Placement Planning Meetings

Placement Planning Meetings

The purpose of Placement Planning Meetings is to ensure that children's Placement Plan/Placement Information Record's are brought or kept up to date and continue to meet the needs of broader or wider plans, such as a Care Plan, Personal Education Plan or Pathway Plan.

Frequency of Meetings

1. Before a child is placed, a Pre-Placement Planning Meeting should be convened either to confirm and/or plan the arrangements for placement including the drawing up of a Placement Plan/Placement Information Record;
2. After a child is placed, within a week of the child's placement, then at other intervals determined by the Manager in consultation with the Social Worker (e.g. after a Me and My World Review).

Arranging and Chairing Meetings

Meetings should be convened by the Social Worker, and can be chaired by the Social Worker, Supervising Social Worker or Home's Manager.

Meetings should be conducted in the form of a meeting but may be conducted over the telephone, if there is agreement between all parties that this is appropriate.

Who should Contribute to Meetings

The people listed below should contribute to the meetings:

1. The child's Social Worker and/or other professional associated with the child e.g. Personal Adviser or Advocate;
2. The child;
3. The child's Parents;
4. The child's Carer, Keyworker or Home Manager.

Preparation and Conducting Meetings

Before the meeting the chairperson should obtain or be updated on the following, if available:

• The child's Placement Plan/Placement Information Records;
• Any work which has been undertaken by key professionals involved in supporting the child's placement;
• If relevant: the child's Care Plan, Personal Education Plan and Pathway Plan.

The chairperson should also ensure that the child, Parent(s) and others who have been asked to contribute understand the purpose of the review, how it will be conducted and are given the opportunity to put their views and suggestions.

During the meeting, the chairperson should ensure that consideration is given to the appropriateness of the placement within the context of the child's Care Plan or Pathway Plan and the need for the Placement Plans/Placement Information Records to be drawn up or amended as appropriate.

This does not mean that amendments to Placement Plans/Placement Information Records may only be made at Planning Meetings. When Placement Plans/Placement Information Records are formulated and at each Planning Meeting, the Social Worker and Manager/chair should agree the extent to which they can be amended between Planning Meetings or without consultation.

The chairperson should consider whether the child requires an Advocate or the appointment of an Independent Visitor; if so, this should be raised with the Placing Authority. See Advocates and Independent Visitors.

If there are concerns about the suitability or stability of the placement, see Placement Support Procedures.