1. Bromley CYP Social Care Services
Susan Webb
Deputy Group Manager
Quality Assurance Unit

2. Legislation & Guidance
The Children Act 1989 – Sections 17, 27 & 47 place duties on LA to assist where children are in need or are at risk of significant harm.
Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families 2000
The Children Act 2004 – LSCBs replace ACPCs, established a Children’s Commissioner, Director of Children’s Services
What to do if You’re Worried a Child is being abused 2003
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 – national framework within which agencies and professionals should work together to safeguard children .
All London Child Protection Procedures 2007

3. Universal services are ones that all children have access to
Health visitors
GP service
Hospitals,
Inoculations,
Education,
Children’s Centres

4. Vulnerable Children – targeted services
Targeted Services are ones that some children need access to
School Action/School Action Plus
Parenting classes
They could also include
CAMHS Tier 2/3
YISP
Education Welfare or Voluntary Sector

5. Vulnerable Children with Multiple & Complex Needs
These are children where a number of agencies have concerns and a multi-agency approach is required
CAMHS Tier 3
Youth Offending Team (YOT)
Education Welfare / Court
Behaviour Service
Drug and Alcohol Services
Domestic Violence Services

6. Vulnerable Children with Acute or Highly Complex Needs
These are children who are assessed as having
Suffered or is at risk of suffering significant harm/significant impairment to health or development
These children will required the involvement of the statutory Social Care services as authorised by the 1989 Children’s Act and revised in the 2004 act

7. Statutory Duties of the Local Authority
These duties are outlined in the 1989 Children’s Act
Section 17 identifies Children in Need as being children that are unlikely to reach of maintain a satisfactory level of Health or Development
Section 31 gives the definition of harm being attributable to a lack of parental care or control

8. Child Protection Procedures
A Local Authority has a duty to investigate Child Protection Concerns
Investigating Child Protection is a joint responsibility for Children’s Social Care and Police
If those concerns continue a Child Protection Case Conference is held and Children can be made ‘subject to a plan’. This is decided by the agencies who are working with the family and who will attend the meeting. The allocated social worker is the Lead Professional

9. Child Protection Procedures
What happens when nothing changes for children and they are still seen to be ‘at risk or suffering significant harm’ ?
The allocated social worker will consult with their legal department and make an application to court for Magistrates or a Judge to decide whether the children can remain living within their family
The Court then decides on the future for the children

10. Looked After Children
The other area of statutory social work which the Local Authority is responsible for is ‘Looked After Children’ –
These are children who are either being looked after with the agreement of their parent/carer (s20)
or have been removed from their parents care under a Court Order (s31) The allocated social worker is the Lead Professional

11. How does Bromley Children’s Social Care organise it’s service?
Social Care services for Children are provided by two area offices West (Penge) and East (Orpington)
R&A are the Referral and Assessment Teams which undertake the initial assessment of a referral and also S47 CP investigations.
Safeguarding & Care Planning are the teams which have responsibility for children with a Child Protection Plan and Legal proceedings.
There are also Central Services where one team provides a service for the whole of Bromley
Children in Need Team – based at Orpington Family Centre, has responsibility for children and families who require a more intensive support package than can be provided in the community
LAC Team – based at Civic, has responsibility for children who are Looked After under Care Orders or long term accommodation
Leaving Care Team – based at Civic, has responsibility for young people who are Looked after following their 16th Birthday

12. Who is who in Children’s Social Care
Assistant Director (Interim)
Safeguarding & Social Care
Kamini Rambellos
Heads of Service
Olivia Butler – Referral & Assessment
Susan Phillips – Safeguarding & Care Planning
Ian Leadbetter – Care & Resources
Julie Daly – Safeguarding & Quality Assurance
Group Managers
Simon Harrison – Referral & Assessment East
Alison Mills-Clarke – Referral & Assessment West
Paul Meggitt – Safeguarding & Care Plan East
Sue Sleet – Safeguarding & Care Plan West
Sheila Birkin – Children in Need Team
Andrew Bravery – Looked After Children Team
Grahem Glazier - Leaving Care Team
Ruth Wood – Commissioning Team
David Bromberg – Fostering Team
Vacant – Adoption Team

13. Referral Process
If you have concerns about a child/family you can phone the Referral and Assessment Teams (R&A) for a Consultation.
To make a referral you will need to fill out a Common Assessment Framework referral form (CAF Referral)
The R&A social worker will undertake an initial assessment and a decision will be made as to what happens next.
It can include no further action; referral to a vol. org; referral to education services, health services or to either the CHIN team or Safeguarding Team

14. How to deal with issues & concerns
If you have concerns about a child and you know all their basic details including their home address. Contact the relevant area office RAT team.
If you have concerns about a child who already has a social worker, contact the worker – if they are not available, ask for their line manager. If this does not resolve your concern – contact the Group Manager. There is also a professionals resolution process which you can get information from the Bromley Safeguarding Board Website
If you have general enquiries about a child where you only know their name – contact me and I will find out if we are involved or if the child has been known
If you wish to make a complaint – use the complaints process, that is what it is there for: Our complaints Officer is Stephanie Kilcoyne who is based in the Civic Centre