Procedures

1.All Children

1.1Early Help and Thresholds for Children's Social Care Services

1. 1.1.1Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles December 16, 2024
2. 1.1.2Early Help and Child ProtectionApril 9, 2024
3. 1.1.3West Berkshire Threshold GuidanceDecember 16, 2024
4. 1.1.4Family Networks and Family Group Decision MakingDecember 16, 2024
5. 1.1.5Children's Consultation and ParticipationDecember 16, 2024
6. 1.1.6Capacity and ConsentDecember 9, 2025
7. 1.1.7Equality and DiversityJuly 25, 2022
8. 1.1.8Early Intervention: Policy and Provision (House of Commons Library)

1.2Children's Social Care - Assessment and Planning

1. 1.2.1Contacts and ReferralsDecember 16, 2024
2. 1.2.2AssessmentsDecember 9, 2025
3. 1.2.3Need and Risk Assessment FrameworkJune 4, 2025
4. 1.2.4Children and Family Services Single Assessment Standard/ProcedureJune 4, 2025
5. 1.2.5Child Protection Enquiries (Section 47)December 16, 2024
6. 1.2.6Children and Family Services - Case Transfer Process and StandardJune 4, 2025
7. 1.2.7West Berkshire SCP Procedures
8. 1.2.8Berkshire West SCP Website

1.3Child in Need

1. 1.3.1Child in Need Plans and ReviewsDecember 16, 2024
2. 1.3.2Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983December 16, 2024
3. 1.3.3Financial Assistance Section 17 (s17) Children Act 1989December 16, 2024

1.4Legal Proceedings

1. 1.4.1Social Workers Evidence TemplatesJune 4, 2025
2. 1.4.2Applications for Emergency Protection OrdersJune 17, 2024
3. 1.4.3Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law OutlineDecember 16, 2024
4. 1.4.4Legal Gateway/Planning MeetingsDecember 16, 2024
5. 1.4.5Disclosure of Information between Family and Criminal Agencies and Jurisdictions: 2024 Protocol
6. 1.4.6Cross-border child protection cases: the 1996 Hague Convention (DfE)
7. 1.4.7Family Justice Resource Hub (ADCS)

1.5Complaints and Whistleblowing

1. 1.5.1Complaints and RepresentationsDecember 16, 2024
2. 1.5.2WhistleblowingJune 17, 2024

1.6Quality Assurance

1. 1.6.1Quality Assurance FrameworkJune 4, 2025

1.7Notifications

1. 1.7.1Death or Serious Injury to a Child Looked After, Child in Need or Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24December 9, 2025

2.Case Management and Recording

1. 2.0.1Case Recording and Policy GuidanceDecember 16, 2024
2. 2.0.2Case Records and RetentionApril 9, 2024
3. 2.0.3Access to RecordsJune 4, 2025
4. 2.0.4Guidance on ConfidentialityDecember 16, 2024
5. 2.0.5Supervision PolicyJune 17, 2024
6. 2.0.6Electronic Recording of Meetings and ConversationsJune 17, 2024
7. 2.0.7Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care and Safeguarding StaffApril 22, 2024
8. 2.0.8Storage of Data on Mobile DevicesJune 4, 2025

3.Children in Particular Circumstances

3.1Children with Disabilities

1. 3.1.1Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and DisabilitiesJune 4, 2025
2. 3.1.2Placing and Visiting Children with SENDecember 9, 2025
3. 3.1.3Personal Budgets and Direct PaymentsDecember 9, 2025
4. 3.1.4Short Breaks Services StatementMarch 28, 2025
5. 3.1.5Children and Young People’s Continuing Care National FrameworkDecember 16, 2024

3.2Children from Abroad

1. 3.2.1Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking ChildrenApril 22, 2024
2. 3.2.2Families with No Recourse to Public FundsDecember 9, 2025

3.3Homelessness

1. 3.3.1Prevention of Homelessness and Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 Year Olds who may be Homeless and/or Require Accommodation; and Duty to ReferDecember 9, 2025

3.4Family and Friends Care

1. 3.4.1Kinship CareJune 4, 2025
2. 3.4.2Private FosteringDecember 16, 2024

3.5Young Carers

1. 3.5.1Young CarersDecember 9, 2025

3.6Deprivation of Liberty and Mental Capacity

1. 3.6.1Deprivation of Liberty
2. 3.6.2Mental Capacity

4.Looked After Children

4.1Decision to Look After and Care Planning

1. 4.1.1Local Authority's Sufficiency Duty - Accommodation for Looked After ChildrenJune 4, 2025
2. 4.1.2Decision to Look AfterDecember 16, 2024
3. 4.1.3Care PlanningApril 15, 2024
4. 4.1.4Ceasing to Look After a ChildJune 4, 2025
5. 4.1.5Permanence Planning GuidanceJune 4, 2025
6. 4.1.6Placement Planning and Disruption MeetingsJuly 25, 2023
7. 4.1.7Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims for Looked After ChildrenDecember 9, 2025
8. 4.1.8Junior Individual Saving Accounts for Looked After ChildrenJune 17, 2024
9. 4.1.9Risk Assessment and PlanningMarch 23, 2022
10. 4.1.10Providing Personalised CareMarch 23, 2022
11. 4.1.11NICE Guideline: Looked After Children and Young People

4.2Placements

1. 4.2.1Placements with ParentsApril 19, 2024
2. 4.2.2Placements with Connected PersonsDecember 16, 2024
3. 4.2.3Placements in Foster CareDecember 16, 2024
4. 4.2.4Placements in Residential CareDecember 16, 2024
5. 4.2.5Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare GroundsJune 17, 2024
6. 4.2.6Out of Area PlacementsApril 22, 2024
7. 4.2.7Placements Outside England and WalesMarch 6, 2024
8. 4.2.8Placements in Other ArrangementsJune 17, 2024
9. 4.2.9Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention AccommodationDecember 9, 2025
10. 4.2.10Notifications from Other Local Authorities/Placement ProvidersApril 22, 2024
11. 4.2.11Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential WorkersApril 22, 2024
12. 4.2.12Health and SafetyJune 4, 2025

4.3Monitoring and Reviews

1. 4.3.1Social Worker Visits to Looked After ChildrenJuly 26, 2022
2. 4.3.2Advocacy and Independent VisitorsApril 18, 2024
3. 4.3.3Looked After ReviewsJune 4, 2025
4. 4.3.4Appointment and Role of Independent Reviewing OfficersApril 22, 2024
5. 4.3.5Secure Accommodation (Criteria) ReviewsFebruary 7, 2022
6. 4.3.6Notifications of Significant EventsJune 17, 2024

4.4Contact and Overnight Stays

1. 4.4.1Contact with Parents/Adults and SiblingsJune 4, 2025
2. 4.4.2Social Visits (Including Overnight Stays)April 22, 2024

4.5Education, School Trips and Holidays

1. 4.5.1Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After ChildrenDecember 16, 2024
2. 4.5.2Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UKDecember 9, 2025
3. 4.5.3Leisure ActivitiesDecember 9, 2025

4.6Health and Wellbeing

1. 4.6.1Health Care Assessments and PlansApril 19, 2024
2. 4.6.2Personal Care and RelationshipsJuly 26, 2022
3. 4.6.3Positive Relationships and Behaviour ManagementDecember 9, 2025
4. 4.6.4Restrictive Physical Intervention and RestraintDecember 9, 2025

4.7Change of Name and Marriage

1. 4.7.1Change of Name of a Looked After ChildJune 17, 2024
2. 4.7.2Marriage/Civil Partnership of a Looked After ChildNovember 28, 2023

4.8Leaving Care and Transition

1. 4.8.1Leaving Care and TransitionJune 4, 2025
2. 4.8.2Staying PutDecember 16, 2024
3. 4.8.3Financial Arrangements for Care LeaversJune 17, 2024

4.9Youth Offending

1. 4.9.1Child in Care and Children in Contact with Youth Justice ServicesDecember 9, 2025
2. 4.9.2Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in CustodyApril 22, 2024
3. 4.9.3Appropriate Adults ProcedureJune 17, 2024
4. 4.9.4Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National GuidanceDecember 9, 2025

5.Fostering and Adoption

5.1Fostering Services

1. 5.1.1Fostering PanelJuly 26, 2022
2. 5.1.2Persons Disqualified from FosteringJuly 26, 2022
3. 5.1.3Assessment and Approvals of Foster CarersJune 4, 2025
4. 5.1.4Exemptions and Extensions/Variations to Foster Carer ApprovalApril 22, 2024
5. 5.1.5Supervision and Support of Foster CarersApril 9, 2024
6. 5.1.6Review and Termination of Approval of Foster CarersApril 22, 2024
7. 5.1.7Allegations Against Foster CarersJune 4, 2025
8. 5.1.8Training and Development of Foster CarersDecember 16, 2024

5.2Adoption and Permanence Services

1. 5.2.1Adopt Thames Valley Regional Adoption Agency covering West BerkshireJune 17, 2024
2. 5.2.2Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Prospective AdoptersJune 4, 2025
3. 5.2.3Adoption PanelApril 9, 2024
4. 5.2.4Placement for AdoptionDecember 16, 2024
5. 5.2.5Adoption SupportDecember 9, 2025
6. 5.2.6Monitoring and Supervision of Adoptive PlacementsOctober 31, 2023
7. 5.2.7Adoption ReviewsJuly 26, 2022
8. 5.2.8Disruption of Adoptive PlacementsNovember 28, 2023
9. 5.2.9Allegations Against Prospective Adopters and in Relation to Children Placed for Adoption or Already AdoptedJune 4, 2025
10. 5.2.10Inter Country AdoptionDecember 16, 2024
11. 5.2.11Non Agency AdoptionDecember 16, 2024
12. 5.2.12Adoption Case RecordsFebruary 8, 2022
13. 5.2.13Access to Birth Records and Adoption Case RecordsJuly 26, 2022
14. 5.2.14Intermediary ServicesJuly 26, 2022
15. 5.2.15Life Story Books GuidanceDecember 16, 2024
16. 5.2.16Later Life LettersDecember 16, 2024
17. 5.2.17Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective AdoptersApril 19, 2024
18. 5.2.18Relinquished BabiesApril 22, 2024
19. 5.2.19Adoption Strategy: Achieving Excellence Everywhere

5.3Special Guardianship

1. 5.3.1Applications for Special Guardianship OrdersDecember 9, 2025
2. 5.3.2Court Reports in Placement Order Applications and Adoption/Special Guardianship GuidanceApril 22, 2024

6.Contacts, List of Agency Decision Makers and Appendices

1. 6.0.1Local ContactsJune 4, 2025
2. 6.0.2List of Agency Decision Makers, Designated Managers and Nominated OfficersJune 4, 2025
3. 6.0.3Ofsted Inspection FrameworkDecember 16, 2024
4. 6.0.4Working Together to Safeguard Children
5. 6.0.5Amendments
6. 6.0.6Register for updates