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6.5 Placements Off Island

RELEVANT GUIDANCE

Guidance to the Children and Young Persons Act 2001, Volume C: Family Placements


Contents

  1. Necessary Consents
  2. Placement Decision
  3. Placement Arrangements


1. Necessary Consents

1.1

If the child is to be placed off Island in line with Paragraph 6 of Schedule 2 of the Children and Young Persons Act 2001 the Court’s permission must be sought. The Court must be convinced that:

  • Living outside the Island would be in the child’s best interests;
  • Suitable arrangements have been made or will be made for his/her reception and welfare in the country in which he/she will live;
  • The child has consented to living in that country (this can be disregarded if the child is not considered to have sufficient understanding to give or withhold consent and the child is to live in the country concerned with a parent, guardian or other suitable person);
  • Every person who has Parental Responsibility has consented to the child living in that country (this can be disregarded if the persons concerned cannot be found, are incapable of consenting or are withholding consent unreasonably).
1.2 Where a decision is made to place a child subject to a Care Order off Island, Legal Services must be contacted so that the necessary Court action can be initiated to obtain authority for the placement.


2. Placement Decision

2.1 The approval of the placement must be approved by the Head of Statutory Social Work Services, Children and Families.
2.2 Where a decision is made to place a child subject to a Care Order off Island, Legal Services must be contacted so that the necessary Court action can be initiated to obtain authority for the placement as set out in Section 1, Necessary Consents above.
2.3

Any decision to place a child outside the Isle of Man can only be included in the CLA Plan after the following actions have been taken:

  • Checks and assessments have been made through the Children’s Services agency for the relevant area that suitable arrangements have been or will be made for the reception and welfare of the child in the country where the child will live;
  • The child’s consent is given where old enough to do so;
  • The parents have been consulted;
  • The parents have given consent or they cannot be found, are incapable of consenting or are withholding their consent unreasonably;
  • Consideration has been given to the effect of the placement on the child’s relationship with the parents and how contact will be arranged if the placement is made;
  • The placement is recommended by the child’s Looked After Review;
  • Legal advice has been obtained;
  • The approval of the Head of Statutory Social Work Services has been given.
2.4 To obtain the Head of Statutory Social Work Services 's approval, the social worker must prepare a written report setting out the circumstances of the proposed placement and covering the issues listed in 2.3 and attaching a copy of the parents’ written consents (if given), the Care Plan, the report of the Children’s Services agency where the child is to be placed and the minutes of the most recent Looked After Review. 
2.5 The decision of the Head of Statutory Social Work Services (Placements Off Island) as to whether the consent of the local authority to the placement must be given must be evidenced in writing together with reasons and a copy retained on the child’s file. The child, parents and all those involved in the child’s care must be notified of the decision.


3. Placement Arrangements

Caption: arrangements table
   
3.1 Once the necessary Court authority has been given, the detailed arrangements for the child’s placement, including continued contact with family members, must be included in a Placement Plan/Placement Information Record and agreed in writing with the Children’s Social Care Services agency for the area where the child will be placed.
3.2 The Team Manager will confirm in writing with the Children’s Services agency for the relevant area the placement arrangements.

3.3

Review
  3.3.1 The placement will be reviewed as normal in line with the Looked After Review Procedure as long as the child remains the responsibility of the Isle of Man – see Children Looked After Review Challenge Procedure.

3.4

Termination
  3.4.1 The Children’s Services agency in which the child is placed may remove the child from the placement if it considers it would be detrimental to the child’s welfare to continue the placement.
  3.4.2 Therefore, where a Team Manager / Head of Statutory Social Work Services makes arrangements in writing with another Children’s Services agency to supervise an Isle of Man child placed with parents/relatives in their area it is important that those written arrangements must include the arrangements for any removal of the child from the placement.

End