Records & plans
What is a care plan?
A care plan is the placing authority's plan for a looked-after child, setting out how their needs will be met and what the plan for their future is. The home's placement plan delivers part of it.
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<img src="https://careoptix.co.uk/glossary/care-plan/diagram.svg" alt="care plan — diagram from CareOptix" width="880" height="620" loading="lazy">
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<a href="https://careoptix.co.uk/glossary/care-plan">What is a care plan?</a> — diagram by
<a href="https://careoptix.co.uk">CareOptix</a>
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</figure>It belongs to the local authority rather than the home, which is the distinction that causes confusion. The home contributes to it and works to it; it does not own it.
It covers health, education, contact, emotional development and the permanence plan, which is a broader scope than a home's day-to-day arrangements.
A home working without a current care plan is working without knowing what the placement is for, and chasing it is a legitimate and necessary part of the role.
What goes wrong in practice
- Placement plan written without a current care plan to deliver against.
- Care plan not updated after a review, with the home working to an old version.
- The home's contributions to review not prepared, so the child's day-to-day reality is under-represented.