Children Moving Across Boundaries

At any stage in the process of working with children and their families, the parents and/or the child/children may move from one household to another, on either a temporary or permanent basis. This could result in a change of address, possibly in another local authority area.

Such moves may be planned and relevant information shared in advance with the practitioners working with the family and child/children.

In some circumstances, however, the move may take place in haste or even as a deliberate attempt to avoid the involvement of practitioners and agencies. Where this is the case, the agencies involved with the family must always consider the impact of the move on the child/children, including whether it increases the likelihood of the child experiencing harm.

Every effort must be made to ensure that the information to safeguard the child is held where the child is.

The child’s move may be temporary or permanent. Uncertainty about whether the move is permanent or temporary should not be allowed to cause a delay in the transfer of the case to services in the new area.

Working Together to Safeguard Children is clear that all practitioners should be particularly alert to the importance of sharing information when a child moves from one local authority into another; due to the risk that knowledge pertinent to keeping a child safe could be lost.

This chapter sets out the actions to be taken in relation to children and families who move across local authority boundaries, either on a temporary or permanent basis, where there is contact with the family by the statutory agencies, and some degree of concern for the child.

If the child is looked after, see Notification by Other Local Authorities of Looked After Children Placed in Rotherham Procedure.

For children who are subject to a Child Protection Plan and move across boundaries, see:

• Initial Child Protection Conference Procedure, Transfer of Cases to Rotherham where the Child/Young Person is the Subject of a Child Protection Plan from Another Local Authority; and
• Transfer of Cases to Another Local Authority where the Child/Young Person is the Subject of a Child Protection Plan and Rotherham is the Responsible Authority.

Work with children and their families may be taking place in the context of:

• Provision of Early Help services;
• Child in Need;
• Child's Assessment;
• Section 47 Enquiry.

Each agency has internal procedures which set out how information about children and families is provided to another local authority/health service/education service/police force area when a child or family moves.

There should never be any delay in sharing information as all information about a child should be held where the child is residing.

Where there are concerns about a Child in Need who moves across local across boundaries, and a Section 47 Enquiry is being considered or is in progress, it is the responsibility of the local authority where the concerns originated to make decisions as to how to proceed. This, however, must be done in close consultation with the new authority. 

If it is agreed by the new authority that the case can be handed over to them, then a transfer of the case can take place but only after written confirmation has been received from the new authority. Cases are deemed to have been transferred only after such written confirmation has been received.

If children and families about whom there are concerns move and cannot be contacted, this in itself will heighten such concerns and lead professionals to consider that the children may be suffering or likely to suffer Significant Harm. 

In such circumstances the agencies involved must share information with one another so that every effort is made to locate the child/children and, where Children’s Social Care Services are not already involved, consider whether a referral should be made under the Referring Safeguarding Concerns about Children Procedure. 

Where the child is already referred to Children’s Social Care Services and the child cannot be located, the Children and Families who go Missing Procedure should be followed.

Where emergency action is required because of concerns that the child is suffering or likely to suffer Significant Harm, the local authority in whose area the child is found is responsible for taking that action.

Where further enquiries are required, the agencies primarily involved with the child and family should then assess the needs and circumstances of the child and family, and agree action to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child in the longer term.

For children who are subject to a Child Protection Plan and move across boundaries, see:

• Initial Child Protection Conference Procedure, Transfer of Cases to Rotherham where the Child/Young Person is the Subject of a Child Protection Plan from Another Local Authority; and
• Transfer of Cases to Another Local Authority where the Child/Young Person is the Subject of a Child Protection Plan and Rotherham is the Responsible Authority.

A temporary move could cover a range of situations from holiday stays to short stay placement moves to relatives or residential units’ the circumstances should always be checked with the child’s Lead Social Worker.

Where it is known that a child who is subject to social intervention, has moved out of the area for a temporary period, however long or short, the area where the child is temporarily residing must be provided with the relevant information and contact numbers. The Lead Social Worker must contact the Children’s Social Care Services team where the child is temporarily resident, providing them with the relevant personal details and the most recent assessment and plan if relevant.