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4.32 The details of the plan are bench marks against which the progress of the family and the commitment of workers are measured, and therefore it is important that they should be realistic and not vague statements of good intent (Department of Health, 1995).

4.33 The analysis, judgement and decisions made will form the basis of a plan of work with a child in need and his or her family. The complexity or severity of the child’s needs will determine the scope and detail of the plan. The different circumstances under which the assessment has been carried out will also determine the form in which it is recorded and the status of the plan:

● Children in Need Planat the conclusion of a core assessment, which will involve

A format for the plan is contained in assessment records (Department of Health and Cleaver, 2000).

● Child Protection Planas a decision of an inter-agency child protection conference,

following enquiries and assessment under s47. The expectations of a child protection plan are outlined in paragraphs 5.81 to 5.84 of Working Together to

Safeguard Children (1999).

● Care Plan for a Child Looked Afteras a result of an assessment that a child will need

to be looked after by the local authority either in the short term or long term and placed in foster or residential care. The requirements for a care plan in these circum- stances are laid out in Volume 3 of the Children Act 1989, Guidance and Regulations (paragraphs 2.59 to 2.62). A format for the care plan is an integral part of the Department of Health’s Looking After Children materials (Department of Health, 1995b).

● Care Plansfor a child who is the subject of a care or supervision order or for whom

the plan is adoption (see paragraphs 3.22 to 3.24).

● Pathway Plan for a young person who is in care or leaving careas outlined in the

Government’s intentions for young people living in and leaving care (Department of Health, 1999f; Children (Leaving Care) Bill, 1999).

4.34 There are some general principles about plans for working with children and families, whatever the circumstances in which they have been drawn up. First that, wherever possible, they should be drawn up in agreement with the child/young person and key family members and their commitment to the plan should have been secured. There are two caveats which the professionals responsible for the plan need to bear in mind:

● objectives should be reasonable and timescales not too short or unachievable; ● plans should not be dependent on resources which are known to be scarce or

unavailable.

Failure to address these issues can be damaging to families and jeopardise the overall aim of securing the child’s wellbeing. Second, the plan must maintain a focus on the child, even though help may be provided to a number of family members as part of the plan. As Jones et al (1987) write ‘It is never acceptable to sacrifice the interests of the child for the therapeutic benefit of the parents’.

4.35 Department of Health practice guidance (1995a) recommended that professional workers and relevant family members should be clear about the following aspects of the plan which have general application (an abridged list is in Figure 7). With clarity about these matters, it is possible for both professionals and the family to take issue with the other when their expectations are not met or when perceptions and objectives begin to differ.

4.36 Fundamental to the plan, from the beginning, is the commitment of all the parties involved and the signatures to the plan of those who have lead responsibility for ensuring it is carried forward (in social services, this should include the team manager/supervisor as well as the practitioners). There should also be a clear recorded statement on the plan about when and how it will be reviewed. Reviewing the child’s progress and the effectiveness of services and other interventions is a continuous part

of the process of work with children and families. The timescales and procedures for reviewing plans for children in need which are also part of other guidance, regulations and legislation (child protection plans, care plans for children looked after and pathway plans) are already prescribed. For children in need plans, where work is being undertaken to support children and families in the community, it is good practice to review the plan with family members at least every six months, and to formally record it. Key professionals should also be involved in the review process and in constructing the revised plan.

4.37 The purpose of an assessment is to identify the child’s needs within their family context and to use this understanding to decide how best to address these needs. It is essential that the plan is constructed on the basis of the findings from the assessment and that this plan is reviewed and refined over time to ensure the agreed case objectives are achieved. Specific outcomes for the child, expressed in terms of their health and development can be measured. These provide objective evidence against which to evaluate whether the child and family have been provided with appropriate services and ultimately whether the child’s wellbeing is optimal.

Figure 7 AREAS IN WHICH CLARITY IS REQUIRED IN CHILD CARE PLANNING

● the objective of the plan, for example to provide and evaluate the efficacy of

therapeutic interventions

● what services will be provided by which professional group or designated agency

● the timing and nature of contact between the professional workers and the

family

● the purpose of services and professional contact

● specific commitments to be met by the family, for example attendance at a

family centre

● specific commitments to be met by the professional workers, for example the

provision of culturally sensitive services or special assistance for those with disabilities

● which components of the plan are negotiable in the light of experience and

which are not

● what needs to change and the goals to be achieved, for example the child’s

weight to increase by a specific amount in a particular period, regular and appropriate stimulation for the child in keeping with her or his development and age

● what is unacceptable care of the child

● what sanctions will be used if the child is placed in danger or in renewed danger

● what preparation and support the child and adults will receive if she or he