Significant Event Chronologies and Three Monthly Summaries

Child Care case records serve several purposes, ranging from records of services provided to children with disabilities or other family support, to a complete account of a child's career through the child protection process to adoption, via the looked after children system. Each file will therefore need to record assessments, services provided, reasons for decisions, the view of children and families, degree of compliance, child protection, looked after children, legal procedures, and outcomes. Files need to show evidence of supervision, and may be read by the subject, or third parties where appropriate.

1. Chronologies will need to reflect this variety of functions without either duplicating or inadequately replacing the content of the main case record. The degree of complexity in the chronology will bear a direct relationship to the level of detail in the case notes, i.e. if there is detailed case recording, the chronology will be a summary of key events which can be followed up where needed by reference to recording in the main case record.

   The chronology is a summary, which can be expanded on by reference to the main file, and its purpose is the assessment of risk, monitoring of compliance with procedures and provision of a case outline.

2. In all cases that proceed beyond Single Assessment, a chronology must be completed which will include:

   1. Expressions of concern by other agencies, notification of domestic abuse, requests for help from families under stress and request for admission to care, requests for Section 17 money, all children and young people who are assessed to be a Child in Need;

   2. Detail of any Section 47 (The Children Act 1989) investigations;
   3. Detail of children and young people who are the subject of a Child Protection Plan;
   4. Detail of all children and young people who are Looked After;
   5. Detail of all children with disabilities.

The following events will need to be included in Significant Event Chronologies:

1. Child in Need assessments - date only;
2. Provision of services - specify start and finish dates;
3. Change of address;
4. Provision of Family Support Services;
5. Incidents of domestic abuse;
6. Expressions of concerns regarding Significant Harm from other agencies;
7. Incidents of Significant Harm to a child or young person;
8. Serious illness or injury, even if accidental;
9. S47 (The Children Act 1989) investigations including Strategy Discussion/Meeting;
10. Details of Child Protection Conference and any Child Protection Plan and when it was discontinued;
11. Core Groups and written agreements;
12. Change of social worker or other key worker;
13. Change of household members;
14. Date of risks assessment and outcome;
15. Admission to care;
16. Looked after Child Reviews - date only;
17. LAC medical;
18. Placement change;
19. Change of legal status;
20. Change of school;
21. Change of GP;
22. Criminal offences;
23. Drug raids;
24. Bailed to reside/remanded to LA Care/Criminal Supervision Order;
25. Secure Order - date and reason for Order;
26. Senior Managers' agreement to Placement with Parents, emergency foster placements, return home of child with a Child Protection Plan, variation of visiting requirement;
27. Foster Panel Immediate or emergency foster placement;
28. Adoption Panel initial agreement and subsequent Fostering Panel;
29. Adoption Reviews;
30. Notification of intention to adopt.

This list is not exclusive and other significant events, i.e. significant events affecting the care of a child or young person should be included if the worker considers it to be appropriate.

1. One chronology must be completed per family where all children are living with parents (even if they are subject to a Child Protection Plan or Care Order). The main copy is to be placed on the oldest child's file and copied every 3 months on to the other children's files.

2. One chronology must be completed per family where the case is in Interim Proceedings (and the risk/need is being assessed with in the family context) unless the children are placed separately, in which case a separate chronology for each child should be completed.

   Once the final hearing has taken place, unless the children are returning home, a separate chronology for each child must be completed. The exception is those children who are placed together where one chronology must be completed. The main copy is to be placed on the oldest child's file and copied every 3 months on to the other children's files.
3. The designated Social Worker with lead responsibility is responsible for updating the chronology regularly. However, any other worker with a module file e.g. a Family Centre, Community Support Team, the Early Years and residential children's home must complete a chronology regarding the events during their involvement. This must be sent to the designated social worker every 3 months, who has responsibility for incorporating the chronology into the main chronology on the child or young person's case record.

1. The designated social worker or any worker writing a child or young person's module file will complete the Significant Events Chronology;
   • All entries should be made under date information received as known to the worker which will not necessarily be the date of the event (which would also be entered);
   • Sources of third party information should be identified;
   • Entries should not be too detailed;
   • Entries should be signed by the worker making the entry.
2. Monitoring of chronologies:
   
   The supervisor will check the chronology is up to date as follows:
   
   (i) When any short-term case closes and it meets the criteria for a chronology; (ii) Looked After Children Cases - when the file is checked before the Review; (iii) Child Protection Cases - at the Initial Child Protection Conference and subsequently when the Review Child Protection Conference is held; (iv) at the point of any case transfer to another team or local authority, (v);
   
   Disability Cases - 6 monthly in supervision;
   
   The Supervisor will sign the chronology at least six-monthly, preferably in the context of a general record check.