attend the first Pre-Proceedings Meeting in PLO. The allocated Safeguarding Social Worker should also be available for this meeting. Transfer should take place at the Pre-Proceedings meeting for PLO cases;
• In cases where a decision is made to issue care proceedings. The Referral and Assessment Social Worker and manager should be present at the PLO meeting and the Safeguarding Social Worker should attend. The Referral and Assessment Team should complete necessary legal documentation and attend the First Case Management Hearing (FCMH); this will involve SWET, and chronology assessment. The Referral and Assessment worker should also ensure where necessary all LAC documentation is completed. The transfer to the Safeguarding Team should occur at the first Looked after Child Review. If the decision is made to issue care proceedings on a pre-birth case and the case has transferred to the Safeguarding Service at the time of the birth, then the Safeguarding Social Worker will be responsible for producing the SWET;
• The Safeguarding worker should be available for the FCMH to ensure correct timetabling of intervention is planned;
• The Referral and Assessment Team should ensure that a Personal Education Plan meeting is arranged and attended within 20 school days of the child/young person being accommodated;
• A handover/transfer meeting with the Referral and Assessment Team, Safeguarding Team and the family should take place either on a joint visit or a meeting just prior to the start of the first Statutory Review;
• If a child is to be placed with an extended family member and care proceedings is to be issued, then the Referral and Assessment Social Worker will ensure a referral has been made to the Kinship Care team for a viability assessment.

• If the birth is before 4 weeks and the likely plan is PLO/care proceedings transfer at this point can occur to the Safeguarding Team and a joint handover is required to ensure transition of evidence and care planning;
• If the pregnancy is beyond 3 weeks, the case remains in the Referral & Assessment Team. The Referral & Assessment Social Worker is responsible for completing SWET and other legal documents and attends the first court hearing with the Safeguarding Social Worker;
• If the plan is to arrange a Child Protection Conference the Referral & Assessment team should ensure this is arranged. This can occur from 18 weeks pregnant;
• A handover/transfer meeting with the Referral and Assessment Team, Safeguarding Team and the family should take place either on a joint visit or a meeting just prior to the start of the initial core group.

See also Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline Procedure.

• Cases to be transferred to the Safeguarding Team on the completion of the C&F Assessment and a plan in place;
• A handover/transfer meeting with the Referral and Assessment Team, Safeguarding Team and the family should take place either on a joint visit or just prior to the start of a Child Action meeting;

• The Referral and Assessment Social Worker should record the handover meeting before transfer;
• The Safeguarding Social Worker and manager should record they have read the file at the point of transfer.

See Children in Need moving across Local Authority Boundaries Procedure, Annexe A: North West Children in Need Moving across Local Authority Boundaries Procedure.

• Cases to be transferred to LAC Teams on conclusion of final hearing;

• Long-term fostering/residential placements, SGO, and Care and Supervision order cases;

• Rehabilitation plans (not including ‘testing out’ cases during proceedings);

• All files should be up to date including an up to date C&F assessment;
• Audit of case will be undertaken by Safeguarding management team and Looked After Children Team Managers at point of transfer.

• Cases to be transferred to LAC Team at the first Statutory Review (Section 20);
• C and F Assessment should be completed within 45 working days and passed through to the LAC Team;
• The Referral and Assessment Team should ensure that a Personal Education Plan meeting is arranged and attended within 20 school days of the child/young person being accommodated;
• A handover/transfer meeting with the Referral and Assessment Team, LAC Team and the family should take place either on a joint visit or a meeting just prior to the start of the first Statutory Review;
• The Referral and Assessment worker should record the handover before the transfer, and ensure an up to date case summary.

• Referral and Assessment Team Manger will highlight to LAC manager prior to completion of C and F assessment any PF cases. LAC manager will identify allocation of LAC worker in a timely fashion;

• Case to be transferred to the LAC Team on the completion of a C and F Assessment;
• A handover/transfer meeting should be arranged and recorded by the referral and Assessment Team social worker and LAC worker prior to completion of C and F assessment.

• Managers to meet on a regular basis to ensure regular discussions of proposed transfer of cases;

• All cases being transferred between teams must be audited by the Manager prior to transfer. This should not delay transfer;
• The receiving Team Manager and Social Worker must read the file and record this on ICS.

• ONE Support to send monthly Leaving Care CLA report to Leaving Care Team Manager;

• Pathway Plan allocated to Leaving Care worker 5 months prior to young person’s 16th birthday;

• A joint visit to the young person between the LAC Social Worker and Leaving Care Social Worker will be undertaken;

• Pathway planning commences; Allocated Social Worker and Leaving Care Social Worker work together to aim for a smooth transition;

• Allocated Social Worker should update and provide as much information, written and verbal, as possible to Leaving Care Social Worker so they are able to get to know the young person well;

• Cases to be transferred to Leaving Care Team when a young person is 16; in exceptional cases where this is not possible, discussion and agreement to take place between Team Managers;
• LCT & LAC teams have clear guidance for transition; this is to be followed.

• LAC Team Managers to inform LCT Team Managers of potential areas of difficulty so that an earlier or later transfer can be agreed, e.g. GCSE’s, complex needs, etc.
• LAC TM to identify in supervision young people due for transfer so that timely preparation and update can be made;
• LAC TM to audit file for transfer to ensure it is fit for purpose and up to date;
• All cases are a work in progress and we should aim to avoid completing files just at the point of transfer;
• Teams should aim for timely transfer as a late transition impacts upon deadlines for LCT reports.