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Contents

1. Details of Providers
2. Procedure for making Supervised Contact Arrangements
   
   Appendix 1: Supervised Contact Referral Form
   
   Appendix 2: Confirmation of Contact Arrangements

1. Details of Providers

4 Providers have been approved for the Preferred Provider Framework. These are:

• A & A Family Contact Centre, Lee, SE12.
• NRS Contact Centre, Lewisham, SE13.
• Proactive Contact Centre, Catford, SE6.
• Croham Services for Children, South Croydon, CR2 7HD. (Croham will be used for Supervised Contact for children placed in surrounding areas out of borough or in circumstances where Supervised Contact is required to take place out of the local area).

2. Procedure for making Supervised Contact Arrangements

1. The Social Worker must firstly consider all other options for Supervised Contact such as the use of extended family members or Foster Carers to facilitate Contact.
2. The Social Worker must discuss and agree Supervised Contact requirements with Team Manager prior to making referral.
3. The Social Worker must complete a Supervised Contact Referral Form (see Appendix 1: Supervised Contact Referral Form), providing all required information. It is imperative that details of all the children, parents and adults attending the contact are recorded on the referral form along with the child’s legal status. This form is obtainable from the Business Process Team, CSC Business Management: supervised_contact@lewisham.gov.uk
   
   Daytime Tel number: (020 831) ext 43663             
4. The Social Worker must email the completed form back to the Business Process Team.
5. The Business Process Officer will validate the information contained within the Supervised Contact Referral form. Incomplete forms will be returned to the Social Worker.
6. The Business Process Officer will seek formal financial authority from the relevant Service Manager.
7. The Business Process Officer will not make any arrangements with the Preferred Provider for Supervised Contact until financial authorisation has been received from the Service Manager by email.
8. To avoid delay, the Social Worker must submit the completed form as soon as they are aware Supervised Contact will be required and no less than 48 hours before contact is expected to commence, with the exception of Emergency Protection Orders and Police Protection.
9. The Social Worker must submit the form by 12 noon to allow the Business Process Team time to seek authorisation and to make the necessary arrangements for Contact. Requests made after 4pm will not be dealt with until the next day.
10. Once Supervised Contact has been arranged, a detailed confirmation (see Appendix 2: Confirmation of Contact Arrangements) will be emailed to the relevant staff i.e. Social Worker, their Team Manager and the relevant Business Support team inbox. The Social Worker is required to communicate the arrangements to the Parents of Looked After Children, Foster Carers and any other adults attending contact.
11. The Social Worker must channel all subsequent variations to the contact arrangements e.g. change of days, times, cancellations through Children’s Social Care Business Process Team at all times. Failure to do this impacts on the reliability of records and therefore finance, including invoice payments. Both over and under payments are unacceptable as these contravene Financial Regulations.
12. Lewisham is charged for providing less than 24 hours notice for cancellation of Supervised Contact. The following cancellation charges apply:
    
    

Cancellation Notice	% of Unit Cost
Before 24 hours	0%
Over 3 hours - 23 hours	50%
3 hours or less	100%

13. The Service Manager, Business Strategy, Fostering, Placements & Procurement has instructed all 4 Providers on this PPF not to accept any referrals or changes to arrangements direct from the Social Worker. This is a contractual requirement which will be monitored as part of the performance of the Preferred Provider.
14. The Children’s Social Care Preferred Provider Framework has fairness and transparency as one of its main tenets. Contact is equitably distributed between the 3 Lewisham based Preferred Providers. Therefore, Business  Management staff are under instruction not to make bookings solely on the basis of Social Worker preference.

Appendix 1: Supervised Contact Referral Form

Click here to view Appendix 1: Supervised Contact Referral Form.

Appendix 2: Confirmation of Contact Arrangements

Click here to view Appendix 2: Confirmation of Contact Arrangements.

End