Local safeguarding partners have responsibilities to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in their area, including those who are looked after by the local authority. Responding to the help, support and protection needs of looked after children may be different to those living with their birth families. Safeguarding arrangements for looked after children are set out in the relevant regulations, statutory guidance and standards.
Every looked after child must have a care plan. The care plan must set out how the child will be cared for and how their welfare will be safeguarded and promoted. The local authority has a responsibility to make sure the child receives the support and protection they need through their care plan. Safeguarding arrangements for individual children should be considered and reviewed as part of the care planning and review process.
Practitioners should understand the particular vulnerabilities of looked after children in relation to certain types of harm, including sexual exploitation. Practitioners should also be aware of the other factors that may increase a child’s vulnerability, for example special education needs and disabilities, being placed out of area, a history of frequent missing episodes or being deprived of their liberty.
Where a decision is taken that a placement out of area is in the best interests of a child, the placing local authority has a statutory responsibility to notify the receiving local authority. This is so that the receiving local authority can make provision for education, health and other relevant services. The receiving local authority may also have information about the setting in which the child is being placed that the placing local authority should be aware of before agreeing the placement.
Timely notification that a child is being placed outside their local authority is important so that the right support can be put in place.
