Looked-after children and young people

Structure

a) Evidence of a strategy to commission a diverse range of placements for looked-after children and young people, which includes arrangements for considering sibling co-placement.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by health and social care professionals and provider organisations, for example local authority strategic plans.

b) Evidence of local arrangements to involve looked-after children and young people in choices and discussions about placement changes.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by health and social care professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient records.

c) Evidence of local arrangements for identifying potential carers among extended family and friends and assessing them for suitability at the start of the care planning process.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by health and social care professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient records.

d) Evidence of local arrangements to ensure that the child or young person gets to know their new carers and placement through visits and, where possible, overnight stays before they move to the placement.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by health and social care professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient records.

Outcome

a) Looked-after children and young people's satisfaction with their placement.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by health and social care professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient records and surveys.

b) Carer satisfaction with decisions made to place children or young people in their care.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by health and social care professionals and provider organisations, for example from carer surveys.

c) Feedback from looked-after children and young people that they were involved in decisions about placement changes.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by health and social care professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient records and surveys.

d) Placement stability.

Data source: Contained within the Children looked after data return (SSDA903) and reported in the Department for Education's statistics on children looked after in England including adoption.

e) Proportion of all placements that are emergency placements.

Data source: No routinely collected national data for this measure has been identified. Data can be collected from information recorded locally by health and social care professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient records.

Care plan

The care plan will contain information about how the child's current developmental needs will be met as well as the arrangements for the current and longer-term care for the child. The health and education dimensions of the care plan are populated by the health plan and the personal education plan. [Adapted from Department for Education's Children Act 1989 guidance and regulations volume 2: care planning, placement and case review]

Range of placements

A range of residential placements available to allow placements to be matched to each child's individual needs. Needs and placement options should be considered in advance of a placement being made to allow full consideration of the suitability of each option including the opportunity for a visit as part of the decision-making process. A strategy for placement decisions should also clearly set out how to meet the local authority's 'sufficiency duty' under the Children and Young Person's Act 2008. [Adapted from Department for Education's Children Act 1989 guidance and regulations volume 2: care planning, placement and case review and Department for Education's Securing sufficient accommodation for looked-after children]

Stability

A secure, and loving family to support them through childhood and beyond and to give them a sense of security continuity, commitment, identity and belonging. [Adapted from Department for Education's Children Act 1989 guidance and regulations volume 2: care planning, placement and case review]