Health and social care

A child can become 'looked after' for a number of reasons. A child usually becomes looked after either by a court order or on a parent's request. The process is initiated

1. where the court decides that a child should be looked after and is remanded into accommodation following an offence
2. where a court makes an interim or full care order where they have found that a child has suffered significant harm and is in need of protection by being looked after
3. where a parent requests that the local authority accommodate their child, usually on a short term basis, to cover a family crisis or as part of a package of care, for example to help support caring for a child with severe disabilities

Parental responsibility

The main difference between a child being looked after on a court order and being accommodated is that when a child is on an order, the local authority has parental responsibility for the child, as well as the parent.

When the child is accommodated, the local authority does not have parental responsibility.

This makes a big difference as to who has responsibility for decision-making and planning. In both instances, there is an obligation on the local authority to work closely with the parents, extended family and the child to plan clearly and take account of everyone's views, wishes and feelings.

The local authority's duty

Children who are in care or provided with accommodation are subject to a number of legal requirements and responsibilities, which the local authority has to ensure are carried through.

• All children and young people who are cared for by the authority have an allocated social worker
• Regular meetings are held to set up clear plans for each child. Specific attention has to be paid to children's developmental, emotional and behavioural needs
• Children must have regular medical check-ups
• Each child of school age must have a personal educational plan
• The local authority should support the child at home or within the child's extended family if it is in the child's best interests
• An assessment of the individual child's needs must be made and a care plan agreed. This will reflect the child's age, development, cultural and religious needs as well as behavioural and emotional issues
• Foster carers should be located as near as possible to the child's home environment to maximise consistency of school, friends and family contacts
• Children for whom a family environment is not appropriate will be placed in residential care homes
• The local authority must do its best to help children achieve the best available education as well as ensuring they are as healthy, fit and happy as possible

Croydon Council has three Children's Homes within the borough, which provide care for older children. In a number of cases, children and young people may be placed outside the borough boundaries in private provision.

In providing care for children away from home, the local authority works closely with a specialist Looked After Children's Education Team, a specialist nurse for looked after children and the local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) as well as other professional staff.

Who to contact

If your inquiry is regarding a child who is living in the community with their family, you should contact the duty assessment service.

If your inquiry concerns a child or young person under 16 years old who is already looked after, you should contact one of the three long-term social work teams at:

• Child care north, Strand House, Thornton Heath
• Child care central, Rees House, Addiscombe
• Child care south, Central Parade, New Addington

Call the  Children, youth, families and schools service and ask to be put through.

See Leaving Care and Independence Service if the young person is over 16 years old.

Contact Details

Contact name

Department for Children, Young People and Learners

Telephone

020 8726 6400

Minicom

020 8760 5797