Looked After Child Case Study

In this essay I will explain the role of a local authority social worker who works with looked after children. I will outline the main tasks of a children and families social worker and why they would be involved with a looked after child. I will also draw upon the relevant law and legal processes that take place with regard to a looked after child.

There are many reasons why a social worker may be involved with families. Children may be brought to the attention of social services by other institutions such as healthcare or education or be referred by someone who knows the child and has some suspicions or concerns about their home life. Reasons that a child may become looked after include that their parents are unable to look after them; for

(Davis 2009:111) All looked after children would have formally been assessed and identified as a child in need by a social worker and would be working in partnership with them. If there are any suspicions, concerns or evidence to show that a child is likely to or suffering significant harm ‘under section 47 of the Act of social services’ an assessment would be carried out by a social worker. Furthermore, a strategy discussion would take place during the initial assessment and these discussions would consider ‘whether there is an immediate need to secure the child’s safety’. (Spray and Jowett

Children who have been assessed and meet the threshold criteria of section 31 would be subject to a care order or a section 38 interim care order. This means that the children can be removed from their home and put into care where the local authority would then have parental responsibility and can decide where the child would live. However, this would not stop the parental responsibility of the parents of the child, but limit their parental rights and control. Only the court has the ability to grant these orders and therefore, this means the social worker would have to provide an acceptable care plan. The care planning, placement and Care Review explains what a care plan is and the guidance and regulations that a social worker has to follow when writing these care plans. In addition, the working together to safeguard children guidance also sets out the procedures that take place and the role of the social worker in it. The care plan written would have to set out all care arrangements for the child such as where they will be staying, education, healthcare and most importantly securing their permanence or safe return back home. Once the order has been granted, these plans would be discussed, agreed and maybe altered at ‘reviews’ held after 1, 3 and 6 months. The care order granted can remain in place until the order is discharged, a placement order is