Placement Planning Meetings

The purpose of Placement Planning Meetings is to ensure that children/young people's Placement Plans are kept up to date and continue to meet the needs of the child/young person.

Placement Planning Meetings should be held every three months or:

1. As part of all Looked After Reviews or, if this is not possible, a Placement Plan Review should be conducted as soon as possible after each Looked After Review;
2. After serious Incidents or in the light of significant changes in the child/young person's circumstances which suggest that it is necessary to review the arrangements set out in the Placement Plan;
3. At other times agreed between the social worker and provider/carer.

Placement Planning Meetings must be convened and chaired by the Community Director, or someone delegated to act on their behalf.

Placement Planning Meetings should be attended by the following people:

1. The child/young person's social worker;
2. The child/young person (where appropriate to their age, level of understanding and wishes and feelings);
3. The child/young person's parents;
4. If placed in a foster home, the foster carer(s) and a family placement worker/social worker;
5. If placed in a children's home, the child's Key Worker, or a member of staff;
6. Other significant people/agencies.

If any of these people can not attend it does not preclude the meeting from occurring, if the Registered Manager / Chair agree; in which case, the Registered Manager / Chair will obtain their views.

Before the meeting, the chairperson should obtain or be up dated on the following:

• The child/young person's Placement Plan;
• Any work which has been undertaken by key professionals involved in supporting the child/young person's placement;
• The child/young person's Care Plan, Education, Health and Care Plan, Personal Education Plan and, if relevant, Pathway Plan.

The chairperson should also ensure that the child/young person's, parent(s) and others who have been asked to contribute understand the purpose of the meeting, how it will be conducted and are given the opportunity to put their views and suggestions.

During the meeting, the chairperson should ensure the following:

• That consideration is given to the continuing appropriateness of the placement within the context of the child/young person's Care Plan or Pathway Plan and the need for the Placement Plan to be amended as appropriate; 
• That the child/young person's Placement Plan is updated if appropriate, and new or updated copies are circulated to those who were invited or contributed.

This does not mean that amendments to Placement Plans may only be made at Placement Planning Meetings. When Placement Plans are formulated and at each Placement Planning Meetings, the social worker and Registered Manager/Chair should agree the extent to which they can be amended, between Placement Planning Meetings or without consultation.

If there are concerns about the suitability of the placement, consideration should be given to the following:

• Whether it is possible to sustain the placement until the next Looked After Review by, for example, providing additional support to the placement;
• Bringing forward the date of the next Looked After Review;
• Ending the placement.

The Chairperson must ensure the following is recorded at the end of the Placement Planning Meeting:

• The updating or amendment of the child/young person's Placement Plan;
• If it seems appropriate, additional minutes.

Copies of these records should be circulated to those who attended or were invited to contribute.

Where the chairperson is concerned about delay in implementation of aspects of the Placement Plan, he or she should progress chase those responsible and, if necessary, take matters up with relevant managers.

Where the chairperson is concerned that recommendations or agreements have not been incorporated into the child/young person's plan, he or she may take this up with the relevant person/manager and/or consider whether to reconvene the Placement Plan Meeting.