1.3.6 Integrated Children’s System Guidance |
Contents
- What is the Integrated Children's System (ICS)?
- Why has it been Developed?
- The Aims of ICS
- Who does it Apply to?
- Children in Need Exemplars
- Looked After Exemplars
1. What is the Integrated Children's System (ICS)?
Essentially, ICS is an integrated, framework of records for children from the point of Referral (to Children’s Services) to Closure.
The key purpose of ICS is to provide frontline staff and managers with the necessary help, supported by an electronic case record system, to record, collate, analyse and output the information required. It provides a business process to support practitioners and managers in undertaking the key tasks of assessment, planning, intervention and review in accordance with legislation.
The ICS exemplars/forms are designed to work within an electronic information system, which supports single data entry of information, i.e. information once entered into the system can be stored and transferred from one record to another. Stored information can be extracted for a variety of reporting functions.
2. Why has it been Developed?
ICS has been developed, over a several years, in response to the findings of inspections, research and inquiries.
The use of information required for recording the facts and events of children’s lives, and for assessing the needs of children and monitoring their developmental progress is fundamental to good, safe practice and better outcomes. Central to many of the shortcomings in children’s social care services has been the failure to record, retrieve and understand the significance of information about children.
3. The Aims of ICS
The aims of ICS are that.
- Assessments of children in need should be completed with the necessary detail and within the required timescales.
- Case-based information should be aggregated through computer systems into management information, required for day-to-day service planning.
4. Who does it Apply to?
Primarily, the requirements of ICS apply to children's social workers and managers. Children’s social workers will be primarily responsible for using the system.
However, foster carers and children’s homes managers and staff should have a good understanding of the forms, how they are integrated and what their roles are in helping to keep them up to date.
5. Children in Need Exemplars
This is a summary of the purpose of each ‘Children in Need’ exemplar/form (For Looked After Exemplars/Forms, see Section 6, Looked After Exemplars)
Contact Record
The Contact Record should be started when any contact is made by or on behalf of a child and family to Children’s Services – usually upon Referral.
In addition a Contact Requiring Authorisation form will be created by administrative staff to provide information to be actioned by the social worker and senior social worker.
Referral and Information Record
The Referral and Information Record should be completed whenever a referral or request for service is made by, or on behalf of, a child person to Children’s Services. It is used to record all requests for services including assessments, requests for Section 17 services, equipment and for transfer - in child protection conferences.
Where services are being provided, the Referral and Initial Information Record should be regularly updated to ensure essential information about a child and family remains accurate and up to date. The Referral and Information Record has 3 functions:
- to record the source and reason for referral or request for services;
- to record the response of Children's Services and other relevant agencies to a referral or request for services;
- to provide a record of essential information about a child.
Initial Assessment Record
The Initial Assessment Record is the record of an Initial Assessment, and the decisions and actions resulting from this assessment.
It includes an Initial Plan for the child.
A Background Information Record must be completed in respect of every child who is the subject of any kind of assessment. Relevant information about the family composition, background, previous involvement, ethnicity, religion, language, special needs and other information will populate all other forms on completion.
Core Assessment Record
A Core Assessment provides a structured, in-depth assessment of the child’s needs where their circumstances are complex. The Core Assessment Record provides a structured framework for social workers to record information gathered from a variety of sources to provide evidence for their professional judgments, and facilitate analysis, decision making and planning.
- A Core Assessment should be completed within 35 working days of its commencement.
- A completed Core Assessment Record is used to develop the Child’s Plan.
- The Core Assessment Record - all ages must be opened in the age range of the subject child.
Planning
There are several different plans, summarised below
- Outline Child Protection Plan which follows a Core Assessment incorporating a Section 47 Enquiry and is drawn up at an Initial Child Protection Conference;
- Child's Plan (usually for children in receipt of Non Looked After Services, follows an Initial Assessment and, where appropriate, a Core Assessment; it incorporates, where appropriate, the child's detailed Child Protection Plan)
- A CiN/CP Care Plan Additional Information Record must be completed by the social worker once the relevant review has taken place and the plan has been entered on CF21.
Chronology
The Chronology records all significant events and changes in the life of a child. This form must be opened from the start of a referral to trigger the process of automatic updating from other completed forms.
Child in Need
Where an Initial Assessment and a Core Assessment has confirmed that a child is in need of services a Child's Plan will be developed and reviewed at regular intervals.
Where a Review meeting has been arranged and a Child's Plan has been entered on CF21 a CiN Social Workers report form must be completed and sent to the chair of the meeting.
A CiN Review Chairs Report form will be completed by the Chair and records changes to the Child's Plan which the social worker must enter on CF21.
Section 47 Enquiries
The Section 47 Strategy Discussion record must be used to document the tasks and plans for investigating suspicions of significant harm or serious concerns of risks of significant harm to a child.
The Managing Allegations of Abuse record should be used where the Section 47 enquiry involves allegations against a person in a position of trust.
The Section 47 Outcome record is used to document all outcomes of enquiries and must be completed at the conclusions of the Strategy Discussion.
Child Protection
The Child Protection Register has been replaced by a List of Children with Child Protection Plans. If a child is deemed to be at continuing risk of Significant Harm, a Child Protection Conference will decide to make that child the subject of a Child Protection Plan. The Child Protection Plan is then reviewed at a Child Protection Review Conference which may in certain circumstances decide to discontinue the Child Protection Plan.
There are a number of exemplars/Forms which are used as part of the Child Protection process:
| Form | Purpose |
| Record of Strategy Discussion | To record the plan and tasks of an enquiry and the outcomes of a Strategy Discussion/Meeting |
| Record of Outcome of Section 47 Enquiries/Investigations | To record all outcomes of a Section 47 Enquiry – it includes an updated Initial Plan |
| Initial Conference Social Workers Report | The Report must incorporate the information from the Core Assessment, Section 47 Enquiry, Strategy Discussion and chronology and include an analysis of risk as well as needs. |
| Initial Child Protection Conference Chairs Report | To record the outcome of an Initial Child Protection Conference – it includes an Outline Child Protection Plan. |
| Child’s Plan | The Child’s Plan will incorporate, as appropriate, the detailed Child Protection Plan. |
Closure Record
Completed when services cease/are terminated
6. Looked After Exemplars
All the Exemplars/Forms listed below are required by the Integrated Children’s System (ICS): unless otherwise stated, the responsibility for completing them rests with the allocated social worker of the placing Authority.
Referral and Information Record
The Referral and Information Record should be given to staff/carers before or upon admission/placement.
The Referral and Information Record is started by Children’s Services when a child is referred to them; it is then updated by them as circumstances change.
When a child becomes Looked After, staff/carers should be provided with a copy of the Referral and Information Record: it provides the staff/carers with essential information about the child who is looked after.
Chronology
The Chronology should be given to staff/carers at the time of admission/placement – or within a reasonable timescale.
Care Plan
The Care Plan sets out the overall aim of the plan for the child (which can only be changed at a Case Review) and identifies what services and actions are required to respond to the child’s identified developmental needs.
The Care Plan includes the Personal Education Plan (PEP), Health Care Plan and Permanence Plan.
Placement Information Record
The Placement Information Record sets out the arrangements for the child's day to day care, including any detailed behaviour management plans, medication and incorporates parental consents. This record should be completed by the social worker as a Placement Agreement Meeting is concluded.
Assessment and Progress Records
Assessment and Progress Records replace LAC Assessment and Action Records.
The Assessment and Progress Record is completed by the social worker and authorised by the line manager. It will be commenced at the time of the 4 month Review and must be completed prior to the next Review (10 months).
The Assessment and Progress Record builds on the information held in the Core Assessment Record and should be updated prior to each Case Review.
Pathway Plan
The Pathway Plan is completed in relation to all Eligible Young People, Relevant Young People and Former Relevant Young People.
Permanence and Adoption Plans
A Permanence Plan must be in place for all looked after children at the second Case Review.
Where a decision is made at a Case Review that the best plan for a child is adoption, an Adoption Plan should be drawn up. The Adoption Plan outlines the key processes and time-scales and records all the actions required to complete the adoption process. It also records the date the child is referred to the National Adoption Register.
Reviews
A Review Chairs Report Record should be completed by the Independent Review Officer chairing Case Reviews who will also add any Statement of needs and Care Plan to CF21.
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