PORTSMOUTH CITY COUNCIL CHILDREN FAMILIES AND LEARNING SAFEGUARDING * * PROCEDURE * *

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1 PORTSMOUTH CITY COUNCIL CHILDREN FAMILIES AND LEARNING SAFEGUARDING YOU SHOULD ENSURE THAT: * * PROCEDURE * * You read, understand and, where appropriate, act on this information All people in your workplace who need to know see this procedure This document, if printed off Intralink, is properly filed in a place to which all staff members in the workplace have access You are aware that only the version of the policy found on Intralink is guaranteed to be the most recent issue Procedure Number: 44/07/CF Title: CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES THE SENSORY IMPAIRMENT AND DEAF SERVICES Date of Issue: 14/12/07 Effective Date: 31/01/2008 Sector: Issuing Officer: Contact: Procedures Cancelled: Children s Social Care Vaughan Tudor-Williams, Senior Manager, Specialist Services Michael Henning-Pugh, Manager, Children With Disabilities Team N/A Signed: Name: Designation: Stuart Gallimore Head of Safeguarding

2 Purpose To make explicit the local arrangements for assessing the needs of children and young people with sensory impairments, and providing them with specialist support, and to ensure the needs of this client group are responded to in a clear and consistent manner. Scope This policy applies to all children and young people between the ages of 0 to 18 years who have a sensory impairment, and meet the eligibility criteria for Portsmouth Children s Social Care (CSC). This policy will be adopted and operated by all employees within CSC as well as those within the Sensory Impairment and Deaf Services Team. This policy has been formulated and agreed between CSC and the Sensory Impairment and Deaf Services Team located within the Adult Social Care service (ASC). This policy will provide guidance to all staff about the management of cases where there is a need for a specialist service for children and young people with a sensory impairment. Policy This policy is issued to ensure that procedures are clear and readily available in a standard format, and which assists staff by setting out clear guidance, responsibilities and lines of accountability. Exclusions People over the age of 18 years. Children and young people whose main address is outside the city boundary. Assessment and provision of equipment within schools. This support is offered via the Special Educational Needs team. References to legal, central government and other external documents Children Act 1989 & National Assistance Act 1948: S. 29 Children & Young Person s Plan. National Service Framework: Standard 8. Every Child Matters. Aiming high for disabled children: Better support for families. Local Authorities Social Services Act 1970: S.7 Information and Guidance for the Registered Deaf or Hard of Hearing Collection (SSDA910). HSC (2001) 008 LAC (2001) 013 Community Equipment Services. LAC (2003) 14 Community Equipment & Intermediate Care Services. Portsmouth City Council references CSC Care Management Policy CSC Eligibility Criteria Policy 14/12/07 2

3 CSC Transition Policy CSC Children s Disability Register Definitions The definition of sensory impairment follows that set out in the National Assistance Act Under Section 29 of the National Assistance Act 1948, local authorities are required to compile and maintain classified registers of people living within their area who are substantially and permanently affected by a sensory impairment. The categories of registration include: Blind Partially sighted Deaf with speech Deaf without speech Hard of hearing Abbreviations and Definitions PCC Portsmouth City Council CSC Children s Social Care ASC Adult Social Care ECM Every Child Matters ECM 5 the five outcomes for children from ECM Portsmouth 8 the Portsmouth outcomes for children that pre-date the ECM 5 Intralink PCC web site for corporate documents and information SIDS Sensory Impairment and Deaf Services Delegation All employees have a responsibility for implementing the policy within the locally agreed guidelines. Authority to vary procedure Head of Safeguarding 14/12/07 3

4 CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES THE SENSORY IMPAIRMENT AND DEAF SERVICES 1. Introduction CONTENTS 2. Key principles, aims and objectives 3. Assessment of need 4. Case management responsibilities 5. Identification of need and provision of equipment and support 6. Registrations 7. Case closures 8. Re-referrals 14/12/07 4

5 CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES THE SENSORY IMPAIRMENT AND DEAF SERVICES 1 Introduction 1.1 This policy is intended to give guidance to all staff and managers in respect of the arrangements for supporting children and young people with sensory impairments who live in Portsmouth. 1.2 Key Principles, Aims and Objectives The principle aim is to ensure that all staff understand what arrangements are in place for supporting this client group and to ensure a consistent and timely response to their needs. 2 Assessment of Need 2.1 Where a child or young person with a sensory impairment is identified as needing additional support, the referrer should contact the duty officer for the Children With Disabilities Team in the first instance. 2.2 If a direct approach is made to the Sensory Impairment and Deaf Services Team, their duty manager will refer back to the Children With Disabilities Team in accordance with the locally agreed protocol, see Appendix The Children With Disabilities Team will be responsible for opening a new referral and undertaking an initial assessment of the child or young person s needs. 2.4 If an initial assessment identifies a need for a more specialist assessment of the client s equipment needs, the Children With Disabilities Team will notify the Sensory Impairment and Deaf Services Team of this need. 2.5 Upon receiving a request from the Children With Disabilities Team, the Sensory Impairment and Deaf Services Team will undertake a specialist assessment around the sensory impairment needs with a view to making the necessary arrangements for any specialist equipment where applicable. 3 Case Management Responsibility 3.1 Where the child or young person is under the age of 18 years, the Children With Disabilities Team will always be the Key Team, and the Key Worker will always be a member of the Children With Disabilities Team. 3.2 The Sensory Impairment and Deaf Services Team will be recorded as an Involvement for the duration of their input. 14/12/07 5

6 4 Identification of Need and Provision of Equipment and Support 4.1 Where the Sensory Impairment and Deaf Services Team assess a need for specialist sensory equipment, they will make the necessary arrangements to meet this need. 4.2 Where the assessed need falls outside their area of expertise, the Sensory Impairment and Deaf Services Team will refer the matter back to the Children With Disabilities Team. 5 Registrations 5.1 Under Section 29 of the National Assistance Act 1948, local authorities are required to identify people living within their area who are substantially and permanently affected by a sensory impairment. The categories of registration include: Blind Partially sighted Deaf with speech Deaf without speech Hard of hearing 5.2 Registration on the grounds of a visual impairment can only be made following an assessment by an ophthalmologist and on the production of a completed and counter-signed Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI) form. 5.3 A child or young person with a sensory impairment is also eligible to have their name placed on the Children s Disability Register as set out under the Children Act However, this register is an elective register, and a child s name can only be entered onto it if a person with parental responsibility makes such a request. This register is maintained by the Children, Families and Learning Directorate. 5.4 Where a parent, or other person with parental responsibility, of a child or young person with a sensory impairment makes such a request, the child s name will be placed on Children s Disability Register using one of the categories set out above in The registration process for the Children s Disability register is set out in a separate policy, see CSC Children s Disability Register Policy. 6 Case closures 6.1 Once the needs around the sensory impairment have been adequately addressed, the involvement of the Sensory Impairment and Deaf Services Team will cease. 6.2 In this case the Sensory Impairment and Deaf Services Team will end their involvement in SWIFT, and notify the allocated worker or duty officer of the Children With Disabilities Team of their decision. 14/12/07 6

7 6.3 The Children With Disabilities Team will then determine what, if any, further action is required. 6.4 If there is no immediate role for the team, the open referral will be closed and all involvements ceased. 6.5 Where there continues to be a need for support, the case will remain open to the Children With Disabilities Team, and consideration given to allocating the case to a named worker where the case has been managed on the team s duty system. 7 Re-referrals 7.1 Where cases have been closed and needs change, it will be necessary for a new referral to be made. In such cases, the process is the same as outlined above. 14/12/07 7

8 APPENDIX 1 14/12/07 8