Looked after children
A small number of children in Darlington live in the care of the local authority.
Most live with foster carers. Some live with their own families, and some live in residential children’s homes.
We aim to provide the very best quality of care for our looked after children.
Many of these children have experienced major difficulties in their lives.
Looked after children and care leavers commissioning and sufficiency strategy [pdf document]
The strategy sets out our approach to:
- securing accommodation; and
- supporting the needs of our looked after children and care leavers.
Looked after through care team
This team comprises of:
- A full-time Team Manager.
- A full-time Senior Practitioner.
- Six full-time Social Workers.
- Three full-time Personal Advisors.
There are also two Participation Officers and two Therapeutic Social Workers within the team.
The team supports the child/young person.
- We work with education and health professionals.
- We promote family contact.
- We support their education.
- We make sure their health needs are met.
- We support young people in their transition to adulthood.
- We arrange personal advisors for young people at 15.5 years old.
See leaving care for more information.
The role of the social worker
- To ensure we visit the child/ young person in placement within statutory timescales.
- To complete all relevant looked after child assessments and paperwork.
- To ensure that we record all involvement on time.
- To ensure the development of positive working relationships with the child, carer and family members.
- To ensure that all contacts with family members are arranged and the child/ young person, their family and carers are made aware of these arrangements.
- To ensure that we complete and review personal education plans.
- To ensure that we complete looked after child health assessments within required timescales.
- To work with all our partner agencies sharing appropriate information as and when required.
- To improve outcomes for looked after children.
If you would like any further information about the looked after through care team please contact the Team Manager.
Looked after through care team contact details
Pease House12A Horsemarket,
Darlington,
DL1 5PW
If you need to discuss a looked after child/young person and you cannot contact their allocated worker, contact the duty worker on 01325 406284.