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Contents

1. Definitions
2. Protocol
3. Timescales
4. Joint Housing and Social Care panel - Terms of Reference
   
   Appendix 1: Flowchart

1. Definitions

The test for a child in need is at 17(10) -

1. His is unlikely to achieve or maintain, or to have the opportunity of achieving or maintaining, a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision for him of services by a local authority under this Part;
2. His health or development is likely to be significantly impaired, or further impaired, without the provision for him of such services; or
3. He is disabled.

Section 20 provides that a local authority shall provide accommodation for a child who fulfils the above criteria AND who appears to require accommodation as a result of:

1. There being no person who has parental responsibility for him
2. His being lost or abandoned
3. The person who has been caring for him being prevented (whether or not permanently, and for whatever reason) from providing him with suitable accommodation or care
   
   or where
4. The local authority may provide accommodation for any child within their area if they consider that it would safeguard or promote the child's welfare.

2. Protocol

When a young person aged 16 or 17 presents as homeless the first contact should be with the Housing Support Team.

The Duty Social Worker will open a contact and interview the young person. Every effort will be made to facilitate the young persons return to their family home or, in the alternative, to make arrangements for the young person to be provided with accommodation by a member of their family (section 17(1)(b) the duty to promote the upbringing of children by their families).

Contact will be made with the parents/ carer and checks will be undertaken. 

 If the circumstances cannot be immediately resolved the Duty Social Worker will undertake an Initial Assessment of the young person. Whilst the initial assessment is undertaken, if family arrangements have not been possible, the Local Authority will provide accommodation for the young person. At first instance this is likely to be accommodation provided by Social Services until the Initial Assessment establishes whether the young person is in need.

At this point there are 6 possible options:

1. The initial interview/assessment may result in the young person returning home.
2. A referral to universal (e.g. SAFE) or community based services to work with the family in the future.
3. The young person returns home and a referral is made to the semi independence Outreach Team (SOT).
4. The young person is accommodated under section 20 whilst the case is referred to SOT/Housing for further assessment, unless the young person chooses not to be Sec 20.
5. The young person who is not a child in need may be referred to housing.
6. The young person who is assessed as a child or young person in need and who appears to require accommodation may:
   1. become a looked after child/young person
   2. elect not to become looked after and be referred to the housing department (a person who chooses between two available options ought not be treated as intentionally homeless).
7. There is a clear Child Protection allegation and a referral is made to referral and assessment to consider whether a child protection investigation should commence.

3. Timescales

For decisions 3, 4 and 5, the SOT team will visit within 5 working days. At this point a decision will be made to close the case if the crisis has passed and they may decide that a referral to SAFE is appropriate in discussion with the HST team manager.

They may decide that the case requires a specific piece of work or they may consider that a 4- 6 week assessment of need is required.

In these instances SOT will complete a brief report and present to the monthly Housing/Social Care joint panel for a final decision on the outcome.

See Appendix 1: Flowchart

4. Joint Housing and Social Care Panel - Terms of Reference

Aim

To have a joint agency approach from Housing and Social Care to meeting the needs of 16 and 17 vulnerable young people in the borough who appear to require accommodation.

Panel Membership

• Service Manager Housing
• Operations Manager for Looked After Children and Care Leavers - Chair
• Operations Manager for Referral and Assessment, Children in Need and HST 
• SOT Manager
• Access to Resources Team
• SAFE representative
• HST Manager

Criteria for presenting a case to panel

The SOT worker and HST worker can present a case to panel once an initial assessment or a core assessment has been undertaken and there is a recommendation by those workers of future service provision.

Referrals to the panel should be made to the ART team at least 5 days before the panel set monthly date

The panel need to establish if there is existing need other than accommodation needs and how best any additional needs should be met.

The panel will decide whether Sec 20 of the Children Act 1989 is the appropriate way of meeting any additional needs or if the preventative work undertaken to date has made a difference to the needs of the young person. Having regard to the desirability of children and young people being raised within the family the panel will consider whether the child/young person remains a child in need and/or whether any services has or could alleviate the need so that the young person no longer needs to be looked after. The panel will continue to review cases and consider whether the young person still requires or has begun to require accommodation.

The panel will refer to the following legislation, regulation, guidance and Judgements:

• Children Act 1989
• Children Leaving Care Act 2000
• Children Act 2004
• Care Planning, Placement and Review Regulations 2010 (in force April 2011)
• Homeless Code of Guidance for Local Authorities
• Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 year old young people who may be homeless and/or require accommodation - April 2010 

Appendix 1: Flowchart

Click here to view process flowchart

End