Details required for the notification of a new, changed or ceased care placement in Barnsley

The care planning, placement and case review statutory guidance and the related regulations were updated in 2013. These outline the duties of local authorities to tell other local authorities if they place a child in care within their area. It also requires children’s homes to tell their local authority when a child is placed with them by another authority.

The authority or organisation's needs to tell the host local authority when a child who's not in care is placed in a placement for three months or more. This applies if this hasn't been done yet but they have intention to do so. This must happen prior to the placement, or as soon as they can.

Education and health partners must be provided with details about placements of children in care. This must be given by the host local authority who're supported by relevant agencies in both the host and home authority.

Details needed by us

• Child’s full name
• Date of birth
• Gender
• Placing authority
• Social worker name and contact details (phone number and email)
• Emergency details for home authority
• Independent reviewing officer details
• Legal status
• Whether the notification is for a new placement, a change, or an end of placement
• Date the placement started, or date due to change or end
• Carer or institution type (foster carer, children’s home or other)
• What the carer has been contracted to provide (if specialist, for example)
• Carer contact details, including address
• Certain needs or risks to the child. This includes special educational needs, disability, youth offending, mental health needs. A copy of the care plan should be shared to highlight the needs
• GP details - old and new, if known
• A digital photograph of the child that can be shared with the police force

Police force notification

The College of Policing encourages local authorities to notify the relevant police force when a child is being placed out of area. This is based on the needs and risk of the child. By doing this you'll help in the safeguarding some of the most vulnerable children in the care system.

You'll need to tell the South Yorkshire Police Missing officer if a child is being placed in Barnsley. This is even more crucial if:

• There are concerns around sexual exploitation
• There are concerns around the child going missing 

You can email the missing officer at tim.fish@southyorks.pnn.police.uk.