Placement Referrals Duty Procedure

1. Background

To improve the efficiency of the duty system and allow the duty worker more time to focus on identifying and matching of placements an electronic referral system is to be introduced.

The social worker who is referring the child/young person will complete an electronic referral form attaching any relevant information/report, which may assist with the matching process. The information should include any views of the young person to be placed. 

It is important that there is no delay in processing the referrals once they are in our e-mail box. It is the responsibility of the duty worker to ensure the box is checked and referrals are dealt with and not left in the mail box.

2. Procedure

When a social worker rings to make a referral, forward an electronic referral form and ask them to complete the first section and return it as soon as possible.

The referring social worker should e-mail the completed form back to the Fostering Duty e-mail address: Fostering@kirklees.gov.uk

The fostering duty worker must check the fostering duty e-mails box at the beginning of duty and at regular intervals to collect any new referrals. New referrals should be acknowledged by e-mail.

Any referrals should be printed off and put into the paper referral file. Once the referral has been printed off, then save the referral in FPU/Staff Information/Electronic Duty Referrals and delete from Fostering Duty e-mail box. 

On receipt of the referral the duty social worker should read and check the details of the referral and:

• Contact the referring social worker accepting the referral and confirming work will commence in seeking a placement;
• Contact the referring social worker by telephone for further details and confirm we will not be able to commence a search until we have enough information. Follow up with an e-mail if the social worker is not available. Always confirm with the duty manager any delays which may occur in a search because of lack of information;
• In case of an immediate search e.g. emergency placement needed that day a search may begin on receipt of the further information.

Record any actions/discussions on the paper referral and continuation sheet. Ensure these are signed and liaise with duty manager as required.

Ensure part 2 of the referral is completed when a placement is identified. Include reasons for any rejected placements and costs of placement if agency.

Once placement is identified, and the child placed put referral in sling of supervising social worker.

If the placement is an agency placement pass referral to designated admin worker (in January 2011 this is Samantha Waddington).