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Contents

1. Introduction
2. Revised Transfer Process

1. Introduction

Under current CYPT structures, the 3 Children's Social Care Area Teams (East, Central & West) maintain case responsibility for Looked After Children up to their 16th birthday. These cases are then transferred to the 16 Plus Support Team which continues this case management role at least up to the age of 21 (and in some circumstances up to age 25). This case responsibility is maintained regardless of any change in the young person's status under the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000. 

Prior to case transfer the Area Team Social Worker has been expected to complete the Leaving Care Needs Assessment. After transfer, the 16PST allocated worker has completed the Pathway Plan which has been informed by the Needs Assessment.

Traditionally young people have been transferred on or around (usually just after) their 16th birthdays. This has involved the transferring worker completing the case transfer on Care Assess and this being followed by a transfer meeting. This meeting has aimed to include the young person, their carer or residential unit worker, their carer's Supervising Social Worker or residential unit manager, the young person's outgoing Social Worker and Practice Manager and their newly allocated 16PST worker and Practice Manager.  In practice the meeting has often just comprised of outgoing and new workers and Practice Manager(s)  

It has been felt for some time that while administratively timely this process, by its rapid transfer has often been an anxious and difficult time for both young people and their carers and it would be more appropriate and young person focused to have a transitional process. Additionally an improved means of complementing the young person's Needs Assessment with the Care Plan needs to be addressed.

2. Revised Transfer Process

During 2009 a transfer process between Area Teams and 16PST that is transitional will be introduced.  This will:

• Allow the allocated 16PST worker to develop a relationship with the young person prior to case transfer
• Establish a working relationship between the allocated 16PST worker and the young person's carer or keyworker prior to case transfer
• Pass responsibility for completion of the Needs Assessment to the allocated 16PST worker who will then complete the Pathway Plan immediately following transfer
• Allow the allocated 16PST worker to attend the young person's pre-16 LAC Review in a more meaningful, natural and focused way.
• Allow the 16PST Nurse to undertake Teenage Pregnancy Screening from the age of 15 1/2 years with all young people prior to transfer.

Process to be implemented from 1st March 2009 for LAC young people whose 16th birthday falls after 31st August 2009:

• Area Team Social Worker completes Case Transfer Summary on Care Assess for young person at 15 1/2 years and informs Service Manager, 16PST by e-mail when this has been done
• Young person is allocated to a 16 PST worker who is recorded as co-worker on CareAssess
• Meeting arranged between workers from both Teams (which could  include Practice Managers) to plan how best to co-work with the young person prior to transfer.  The role of the 16PST worker will be to work with the young person and their carer/keyworker to complete the Needs Assessment.  The 16PST worker will attend the pre-16 LAC  Review.  The Area Team Social Worker will maintain case responsibility up to the young person's 16th birthday.
• Full transfer meeting will take place on or around the young person's 16th birthday after which case responsibility will pass to 16 PST.  This meeting will aim to comprise those detailed above.

It will be the responsibility of the Practice Manager in the Area Team to complete the Case Transfer Checklist and to ensure that all documentation and recording is up to date and completed to a satisfactory standard.  The receiving Practice Manager in the 16 PST will ensure that this has been done before accepting the case transfer.  It should be noted that the occasional departure from this process should not unreasonably delay a case transfer.  For example if a document is missing or a data entry is not up to date, transfer could still take place and it will be the responsibility of the transferring team to update as quickly as possible.

The above procedure should be the practice for all case transfers between the Area Teams and the 16 PST.  However it is acknowledged that on occasions either the transferring or the receiving team will require some flexibility in the above process.

For LAC young people whose 16th birthday falls before 31st August 2009 the current transfer process detailed above will apply.

End