NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare

NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) RCC 3. 17: Understand the care system and its impact on children and young people

Aim (What I am going to do): To provide you with an overall awareness of the care system and its impact on children and young people.

Objectives (What you will do): • Discuss the process by which (and reasons why) children & young people become “looked after”. • Investigate the entitlements of CYP in care. • Explore the context of residential services (theoretical frameworks & legislation) • Discuss the impact of residential childcare services on CYP. • Examine how to support positive experience of care. • Explore planning frameworks.

• Figures show that 78, 150 children were in care, from 75, 370 in 2018 up • The age of children in care has been steadily increasing over the past five years. • Young people over 10 years old account for 63 per cent of all children in care. • Over a third of children come into the care system aged 4 or under • Teenagers are 6 x more likely than younger children to be living in residential or secure children’s homes, which is significantly more expensive than foster care. • One in three children in care have three or more placements in a year. • The number of children accommodated in secure children's homes was up by 7% (up by 12 children) to 184. https: //www. local. gov. uk/number-children-care-reaches-10 -year-high https: //www. becomecharity. org. uk/care-the-facts/about-the-care-system/ https: //explore-education-statistics. service. gov. uk/find-statistics/childrenaccommodated-in-secure-childrens-homes

https: //assets. publishing. service. gov. uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/850306/Children_ looked_after_in_England_2019_Text. pdf Reasons children and young people become looked after (1. 1)

Legal pathways to becoming looked after … • Section 20 of the Children Act 1989 – Voluntary Care • Section 38 of the Children Act 1989 - Interim Care Orders • Section 31 of the Children Act 1989 – (full) Care Order • Emergency Protection Order • Section 25 of the Children Act 1989 – Secure Order (Welfare) • Section 44 of the Children Act 1989 - Police Protection • Compulsorily accommodated through the criminal courts • Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) (1. 2)

The Becoming Looked After Process for all Children In all cases a Multi Agency Planning Meeting will be organised. The meeting will be chaired by the SW Team Manager with case responsibility. The meetings fall into 4 categories: a. Where the social work team’s assessment is that the child needs to become Looked After and legal proceedings need to be initiated a legal planning meeting will be arranged; b. Where the social work team’s assessment is that the child may need to become Looked After but the Public Law Outline (PLO) process is assessed as needing to be initiated first; c. Where the social work team’s assessment is that the child needs to become Looked After under Section 20 a planning meeting will be convened; d. Where the child has become Looked After in an emergency (e. g. Emergency Protection Order, Police Protection) a Legal Planning or Planning Meeting will be convened. https: //islingtonchildcare. proceduresonline. com/chapters/p_becoming_looked_after. html (1. 2)

Key Professionals and their Roles (1. 3) Social Workers Legal professionals Children’s Guardian (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS)) IRO Ensure that young people are safe, their rights are protected and that their care plans are relevant and regularly reviewed Represent the local authority, the child and the parents. Appointed to represent the rights and interests of the child Makes sure that the health and welfare of looked-after children and young people is prioritised

Foster Care External Placement Children’s Homes Kinship care Types of Care Arrangements Secure Units Residential Schools Staying with parents 3. 3

Why Residential Childcare? (1. 4) Short term placements Multiple placements ? Transitions & Traumas Moving out of area ? Primary care breakdown

Key principles of residential childcare (3. 5) Children in residential child care should: • Be loved, happy, healthy, safe from harm and able to develop, thrive and fulfil their potential. Residential child care should: • Value and nurture each child as an individual with talents, strengths and capabilities that can develop over time; • Be ambitious, nurturing children’s school learning and out- of-school learning and their ambitions for their future • Be attentive to children’s need, supporting emotional, mental and physical health needs, including repairing earlier damage to self-esteem and encouraging friendships • Should provide a safe and stimulating environment in high-quality buildings, with spaces that support nurture and allow privacy as well as common spaces and spaces to be active.

Theoretical Approaches (3. 1) Social Pedagogy All Systems Outcome Based Solution Focused Lifespace

Social Pedagogy - Recap http: //www. thempra. org. uk/social-pedagogy/ Social pedagogy aims to connect each person to society, with society supporting its most disadvantaged members and each individual taking responsibility for wider society. It aims to create the conditions in which each person can grow and become both more independent and integrated. What characterizes social pedagogy in practice depends not so much on what is done but how it is done and with what rationale. ‘Social pedagogy provides a theoretical and practical framework for understanding children’s upbringing. It has a particular focus on building relationships through practical engagement with children and young people using skills such as art and music or outdoor activities. . . In a residential care setting, it brings a particular expertise in working with groups and using the group as a support. ’ http: //www. thempra. org. uk/social-pedagogy/

Outcome Based Outcomes are the changes, benefits, learning or other effects that happen as a result of your work. They can be wanted or unwanted, expected or unexpected. It is important to collect information in a way that tells you about intended and unintended outcomes. Quality counts when it comes to care – and that is why an outcome-based approach to care matters. Recording information about the care delivered and setting goals that can be reviewed throughout the care plan is vital and demonstrates the impact of services provided in terms of outcomes What are you going to achieve? How are you going to achieve it? How will you know when it is achieved?

All Systems or Whole-systems Approach https: //www. scie. org. uk/publications/guide 11/wholesystems. asp

Solution Focused Useful for children and young people who feel like they’re stuck in a rut and can’t see a way forward. Gives more control to the child/young person Focuses on identifying the child or young person’s strengths rather than concentrating on problems Can be used to establish long and short term goals Flexible delivery e. g. rewording questions, or using creative tasks Can also be used to develop coping strategies

Lifespace https: //www. celcis. org/files/8614/3878/4830/In-residence-a_series-of-12 -papers. pdf The deliberate and focused attempt to promote individual growth and development within the context of daily events. Working in the ‘lifespace’ is what workers in residential child care do, on a day by day, shift by shift, minute by minute basis. It involves the conscious use of everyday events to promote the growth, development and learning of children and young people. “Life-space work is neither individual casework nor group work, nor even individual casework conducted in a group context, but a therapeutic discipline of its own” (Keenan 2002).

• The Children (Secure Accommodation) Regulations 1991 • Children Act 1989 & 2004 • Care Standards Act 2000 • Children (Leaving Care) 2000 • Human Rights Act 1998 • The Equality Act 2010 • The Care Act 2014 • Children and Families Act 2014 • Children and Young Persons Act 2008 • Children and Social Work Act 2017 • GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 • Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 • UNICEF (1989) UN Convention on the rights of the child Legislation & Policy (3. 2)

Legislation & Policy cont. • Df. E (2018) Applying corporate parenting principles to looked-after children and care leavers: Statutory guidance for local authorities • Care planning, placement and case review (England) regulations 2010 • The Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 • (OFSTED) Social care common inspection framework (SCCIF): children’s homes, including secure children’s homes

What values and attitudes do you need to be an RCW and enable CYP to have a positive experience of Care? (5. 2) Attitudes Sets of emotions, beliefs, and behaviours toward a particular object, person, thing, or event. Values The basic and fundamental beliefs that guide or motivate attitudes or actions. Is it important for RCW’s to recognise that all Children and young people in care vulnerable? (5. 1) Why? How does it impact on your practice?

Good Practice (3. 6) What examples of good practice are there in your homes? Think about: Promoting equality and inclusion Child centred provision Promoting children’s rights & participation Cultural sensitivity Advocacy Communication Networking with other agencies to build a team around a child

What makes your Home/Unit therapeutic? (3. 4)

After lunch

What tools do you have in your tool box? (5. 3) What activities and approaches do you use that provide positive experiences for the children and young people in your care?

The challenges of being in care (4. 1) Repeated, sudden and enforced transitions Living away from family The need to engage with a range of professionals

Entitlements: Legal and Statutory (2. 1) • Childs needs not met Advocacy Preparation for reviews Contact with family members SW Visits • Childs voice not heard • Breakdown in relationships – lack of trust • Children become spectators of their lives • Uncertainty/isolation – leading to behaviour issues Independent visitors Allowances • Lack of financial security – petty theft/need to get a job Care Plan • Isolated from Society – increased vulnerability

Life chances and outcomes of Children in Care (4. 2) “The prospects for a happy, healthy childhood, as well as a secure and fulfilling adulthood”

Planning in Residential Child Care (6. 1) Statutory Care Plan • Purpose of the plan is to safeguard and promote the interests of the child. • Identifies the legal status of the child • Summarises need • Identifies the services required to fulfil those needs • Must include the name and contact details of the child's IRO • Describes children's needs and how these needs will be met • Permanency

Placement Plan As part of the overarching care plan the Placement Plan sets out: • Why the placement was chosen and how the placement will contribute to meeting the child's needs • How on a day-to-day basis the child will be cared for and his/her welfare safeguarded and promoted • Outlines arrangements for contact, medical care, education/training • Details of who (in the home) has the authority to take decisions about the child regarding: i) Medical and dental treatment; ii) Education; iii) Leisure and home life; vi) Faith and religious observance; v) Use of social media; vi) Any other matters which the delegated persons as identified in the Placement Plan consider appropriate.

Personal Education Plans (PEP) • Initiated as part of the Care Plan • Identifies the educational needs of the child and how they should be provided • Summarises the child's developmental and educational needs, short term targets, long term plans and aspirations • Includes training Health Care Plan • Placement Plan must include a Health Care Plan and sets out the healthcare needs for the child and how they will be promoted. It should consider: • Specific health care needs and how the home will meet them • Agreed use of painkillers • Immunisations • Illegal (substance misuse) or harmful practices (self harm) and interventions and/or strategies to reduce behaviour

Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) • Replaced Statement of Educational Need and S 139 a • Details the education, health and social care support that is to be provided to a child or young person aged 0 -25 who has Special Educational Needs or a disability Remand Plan If remanded to Local Authority Accommodation: • The care planning arrangements are the same as for all other Looked After children • Does not need to include permanence/long-term planning for the child's upbringing, unless it is considered that the child needs to remain looked after once the period of remand is over. • Consideration must be given to what longer term support or accommodation the child will need following the remand episode • Other procedures also apply to being remanded to Youth Detention accommodation.

Why should children and young people be supported to understand their own plans? (6. 2) Promotes inclusion Enables the voice of the Child e. g. preferences, choices, options Supports Child/Young Person Centred practice e. g. care/planning/assessment Improves achievement and progress Improves motivation and engagement

Permanency Planning (6. 3) Permanency planning is the process of assessing and preparing a child for long term care when in out-of-home placements such as kinship, foster care or institutions. The ultimate goal of permanency planning is to ensure a secure environment with lifelong bonds that will support the child into adulthood. Short term care such as fostering can provide a safe place for a child and time to assess their needs, it is often an unsuitable long term option since it is a temporary arrangement that is prone to breakdown.

Assessment deadline: Friday 14 th May 2021

Did I achieve the Aim? To provide you with an overall awareness of the care system and its impact on children and young people.

Did you achieve the objectives? • Discuss the process by which (and reasons why) children & young people become “looked after”. • Investigate the entitlements of CYP in care. • Explore the context of residential services (theoretical frameworks & legislation) • Discuss the impact of residential childcare services on CYP. • Examine how to support positive experience of care. • Explore planning frameworks.