The child’s assessment and plan

When a child’s needs cannot be met within standard or core provision in education or health services, the assessment and all of the actions to meet additional needs will be recorded in one integrated Child’s Plan. The content of the written Child’s Plan should be proportionate to the child’s circumstances but follows a standard structure. 

The Child’s Plan is achieved through collaboration with the family and child. The family and services around the child are called the partners to the plan.  A core group of significant family members and professionals is identified, including the child if appropriate.

In every case where additional support is required to promote the child’s well-being, the reasons, the assessment, the analysis and the plan for action must be recorded using the agreed Child’s Plan format.

The plan may be short and simple or complex and detailed – but it must always be proportionate to the child’s needs and circumstances. It is also possible (and often necessary) to request access to services before the Child’s Plan is fully crafted by the partners.

When the Child’s Plan can be fulfilled by some additional resources within a universal service, this is a single service Child’s Plan. This will be led by the named person.

When the Child’s Plan requires the input of more than one service, this is a multi-agency Child’s Plan and requires the identification of a lead professional to co-ordinate the plan.

When interventions are required to protect a child from significant harm, this is a Child’s Protection Plan (see Part 5).

If it is a single service plan, the Named Person will be responsible for recording and coordinating the plan. If it is a multi-agency plan, the Lead Professional will be responsible for integrating the contributions from each partner agency into one plan, the Child’s Plan.

Summarising needs against the wellbeing indicators: When the child or young person’s needs are clear they can be summarised using the wellbeing indicators to develop a plan for action. Wellbeing indicators can be used to identify priorities, describe what needs to change to improve the child or young person’s wellbeing and identify the expected outcomes.

Planning, taking action and reviewing: Any child or young person who requires additional support should have a plan to address their needs and improve their wellbeing. This could be a single-agency plan coo-ordinated by the Named Person or a multi-agency plan co-ordinated by a lead professional.

The Practice Model promotes an integrated and co-ordinated approach to multi-agency planning. It looks to practitioners to work in accordance with legislation and guidance but also expects agencies to think beyond their immediate remit, drawing on the skills and knowledge of others as necessary and thinking in a broad, holistic way. For example, a care plan for a child or young person looked after by the local authority, a health care plan, or an individualised education plan should be incorporated within the child’s plan where the child or young person’s circumstances require this.

Every plan, whether it is single- or multi-agency, should include and record:

• the views of the child or young person and their family;
• reasons for the plan;
• partners to the plan;
• a summary of the child or young person’s needs;
• what is to be done to improve a child or young person’s wellbeing;
• details of action to be taken;
• resources to be provided;
• timescales for action and for change;
• contingency plans;
• arrangements for reviewing the plan;
• lead professional arrangements where they are appropriate; and
• details of any compulsory measures if required.

Reviewing a child or young person’s progress should be an essential part of a child’s plan.