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Leeds Children's Social Work Service Procedures Manual
List of Agency Decision Makers, Designated Managers and Nominated Officers
Scope of this chapter
The Scheme of Delegation was reviewed in February 2026.
Introduction
This list of decision-making focuses on those made within Children's Social Work Services to offer clarity and transparency. Policies, procedures and guidance should be read in conjunction with this list.
A delegated decision cannot be re-delegated; it must be made by a manager of equal or higher seniority. For example, if the decision is delegated to a Service Delivery Manager, this cannot be delegated by a Service Delivery Manager to a Team Manager, it would need to be delegated to another Service Delivery Manager.
A basic principle in respect of all decision-making is: "if in doubt, ask".
All finance requests must be on the case management file and supported by a clear rationale for how the expenditure satisfies the child/young person's assessed needs.
Cross refer to - Council and democracy.
At times, additional Corporate Council measures may be implemented that override the information provided here. Please consult your Service Delivery Manager regarding any potential updates or changes.
Amendment
This chapter was updated in February 2026.
| Ref | SUBJECT | DELEGATION |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Child in Need/Private Law | |
| Approval of Section 7 and Section 37 Reports | Service Delivery Manager | |
| 2. | Child Protection | |
| Decision regarding requirement for appropriate medical examination with parents' consent | Team Manager | |
| Decision to initiate a Section 47 investigation | Team Manager | |
| Decision regarding closing a Section 47 investigation | Team Manager | |
| Decision not to investigate a Section 47 the same day | Team Manager | |
| Decision to convene a Child Protection Conference | Team Manager | |
| Decision not to convene a Child Protection Conference | Team Manager | |
| Decision to end a Child Protection Plan | Child Protection Conference | |
| 3. | Informing a third party about a person considered to be a risk to a child Reasons for sharing information must be clearly recorded on the child's record as to why the decision was reached to share the information. |
|
| Decision to inform a third party of the identity and concerns about a person who is considered a risk to a child/young person | Service Delivery Manager | |
| 4. | Care Proceedings Legal advice should be sought on all occasions and a recommendation provided for action. This should be in written form and added to the child/young person's record. All Care Proceeding decisions detailed below must go through the weekly Decision and Review Panel (DARP), Change and Review Panel or Finance Panel as appropriate. The examples below are when attending a panel is not in the appropriate timescales for the child. Please refer to the Terms of Reference for each panel in the resources Library. |
|
| Chairing of Decision and Review Panel (DARP) and Change and Review Panel | Head of Service | |
| Decision to apply for Emergency Protection Order | Head of Service | |
| Decision to initiate Care Proceedings | Decision and Review Panel/Head of Service | |
| Approval of Review Care Plan prior to end of Care Proceedings | Head of Service/Service Delivery Manager | |
| Approval of Review Care Plan after Proceedings have ended | Change and Review Panel/Head of Service | |
| Decision to seek variation of contact | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Decision to seek termination of contact | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Endorsing the Care Plan for the final hearing, except where an Independent Provider resource is required on a long-term basis | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Decision to endorse the Care Plan for the final hearing: where an Independent Provider resource is required | Head of Service | |
| Decision to apply for a discharge or variation of a Care Order or Supervision Order (including an extension of a Supervision Order) | Decision and Review Panel/Head of Service | |
| Application to discharge Care Order | Service Delivery Manager/Change and Review Panel | |
| 5. | Decision to Accommodate or Discharge a Child from Care Legal advice should be sought on all occasions and a recommendation provided for action. This should be in written form and added to the child/young person's record. All decisions to accommodate a child should go through the weekly Decision and Review Panel (DARP). If attending a panel is not in the appropriate timescales for the child then the decision is delegated as below. |
|
| Decision to accommodate a child (Section 20) | Deputy Director | |
| Decision to discharge from care (Section 20) | Head of Service | |
| Decision to discharge from care 16/17-year-old (Section 20) | Deputy Director | |
| 6. | Child Looked After When a child is becoming looked after all paperwork should be completed included delegated authority. These should be signed, with copies given to the parent, the placement and saved on the case management system for the child. |
|
| Surgical/Medical Treatment The Delegated Authority should always outline discussions with parents and carers about medical treatment and should be reviewed annually as a minimum. Medical staff can act in an emergency on the basis of medical need without consent. Attempts to contact parents should always be made and their views gathered in all circumstances. |
||
| To authorise treatment where parent cannot be contacted | Service Delivery Manager | |
| To authorise treatment where parent is unwilling to give consent | Head of Service | |
| Authorise testing for blood borne virus | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Emergency medical treatment which may or may not involve general anaesthetic | Head of Service | |
| Planned medical treatment involving surgery and general anaesthetic | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Decision to withdraw treatment | Director | |
| Holiday Approvals The Delegated Authority should always outline discussions with parents and carers about holidays and should be reviewed annually as a minimum. |
||
| Consent to travel abroad | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Letter for Carers/placement to demonstrate consent for child travel | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Consent to travel in the UK | Foster Carer | |
| Approval of Passport Applications | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Death of a Child Looked After | ||
| Notification to Ofsted following the death of a child looked after / serious harm to a child in a Children's Home/ Foster Care | Chief Officer | |
| Funeral arrangements following the death of a child looked after | Service Delivery Manager in consultation with parents | |
| 7. | Placements Placements need to have appropriate approvals in place. Depending on what type of placement is being requested depends on what level of agreement is required. |
|
| Placements in Leeds via in house fostering and in house Children's Home | Head of Service Fostering or Residential (as appropriate) and Head of Service for child's Social Worker | |
| Placement in registered Children's Home or with a registered Supported Accommodation provider | Deputy Director/ Director | |
| Placement under Placement with Parents Regulations | ||
| Planned placement under Placement with Parents Regulations | Head of Service/Change and Review Panel | |
| Emergency placement under Placement with Parents Regulations | Head of Service | |
| Kinship Carers | ||
| Emergency approval | Head of Service | |
| Permanent approval | Agency Decision Maker Fostering Panel | |
| External Placements | ||
| External Placements | Deputy Director/Director | |
| Independent Fostering Agency | Head of Service | |
| Unregulated Placements in a Childrens Home or Supported Accommodation | ||
| Approval for an unregulated placement in a Childrens Home or Supported Accommodation | Deputy Director/Director | |
| Secure Accommodation | ||
| Authority to apply for a Secure Accommodation Order | Chief Officer | |
| Authority to decide on a placement in Secure Accommodation without an Order for up to 72 hours | Deputy Director/Director | |
| Review of placement in Secure Accommodation | Integrated Safeguarding Unit | |
| 8. | Foster Care and Adoption | |
| Foster Carer approval | Agency Decision Maker Fostering Panel | |
| Adopter approval | Agency Decision Maker Adoption Panel | |
| Decision to place for adoption | Agency Decision Maker Adoption Panel | |
When decisions need to be made outside of daytime working hours it is not always possible to follow the same decision-making framework. As such a separate framework is devised.
The on-call Service Delivery Manager can consult the on-call Head of Service regarding the decisions if required.
| Ref | SUBJECT | DELEGATION |
|---|---|---|
| New Section 20 accommodation | Head of Service | |
| Provision of accommodation to an Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Child | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Placement under Police Powers of Protection | Service Delivery Manager | |
| PACE bed for a child | This is provided on demand from the Police. Secure PACE bed is via Adel Beck on call. Non-secure PACE bed is via the PACE bed rota. | |
| New unregulated placement | Deputy Director/Director | |
| Media release for missing looked after child on recommendation of the responsible police officer. | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Notification of death of a child | Deputy Director/Director | |
| Urgent financial support to families - up to £100 | Emergency Duty Team | |
| Urgent financial support for families up to £1000 | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Change of placement for a child looked after | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Use of Independent Fostering Agency placement for a child looked after | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Complex child protection matter | Service Delivery Manager | |
| To authorise treatment for a child looked after where parent cannot be contacted | Service Delivery Manager | |
| To authorise treatment for a child looked after where parent is unwilling to give consent | Head of Service | |
| Decision to withdraw treatment for a child looked after | Director | |
| Incident that is likely to attract significant media attention | Head of Service |
The Director of Children and Families is authorised in accordance with the Officer Delegation Scheme to carry out functions on behalf of Full Council and the Executive. The Director can choose to sub delegate and these are outlined in the Sub Delegation Scheme - Council and democracy.
The Decision Making Toolkit will assist in understanding the processes needed in relation to financial agreements.
At times, additional Corporate Council measures may be implemented that override the information provided here. Please consult your Service Delivery Manager regarding any potential updates or changes.
| Ref | SUBJECT | DELEGATION |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Section 17 A separate Section 17 Policy should be read and understood when authorising expenditure. |
|
| Approval of one-off payments up to £100 | Team Manager | |
| Approval of one-off payments up to £1000 |
Service Delivery Manager |
|
| Approval of regular weekly payments (up to accumulative total of £1000 in a financial year) | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Approval of payments (up to accumulative total of £50,000 in a financial year) | Head of Service | |
| Regular payments in excess of £1000 (up to accumulative value of £50,000) | Finance Panel | |
| Payments in excess of £50,000 | Chief Officer | |
| 2. | Young People in Residential Care When a child in is placed in a residential setting there needs to be a collaborative relationship between the Team Manager in the Social Work team, and the Registered Home Manager. Discussions should take place as to approvals of finances and which budgets this will apply from. Decisions should be made jointly. A separate Residential Children Homes Financial Management document should be read and understood when authorising expenditure. |
|
| Approval of one-off payments up to £500 | Team Manager Registered Manager | |
| Approval of one-off payments up to £1000 | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Approval of regular weekly payments (up to accumulative total of £1000 in a financial year) | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Approval of payments (up to accumulative total of £50,000 in a financial year) | Head of Service | |
| Regular payments in excess of £1000 total (up to accumulative value of £50,000) | Finance Panel | |
| Payments in excess of £50,000 | Chief Officer | |
| 3. | Children Looked After Finances Children Looked After have a separate Finance Policy which is regularly updated and approved by Senior Leaders. Please cross reference to the document available from the Service Area as to understand how it differs from usual delegated powers. A separate Children Looked After Finance Policy is in development. |
|
| Up to £3000 on policy | Team Manager/Service Delivery Manager | |
| More than £3000 and off policy | Head of Service Delivery | |
| Approval of one-off payments up to £500 off policy | Team Manager | |
| Approval of one-off payments up to £1000 off policy | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Approval of regular weekly payments off policy (up to accumulative total of £1000 in a financial year) | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Approval of payments (up to accumulative total of £50,000 in a financial year) off policy | Head of Service | |
| Regular payments in excess of £1000 (up to accumulative value of £50,000) off policy | Finance Panel | |
| Payments in excess of £50,000 off policy | Chief Officer | |
| 4. | Leaving Care Finances Leaving Care have a separate Finance Policy which is regularly updated and approved by Senior Leaders. Please cross reference to the document available from the Service Area as to understand how it differs from usual delegated powers. A separate Leaving Care Finance Policy should be read and understood when authorising expenditure. |
|
| Up to £3000 on policy | Team Manager/Service Delivery Manager | |
| Approval of one-off payments up to £500 off policy | Team Manager | |
| More than £3000 and off policy | Head of Service Delivery | |
| 5. | Child Arrangements Order and Special Guardianship Orders | |
| Approval of allowance and/or payment of legal fees up to £1000 | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Approval of allowance and/or payment of legal fees in excess of £1000 | Finance Panel | |
| 6. | Adoption Allowances At the point of the plan for SHOBPA the Agency Decision Maker will make a decision regarding the child's eligibility for financial support. The financial support should be recommended by the social workers and family finder and agreed prior to the match being heard at the Adoption Panel by the local authority Finance Panel. This should be confirmed in the adoption support plan finance section so the Agency Decision Maker is aware of the agreed plan of support when the match is agreed. |
|
| Approval of one-off payments up to £500 | Team Manager | |
| Approval of one-off payments up to £1000 | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Approval of regular weekly payments (up to accumulative total of £1000 in a financial year) | Service Delivery Manager | |
| Approval of payments (up to accumulative total of £50,000 in a financial year) | Head of Service | |
| Regular payments in excess of £1000 (up to accumulative value of £50,000) | Finance Panel | |
| Payments in excess of £50,000 | Chief Officer | |
| 7. | Hire of cars/train journeys for purposes of work outside of Leeds | Team Managers |
Last Updated: February 10, 2026
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