Advice about children living away from home
Please read Working Together to Safeguard Children pages 192 to 197 which provides a list of safeguards which must be observed in all settings, together with some specific safeguards for children in foster care (including private fostering); children in hospital and children in custody.
All staff visiting children who are not at home, need to satisfy themselves, on each visit, that the essential safeguards (found in Working Together to Safeguard Children p. 193) continue to be in place. Where they have a concern that safeguards are missing or are being ignored, they should refer to the Helpdesk ( Tel: 01952 385700) for advice.
Helpdesk staff will ascertain who is responsible for the placement of the child and offer advice about contacting that person or agency. Helpdesk staff will also consider with a manager whether there are other children likely to be affected by the expressed concern and will make a decision on what action to take. A record of that decision will be retained and a copy sent to other relevant persons or agencies.
In cases where child protection procedures are assessed by the Helpdesk as being necessary in relation to a child who is normally resident outside of the Borough but who is currently placed within it (e.g. in a voluntary/private placement), those procedures will continue to be followed even though the child may be removed from that placement and become resident elsewhere. This holds true in circumstances where the new placement is outside of the Borough.
This advice does not preclude the visitor to the child using the appropriate complaints procedure on the child's behalf or assisting the child themselves to use that procedure.