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Independent Persons<br />
for<br />
Secure Accommodation<br />
Criteria Reviews<br />
0844 5672697 admin@rrconsultancy.org www.rrconsultancy.org<br />
© Copyright RRC (RRCONSULTANCY) LTD
Since 2003 RRC has provided Local<br />
Authorities nationwide Independent<br />
Persons to take part in the review<br />
of children and young people held<br />
in Secure Accommodation under<br />
Regulation 15 of the Children (Secure<br />
Accommodation) Regulations 1991.<br />
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Secure Units / Children’s Homes Served<br />
(Secure Accommodation)<br />
Adel Beck Secure Children’s Home<br />
Aldine House Secure Children’s<br />
Centre<br />
Atkinson Secure Children’s Home<br />
Aycliffe Secure Children’s Home<br />
Barton Moss Children’s Home<br />
Beechfield Secure Unit<br />
Clare Lodge Secure Unit<br />
Clayfields House Secure Unit<br />
Good Shepherd Centre<br />
Hillside Secure Centre<br />
Kibble Education and Care Centre<br />
Kyloe House Secure Children’s<br />
Home<br />
Lansdowne Secure Unit<br />
Lincolnshire Secure Unit<br />
Rossie Secure Accommodation<br />
Services<br />
St Catherine’s Secure Centre<br />
St Mary’s Kenmure<br />
Swanwick Lodge<br />
Vinney Green Secure Unit<br />
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The Secure Accommodation Review Panel<br />
The Secure Accommodation Review (<strong>SAR</strong>) has a clear remit to assess the criteria for a<br />
young person remaining in Secure Accommodation. The Panel must establish whether<br />
the criteria are met or not and in doing so review the evidence presented in the original<br />
application to Court. The Panel will have information from the Unit, both written and<br />
verbal, on the behaviour of the young person, and the outline of the Care Plan. The<br />
Panel’s objective is to review the actions of the agency (the local authority) and not to<br />
make plans for the child.<br />
A successful Panel will aim to:<br />
• Ensure no child remains in secure longer than necessary, by asking appropriate<br />
questions of professional staff in the interests of guaranteeing a fair hearing for the<br />
child/young person.<br />
• Enable the young person to have the opportunity to say what s/he wants to, to listen to<br />
her/him and to take her/him seriously.<br />
• Allow everyone a chance to put their views and have them taken into account.<br />
• Consider whether the criteria continues to apply, whether the placement continues to<br />
be necessary and whether any other description of accommodation is appropriate and<br />
in doing so shall have regard to the welfare of the child<br />
• Ensure that issues of progress in the Unit, specific concerns and comments or complaints<br />
are passed to senior management, operational staff, or, if appropriate, the Looked After<br />
Review process.<br />
RRC provides a one stop solution for Local Authorities<br />
to enable them to fulfil their obligations through the<br />
provision of fully trained and qualified Independent<br />
Persons to be involved in the review of children held in<br />
Secure Accommodation.<br />
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Independent Persons from RRC will<br />
• Ensure that the Local Authority has acted properly in placing the young person in<br />
Secure Accommodation.<br />
• Alongside other members of the Panel, consider whether the criteria continues to<br />
apply, whether the placement continues to be necessary and whether any other<br />
description of accommodation is appropriate and in doing so shall have regard to<br />
the welfare of the child.<br />
• Read all background information prior to the Panel.<br />
• Meet the young person prior to the Panel in order to:<br />
--<br />
Introduce her/himself and emphasise her/his independence from the Local<br />
Authority.<br />
--<br />
explain that s/he is not an advocate for the young person, but will ensure that the<br />
young person’s rights are upheld during the Review process<br />
--<br />
Encourage the young person to raise any concerns about her/his placement or the<br />
wider care plan which can be discussed with the Chair of the Panel.<br />
• Will be alert to any views or concerns expressed by the young person and ensure<br />
these are fed into the Review process.<br />
• Will if required an appropriate comment on the care plan for the young person at the<br />
Review.<br />
• Express honestly her/his views on whether the criteria are considered to be met and<br />
maintain an independent stance.<br />
RRC’s Independent People are comprehensively supported<br />
with training, guidance and advice to enable them to undertake<br />
their professional roles. All RRC Independent Persons have a<br />
strong background in children’s social work especially looked<br />
after children, vulnerable children in need of protection and<br />
children’s residential care including secure children’s homes<br />
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Key Features<br />
of the Independent Person Service<br />
• Nationwide established network of suitably qualified and<br />
experienced Independent Persons<br />
• Independent Persons available for ALL secure children’s<br />
homes / units<br />
• Independent Persons experienced in children’s residential<br />
care and secure children’s homes.<br />
• Independent Persons are familiar with the range of Local<br />
Authority (Children’s Services) legislation, regulations,<br />
policies, practice and procedures.<br />
• Independent Persons commissioned work under a strict<br />
service level agreement and stand-alone confidentiality<br />
agreement supervised and managed by RRC.<br />
• Independent Persons are from a variety age groups and ethnic<br />
and cultural backgrounds with some able to offer second and<br />
third languages and clear enhanced DBS checks.<br />
• RRC Independent Persons are adequately insured with public<br />
liability and professional indemnity cover carrying photo<br />
identity cards with tamper proof security features.<br />
• Simple referral process, by phone, email or online with same<br />
day confirmation of Independent Person availability<br />
• Fully encrypted and secure Cytrix Sharefile server for all<br />
confidential documents exchange with Independent Persons<br />
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Information Management<br />
RRC has clear policies and procedures that all its Independent People follow. Safety and<br />
security of personal data is managed through fully encrypted and secure electronic data<br />
management systems that are compliant with data protection legislation.<br />
Make a Referral<br />
RRC’s service is available to all Local Authorities in England and covers secure children’s home<br />
throughout England, Scotland and Wales. Book an Independent Person quickly and securely by<br />
phone, email or online.<br />
0844 5672697<br />
admin@rrconsultancy.org<br />
www.rrconsultancy.org<br />
With your details as the referrer, please provide the date, time and secure unit where the review<br />
will be taking place. No details for the child must be provided at this stage.<br />
Following receipt of your referral RRC will contact you and complete the referral process and<br />
provide secure links to upload referral documents.<br />
Urgent and out of hours<br />
referrals will be responded<br />
to on the same day,<br />
usually within 4 hours<br />
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RRC (RRCONSULTANCY) LTD<br />
PO Box 959, BD1 9EB<br />
Tel: 0844 5672697<br />
E: admin@rrconsultancy.org
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