ESCC has redesigned its plan for children and families where there is a Child in Need or Child Protection Plan in place. This new paperwork will be used from the 13th November, however there will be a transitional period to allow for existing CP Plans which have been set up with the current paperwork, so for a period of time you may come across the current and new formats.
1. We have renamed the plan to reflect our commitment to taking a whole family approach.
In some circumstances you may see a plan named ‘Child’s Plan’ where the social worker has created a child-friendly version of the plan to share with the child.
2. We will be writing the plan directly to children and families to reflect our commitment to keeping the child at the heart of planning.
You might see plans that talk directly to the children, even if they are very young or won’t see the whole plan. We are doing this to make the records meaningful for them in the future, but also to keep the child’s experience in the mind of the social worker writing the plan, and the family and professionals reading the plan.
You may also see parts or all of the plan written directly to parents, where this is felt best for the family.
3. We have a print option to help keep families and professional focused on ‘what’s next’
The full plan, detailing what needs to change and what is going well, will be available in CIN, Core Group and Conference meeting minutes, as well as Family Assessments. However, the family will be offered an additional print option that only shows the first and last box.
We want plans to focus on what is achievable by the next meeting, tasks that are tangible and incremental, with clarity on timeframes and who is responsible.
4. You have a part to play
Through your attendance at CIN, Core Group, and Conference meetings, you will contribute to the plan and what your agency can do to support children and families.
