Jargonbuster - Care Plan

In an application for a care order, the local authority must provide basic information to the court and to the parties about case management and long term planning. The court cannot make a final care order unless it has considered a care plan. 

 

The Care Plan presented by the local authority must be an authorised plan about the child or young person’s needs, the best way of responding to those needs, and the detailed arrangements setting out how the local authority will provide services to promote and protect the child or young person’s welfare whilst he or she is the subject of a Care Order. 

The commitment to the plan may require an input from a range of services. 

 

This may include education and health in addition to Children's Social Care. In such cases agreement should have been reached with these agencies in respect of services included in the plan. 

 

In exceptional cases and where the court considers it necessary, a designated officer or other senior manager may be required to attend court and given evidence on behalf of the local authority.