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Referral of Adults for Assessment or Treatment

Referral of Adults for Assessment or Treatment

1. Criteria for Funding Eligibility

  1. Funding for the assessment and treatment of adults can only be provided in circumstances where a Child Protection investigation has identified that a particular child or children have, or are likely to, suffer Significant Harm, as a consequence of the adult’s behaviour. In such cases it is necessary to establish the degree of future risk the adult will pose or, reduce the level of risk in order that the child is effectively protected;
  2. Funding can be considered for assessment or treatment in relation to the following:
    • Assessment and therapeutic work aimed at reunification of a looked after child;
    • Anger management;
    • Sexual offending;
    • Domestic abuse;
    • Work with partners of offenders.
  3. The following criteria should be met before an application for funding will be considered:
    • A specific risk must have been identified;
    • Assessment or treatment has been:
      • Specialist work is required which is beyond the scope of the work involved in undertaking a Child in Need Single Assessment;
      • The work requires the input of a psychologist or psychiatrist.
  4. The relevant Area Manager must endorse the application. The Area Manager must, following consultation with the Service Manager, Children’s Social Care and / or Safeguarding Unit Manager, be satisfied that no alternative option is available to assess or manage the identified risks before endorsing the application;
  5. The Service Manager, Children’s Social Care will make the final decision.

2. Funding Application Procedure

  1. Recommendation made for risk assessment /therapeutic work either by a Child Protection Conference, or in the context of Care Proceedings;
  2. Where the circumstances and criteria set out in key point 2 and 3 apply, the designated Social Worker should complete the application form for funding, and forward this to the Delegated Manager (Children’s Social Care);
  3. The designated Social Worker will request advice from legal services regarding the letter of instruction and factual matrix. When care proceedings are in process, or are likely to be initiated, legal services will oversee the process, and negotiate a joint letter of instruction in appropriate cases;
  4. The social worker / legal services will provide the adult subject to the application, with a copy of the letter of instruction and factual matrix. The subject of the application should be advised to seek legal advice regarding these documents, if not already legally represented;
  5. The person’s legal representative should confirm agreement with the letter of instruction/factual matrix;
  6. The designated social worker will liaise with the service provider, and obtain an estimated cost of the work to be undertaken and forward this to the Delegated Manager (Children’s Social Care) for authorisation.

Last Updated: December 1, 2023

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