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Our objective is to strive to allocate all cases that require assessment and intervention from Children's Social Care to appropriate workers. However, we recognise that in order for staff to undertake assessments within timescales, to be able to implement plans, visit within statutory timescales, care plan, monitor and review cases, caseloads need to be manageable and appropriate to the stage of development and experience of workers.

There will be times, when because of vacancies and sickness, team managers are unable to allocate all cases referred and accepted by the Division as appropriate.

If a team manager judges that he/she has reached a point where he/she is no longer able to allocate cases within the team, the following action must be taken:

• Alert the appropriate Service Manager;
• Review caseloads within the team to identify cases that could/should be closed or referred on to other, more appropriate agencies - and action the closure - ensuring that records are brought up to date and service users and other agencies are informed in writing.

When the above action has been taken, and if it still proves impossible to allocate all cases then the following must occur:

• The Service Manager will alert the Children and Family Services Manager who will in turn alert the Service Director;
• The Team and Service Manager will ensure that cases within the team are allocated in the following priority order:
  • Section 47 Investigations;
  • Children subject to a Child Protection Plan;
  • Cases subject to Public Law Proceedings;
  • Looked After Children with a plan for permanence not yet implemented;
  • Looked After Children in permanent placements;
  • Children in Need.

In order to work to this schedule of priorities for allocation, it may be necessary to 'de-allocate' cases that are of a lower priority in order to allocate cases of a higher priority. This will require Team Managers to review cases that are currently allocated but of a lower priority in order to establish which cases can be de-allocated. All section 47 investigations or children subject to Child Protection Plans must be allocated.

When cases remain that cannot be allocated, the team manager will complete the return attached to this Protocol and forward to the Service Manager for ratification. The return will be sent to the Children and Family Services Manager and the Service Director. The return must be updated on a monthly basis. Team Managers remain responsible for the oversight of these cases.

The Service Manager should discuss with colleague Service Managers to see whether other teams can assist - either by allocating to staff in other teams or by moving staff from one team to another. The principle that we must adopt is that it is our collective responsibility to ensure that all cases are allocated if at all possible.

All unallocated cases will be subject to the following action:

• Each case will have essential actions identified (particularly identifying any statutory requirements). It will be the responsibility of team managers to ensure that these essential actions are carried out, on a 'task allocation' basis;
• Letters will be sent to service users and relevant agencies explaining that the case cannot be allocated at present, but that any concerns or queries should be directed to the team manager in the first instance. Service users must be given the name and contact details of the team manager;
• All unallocated cases will be subject to review and discussion between the team manager and service manager on a monthly basis. These discussions will be recorded.

The Service Director will discuss the returns of unallocated cases with the Children and Families Manager on a monthly basis and as appropriate will inform the Executive Director/s and Portfolio Member/s.

Click here to view Unallocated Cases Return Form

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