Referral and Information Record

• CSSR Case No.
  
  

  This is the index number given to the referral by the Council with Social Services Responsibilities.
  
• Date referral received
  
  
  This is the date that the referral or request for services was received by the agency.
  
• Is the Parent/Carer aware of the referral?
  
  
  This refers to awareness at the point in time the referral is being made.
  
• Child or young person’s details
  
  Some of this information may not be available at the time of referral but should be recorded in the Referral and Information Record as it becomes known. This includes the following:
  
  - Family name

  This is the child or young person’s family name, second name or surname.

  - Given names

  This is the child or young person’s first or forenames.

  - Child or young person’s first language or preferred means of communication

  The preferred means of communication may include Bliss, Makaton, BSL

  - Current Address if different from above

  This should be used in situations where the child is not living at their usual or home address. For example, if a child is living temporarily with a relative or is a hospital patient.

  - Social Services Team

  This is the team responsible for providing a service to the child or young person

  - Responsible CSSR

  This should be completed if a referral is being made regarding a child or young person who is the responsibility of a Council with Social Services Responsibilities other than your own. For example a child on another Council with Social Services Responsibilities’ child protection register, or a child in the care of another Council with Social Services Responsibilities who is residing in your area.

• Child or young person’s principal carers
  
  - Main carers

  This should record the main carers of the child or young person at their usual or home address.

  - If known to Social Services – name of CSSR and Case Number

  This should be completed if one of the child or young person’s main carers is a user of social services, for example, if a parent is a user of Adult Services. The Council with Social Services Responsibility should be recorded when another authority provides the services.

• The referral

  - Reason for referral/request for services

  This records brief details concerning the reason for the referral, or request for services. It is important to note these details, even when the services requested cannot be provided, or cannot be provided immediately.

  - Agency/Relationship to child

  This records the relationship of the referrer to the child or young person. If the referrer is making the referral on behalf of their agency then this should be recorded e.g. if a teacher made a referral then the name of the school would be recorded. A family member would have their relationship to the child or young person recorded. A neighbour would be recorded as such.

  - Address

  This is the referrer’s agency address, where appropriate, or home address in the case of a relative or neighbour.

  - Does the referrer wish to remain anonymous?

  Where a referrer wants to remain anonymous this should be recorded. Any information in the Referral or Information Record that identifies the person making the referral should be removed or obscured before the record is copied to members of the family or other agencies.

• Child or young person’s ethnicity and nationality:

  - Ethnicity

  The categories listed are those used by the Government. They will assist councils in the completion of statistical returns.

  - Further details regarding

  In some cases Councils with Social Services Responsibility may wish to record more information about a child or young person’s ethnicity to assist with service provision.
  

• Parents if not main carers and other household members

  - Parent’s details if not main carers

  This should be completed if the child or young person’s parents are not their main carers.

  - Other household members

  This records all those people (children and adults) living at the child or young person’s usual or home address.

  - If known to Social Services – CSSR and case number

  This is used if a household member is already a user of Social Services service. This should include adult members of the household if they are known to adult social services, for example the Community Mental Health Team.

  - Tick if also referred to SSD.

  This should be completed if another household member is being referred to your social services department, at the same time. A separate Initial Information Record should be completed for each child or young person referred. Following the Data Protection Act 1998 it is suggested that each child or young person has a separate file.

• Child and family networks

  - Significant family members not members of child’s household

  This section is used to record significant family members not living in the child or young person’s household. For example, a birth parent or relative who provides care for the child or young person on a shared basis or has a lot of contact with him or her.

  - Other Social Services cases associated with the referred child CSSR case number if appropriate.

  In some cases it is important to record links to other social services cases. For example where half or stepsiblings are looked after by a council or have had their names placed on a council’s child protection register or are receiving family support services. This section may also be used in situations where there are concerns that involve a number of different families. For example, where a Schedule One offender has had contact with several families.

• Key Agencies

  The name of the key professional from all agencies currently involved with the child or young person and family should be recorded. This includes agencies working with parents. Agencies should be consulted/involved as appropriate as part of the initial assessment. Parental permission to contact other agencies should be obtained from parents except in cases where by doing so the safety of the child or young person would be jeopardised (Working Together to Safeguard Children (1999). This should be indicated by a tick. It will have to be made clear at this point whether other professionals agree to information they provide being shared with the child/young person and/or family.

• Further details about the child/young person and family

  This section records whether the child or young person or another member of the family is or has been disabled, on a child protection register or looked after.

• Further Action

It is important to indicate what action has been taken and what action is planned, by whom and from which agency. This includes situations when no further action is to be taken. The referral should be collated with previous referrals and/or files, which should be consulted and information recorded drawn upon as part of the analysis and decision making processes. The worker who has completed the referral should always sign and date the record. The record should then be passed to the relevant manager to confirm the action recommended in accordance with the policy of the Social Services Department.

Links to other records in the Integrated Children’s System

• Using the Referral and Information Record with Children Looked After
  The Referral and Information Record provides the carers with essential information about the child or young person who is looked after. It replaces the Essential Information Record Part One of the 1995 Looking After Children Materials. As most children and young people who become looked after are already known to social services, in these circumstances it will reduce the need to gather this information at the point the child or young person becomes looked after.

  When a child or young person becomes looked after, an up to date copy of the Referral and Initial Information Record should be given to the carers. The child or young person and parents should have received a copy of the Referral and Information Record when it was completed. At the point the child or young person becomes looked after it will be important to check whether the child or young person and parents still have a copy, and that the information remains correct and up to date.

  Where a referrer has asked to remain anonymous any information that identifies the person making the referral should be removed or obscured before the record is copied to the carer, child or young person or family members.

  In cases where the reason for the original referral is no longer relevant, or may be misleading, the social worker may decide after consultation with the child or young person and their parents not to copy this information to the carer.