Social Worker Visits

Social workers are required to visit child/young person at the following intervals, subject to the conditions below:

• Within one week of the placement;
• Then at intervals of no more than six weeks during the first year of the placement;
• In subsequent years, the child/young person should be visited at least every three months.

This applies to all placements, even where a child/young person has moved from one placement to another. 

Some visits should be unannounced.

Visits should be made more frequently if circumstances require and whenever reasonably requested by the child/young person or the staff.

Wherever possible, the child/young person must be seen alone (unless the child/young person of sufficient age and maturity and refuses). If this is not possible, a further visit must be made at short notice in order that the child/young person can be seen alone and observed with the staff.

The social worker should also meet the manager of the home and staff, on occasions.

The purpose of the visit is to ensure the placement continues to promote the child/young person's welfare and in particular:

1. To give the child/young person the opportunity to express his or her wishes, feelings and views;
2. To advise, assist and befriend the child/young person;
3. To observe the child/young person with the staff/foster carer/parent;
4. To monitor the standard of care offered by the placement;
5. To monitor how the contact arrangements are working;
6. To provide support to the placement;
7. To identify any areas where additional support is required;
8. To evaluate whether the placement is helping to achieve the objectives and actions of the Care Plan.

Placement Planning Meetings can be undertaken during social workers visits.

See Care and Placement Planning Procedure.

Community staff should record visits in the Visitors Book, Daily Log and on relevant Children/ Young person's Daily Records and Placement Plan.

If staff have concerns that the children/young people are not bveing visited by their social worker in line with requirements, then this must be escalated directly to the local authority.