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1.2.9 Referral, Assessment and Planning for Unborn Babies

AMENDMENTS

This chapter was updated in September 2011, when Section 3.3 Pregnant Women in Prison was added.


Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Principles
  3. Process


1. Introduction

1.1 "Working Together" 2010 states that the LSCB procedures and timescales to be applied when there are concerns about the welfare of a child, should also be followed when there are concerns about the welfare of an unborn child. This procedure sets out what should happen if a professional is concerned that a mother and/or father's ability to provide adequate and safe care to a baby they are due to have is inadequate or impaired.
1.2 This procedure should be read in conjunction with the Peterborough Safeguarding Children Board’s Pre Birth Multi Agency Procedure and Practice Guidance: Pre-Birth Assessment and Risk Factors.


2. Principles

  • The procedure should be understood by colleagues across all agencies
  • Parents and family members should always be involved.


3. Process

3.1

Referral
3.1.1 A referral on an unborn to a family unknown to Children's Social Care will be responded to by the Referral and Assessment Team.
3.1.2 A referral on an unborn where siblings are open to Children's Social Care will be discussed between the manager of the Referral & Assessment Team and the team manager for the open case to decide which team should progress the assessments on the unborn baby.
3.1.3 When the referral is regarding a baby that is going to be relinquished for adoption, the Initial Assessment will be undertaken by a social worker from the Referral and Assessment Team and a social worker from the Adoption Team to ensure that any other concerns are addressed. However, where concerns are identified as above the case will transfer to the Referral and Assessment Team and this procedure will be followed.
3.1.4 Where the parent of the unborn is identified as a young person in care or eligible for care leavers support, the unborn child is referred in their own right and the young person regarded as the parent in these circumstances. The appropriate worker from Leaving Care will contribute to the assessments.

3.2

Assessment
3.2.1 A referral should be accompanied by a CAF where applicable and timely to do so.
3.2.2 Upon receipt of a referral, an Initial Assessment will be completed within the appropriate timescale.
3.2.3 A Core Assessment should not be undertaken until after the 12th week of pregnancy has been confirmed, however the no delay principle should apply and assessments must be undertaken in a timely manner.
3.2.4 Where time allows, the assessment should begin within 16 weeks of the estimated date of delivery (EDD). (i.e. the 24th week of pregnancy)
3.2.5

The possible outcomes of the Initial Assessment will be either:

3.3

Pregnant Women in Prison

3.3.1

The Children Act 1989 sets out the local authority’s responsibilities in respect of unborn babies whose mothers are in prison.

Section 17(1) of the Children Act 1989 provides the legislative base for social work services to prisoners and their children:

‘It shall be the general duty of every Local Authority (in addition to other duties)

  1. to safeguard and promote the welfare of children within their area who are in need and;
  2. so far as is consistent with that duty, to promote the upbringing of such children by their families, by providing a range and level of services appropriate to those children’s needs.’
The provision is particularly important because some local authority Children’s Social Care Services have tried to argue that it is the woman’s “home” authority which is responsible for the care of the mother and child not the Children’s Social Care Services local to the prison. However, the court judgements clearly show the primary responsibility for the child rests with the Children’s Social Care Services for the area within which the prison stands. In particular, the Children’s Social Care Services which cover the prison are responsible for representing the best interests of the child in any formal process but the mother’s “home” Social Services also have a role to play. That position is reinforced by Sections 27 and 47 of the Act, which require local authorities to co-operate with each other. 

End