Transfer Policy and Procedure
Scope of this chapter
Hull Children, Young People and Family Services has several different teams which can provide support to children and families across the city. This starts from referral to the Early Help and Support Hub (EHASH) right through to the leaving care team. The Threshold of Need document is used to support finding the service which can best support the child and family and their needs.
At certain points in a child’s lived experience, there may be changes in services to best support their needs as they change and become older. This policy and its procedure aim to make the transfer between teams and/or services as consistent and clear as possible for children and families.
Amendment
This chapter was revised and updated throughout in November 2025.
The child's needs are paramount and should be central to the process that all practitioners in Hull follow. Hull Children, Young People and Family Services are there to give support to those who need extra help and may need protecting from harm. The processes that underpin this focus need to be consistent and clear to allow children and families to have an understanding of the different services, and they should be kept informed throughout.
This policy provides an overview of the transfer process to support the transfer of children from one social worker to another; however, it is vital that flexibility is exercised to ensure that decisions are made for children to ensure that they get the right support, from the right service, at the right time. This policy aims to provide guidance, not rigid rules. However, the discretion of Team Managers and Group Managers should be used to ensure that drift and delay do not occur for children and their families.
When reaching a point of transfer, all identified work should be completed by the previous social worker. There will be times when it has been agreed between the Team Manager or Group Managers that the previous social worker or allocated practitioner completes the task following the child being allocated to the receiving social worker. We need to ensure that in those instances, there are clear timescales agreed to ensure accountability and completion of all outstanding pieces of work.
The standards of the service throughout Hull Children, Young People and Family Services need to think ‘child first’ and ensure that the family get the right service at the right time for their support needs. This is the responsibility of all managers and practitioners across the service.
The child’s records must be up to date, including:
- Accuracy and Completeness: All essential information, including professional networks, legal status, and orders, must be recorded and kept up to date in Liquid Logic;
- Family Context: Maintain a genogram and impact chronology to reflect family relationships and significant events;
- Evidence of Work: Document all direct work with children and families, including introductory and goodbye letters, words-and-pictures explanations, and life story materials for looked-after children;
- Assessment and Planning: Complete and share child and family assessments incorporating safety plans. Ensure birth certificates and relevant documents are on file;
- Timely Meetings: Hold network meetings within 10 working days and at review points. Record and file all meeting minutes promptly;
- Ongoing Recording: Keep diary entries, visits, supervision records, and case summaries current in line with practice standards;
- Management Oversight: Provide clear oversight, including purpose of involvement, upcoming reviews, family time arrangements, risk factors, and outstanding tasks with agreed responsibility for completion.
The timescale of the transfer process will vary depending on the child and their circumstances. A general rule, once Team Managers have discussed the transfer, the process should take place as agreed, in a timely manner. For instance, if a child is being subject to an Initial Child Protection Conference (ICPC), the Team Manager should alert the Group Manager by adding the child to the transfer list for a new worker to be identified. Weekly transfer discussion meetings are held to agree which teams the children will be allocated to. The receiving managers will then hold a discussion with the previous team manager to ascertain who will support the child, and they will then discuss the child/children with the allocated practitioner.
There should be agreement between the Team Managers about the continuity of the provision of services during the case transfer.
The social worker needs to ensure that they have spoken to the child and family to explain when and why there will be a change of social worker and when this will happen.
A date will then be arranged for the new social worker to come and meet the child and family during a visit so that introductions can be done, and the child and family can ask any questions before the social worker hands over to the new social worker.
Following this, the Team Manager will share the information with the new social worker. Contact will then be made between the transferring and receiving social worker, and an initial joint handover visit date will be agreed. Where there is already an ICPC date agreed, the initial joint handover visit must take place before the conference for the child and the family to meet the new social worker. The child will then transfer following the ICPC.
For a child subject to a Child in Need plan, the child will transfer to their new social worker following the first Child in Need review. Best practice identifies that the social worker will meet the child and their family prior to the Child in Need review through a joint handover visit at the home.
Introductions and goodbyes are important for the children we support, and wherever possible, they should be in person. An introduction letter and an introductory ‘four quadrant words and pictures’ (Signs of Safety approach) should be given to the child from the new social worker and a goodbye letter should be shared by the transferring social worker, explaining why they will no longer be supporting the child, who their new worker is going to be and when they will be meeting them.
When it is known that there will be a change of social worker, the social worker must ensure that they are informing the professionals and the network supporting them and working with the family, whether that be through email, letter, telephone call or during a meeting (for example, Child Protection Conference, Core Group, Professionals Meeting, Team around the Family). This should not be done before the family is notified. The professional will need the name and contact details of the new social worker provided to them.
The receiving team formally assign the new worker on Liquidlogic.
Outlined below is the guidance for points of transfer which most children will follow if accessing or moving between services for their support needs. It is vital that there is no delay, and that the child is at the centre of all that we do and that we think, ‘Whole Family Approach’.
EHASH And Assessment Service will receive all new referrals to Hull Children, Young People and Families Service where there are concerns about a child; this will be delivered through the Early Help and Safeguarding Hub (EHASH).
EHASH will gather and analyse information within 24 hours to determine whether a child is suffering or at risk of harm, using the Threshold of Need document to guide decisions. Section 47 enquiries are undertaken by EHASH and reported via telephone and the online portal.
Where a child is at immediate risk of significant harm, EHASH will consult the Assessment Team Manager on duty to agree on urgent safeguarding actions. EHASH also provides advice, information, and signposting to appropriate services for children and families in need.
Managers must consider the most suitable pathway for children with disabilities at referral. For children transferring from other authorities, EHASH will ensure robust checks confirm permanent residence, including a fixed address, GP registration, and school enrolment.
Professional discretion needs to be considered in identifying what service the child should be supported by, but in principle the following applies.
Children in Need
Children will move to Locality teams at the most appropriate opportunity on completion of assessment and if the assessment indicates longer-term work is needed to support the family. Where there are families that need support but are not under Section 17 or Section 47, then the decision to step down to Early Help Services will be considered.
Child Protection Planning
It is anticipated that children move to Locality Teams at the most appropriate early opportunity on completion of assessment, usually at the Initial Child Protection Conference. The family should have met the new social worker before the Initial Child Protection Conference.
If a child is on an Interim Care Order (ICO)
- The child will transfer to the locality team after the Initial Child Looked After review. The Assessment Social Worker will complete the report, the initial Court statement, and documentation;
- The first day of removal is the first day of reunification for any child. Further assessment and support with the family must happen, and, in this instance, it is most appropriate for the child to transfer to the Locality team.
Disabilities
If a child is identified as having a disability and the assessment social worker feels they will benefit from some additional support and advice regarding the disability and the impact that this may have on the child and their family, the social worker should seek advice and support from the disability support meeting that is held weekly. A disability social worker could also be identified at this point to assist the social worker in completing one visit, gathering information and providing support and advice.
If a child is assessed and the main reason for the assessment is their disability and the support needs around this, then a discussion will take place at the weekly transfer meeting to discuss whether the child’s needs will be best met by a social worker within the Children with Disabilities Team.
Public Law
If the assessment team are giving consideration to a child being subject to the Public Law Outline, they will invite the Group Manager from the Locality Team to the Group Manager consultation with the Assessment Group Manager.
When the Locality Social Worker is identified, they will have discussions with the Assessment Social Worker so that the Public Law Outline letters and agreement can be discussed to ensure that there is agreement between the services as to what the expectations are of the Local Authority and the family and network.
The first Public Law Outline meeting will be chaired by the Team Manager from the Assessment Team, and the Locality Team Manager and Social Worker will attend.
Private Law
When the court requests a Section 7 or Section 37 report be provided, the following applies: Where there is current active involvement, and the case is open to Locality Teams, the piece of private law work (Section 7 or Section 37) will remain with the Locality Team. If there is no current involvement, then private law work is to be undertaken in the Assessment service.
Private Fostering
After EHASH has received the referral and within 24 hours of the notification to the Local Authority, the child will be allocated. The Social Worker needs to complete the initial visit to the child within 7 days. Disclosure and Barring Service and two references from the private foster carers must be completed within the 42-day assessment timescale. If the Head of Service agrees that the assessment meets the private fostering regulations, the child will then transfer to the locality team following the standard transfer process.
Looked after child
If the Care Plan for a looked-after child or young person is changed to indicate that the child will be looked after long-term, the case will transfer to the Permanency Team following the final orders being made. Careful consideration needs to be given as to when the right time for the child is, due to their own personal circumstances at that time.
Pre-birth assessments where there is existing or recent CYPFS involvement with the family
If the Locality Team is involved with older siblings, they will manage the pre-birth assessment too. If there is no ongoing involvement with older siblings, the assessment of an unborn baby will be allocated within the Assessment Team. However, if there are significant vulnerabilities, previous social care involvement and parents have had previous children removed from their care, consideration will be given by the Group Manager, in the first instance and secondly, to the Head of Service, to the unborn child being allocated to the locality team.
Looked after Children who become pregnant
If a young person were to become pregnant, a referral would be made, and the unborn child would be allocated within the locality team. Clear communication must always take place between the permanency social worker for the parent and the social worker for the unborn child. This is to ensure consistent support is provided and transparency regarding decision-making and next steps. The Locality Team will undertake all Pre-Birth assessments when the young person who is pregnant, care-experienced, or Looked After.
Child Protection
If a new concern of significant harm arises in relation to a child that is open to a Locality Team, the Locality Team will undertake Section 47 enquiries and any immediate action that is required to protect the child. If a child has been closed for less than twelve weeks, the same applies.
Where there is a dispute that is raised and recorded by a Child Protection Chair or Independent Reviewing Officer, this needs to be resolved within the stated period before any transfers happen between teams or between service areas for a child. If the dispute cannot be resolved within the timescale, then initially a discussion needs to take place between the manager and the Child Protection Chair or Independent Reviewing Officer, and oversight needs to be recorded.
If the dispute cannot be resolved before transferring to a new team, then a discussion needs to be held between the Child Protection Chair or Independent Reviewing Officer, the current team manager and the receiving team manager before agreement for the transfer to occur.
We must ensure that children’s nationality, language, ethnicity and place of birth are recorded correctly on their file on Liquid Logic. If the child were to become a Looked after Child, then this would allow them to be identified as possibly needing support, and be a potentially eligible applicant to the EUSS.
Child and their families who may have European or non-European nationality need to be supported to apply for the EUSS, whether they are open to children’s services through Early Help services, Children’s Safeguarding or if the child is to become a Looked after Child or Care Leaver.
If a child or young person is successful in their application for the EUSS, then their EUSS number needs to be recorded on Liquid Logic along with their documents and any restrictions. For example, if they are granted EUSS but must reapply in a stated number of years, this is called ‘Limited Leave’ or ‘Pre-Settled Status’. This means that they have limited leave to remain in the UK.
If a child is granted ‘Settled Status’, then they do not have to reapply after a stated date; they are granted leave to remain in the UK. This needs recording on the child’s Liquid Logic file.
Having either ‘Pre-Settled’ or ‘Settled’ status allows for the child or young person to have access to NHS Services, study in the UK, work in the UK, have access to public funds, such as benefits and pensions (if eligible), and be able to travel in and out of the UK.
Further information and guidance on EUSS can be accessed through Migration Yorkshire and the Home Office.
Once the application is made for a child or young person, this is reviewed every 6 months through heads of service for oversight and tracked to ensure that the application is made, processed, and the status of the child is gained and recorded on Liquid Logic. This will also be checked and reviewed through the child or young person’s Child Looked After Review.
Continuity of worker is important to children and their families but sometimes a new Social Worker will need to be allocated to a child because of staff movement or for other reasons. The same ‘Transfer Standards’ and ‘the handover from the transferring Social Worker to the receiving Social Worker’ set out above should be followed.
If there is a difference of views about which team is best placed to meet the needs of a child or about the point of transfer, attempts should be made to resolve it by a telephone, Microsoft Teams or in person discussion between the respective Team Managers. However, if this cannot be resolved, it will be escalated to Group Managers and then Heads of Service to reach a resolution.
Children subject to Child in Need plans may cease involvement if the child or young person no longer needs the support from the service. Closure should only occur following discussion between the child, family, network and professionals involved and with consideration of the threshold document in decision-making.
The decision to end the involvement of a child in a service can only be made by the Team Manager following discussion with the worker in supervision. It is important to gain the views of and keep other professionals informed. This may be done by discussing the child's closure to services at a core group or child in need review.
Once the decision to end a child’s involvement is made, the worker will share the outcome with the child, the family, network and all professionals supporting the child and family. There is no standard pro forma closure letter to these parties: the social worker will need to write a letter to the child and family members. It is important to observe the following points:
- A letter stating that the child will no longer have a social worker must not come as a surprise to the family. Appropriate discussion and, if necessary, preparation must have taken place;
- Other professionals involved with the family should be made aware that the child is no longer going to have a social worker;
- The safety plan will be shared with the child, family and network to ensure that everyone knows who is going to do what to keep the child safe, even when the danger is present;
- The formal closure letter must always point out to the family how to contact the service again or provide details of other appropriate support agencies.
A Case Closure Summary should be completed and recorded on the Liquidlogic record. When a child is closed, if there is a new referral within 12 weeks, the child should be reallocated to the previous team.
When a child is to be closed by Children's Social Care, consideration should be given, in discussion with the child (if appropriate) and family, to whether or not further support from targeted or universal services is needed. The family's views should be sought as to whether they can access the services they need or whether they need some support to do so. It may be appropriate for the Lead Professional role to be transferred from the social worker to a professional from the targeted or universal service who knows the family. See Early Help - Guidance for Practitioners.
If a family who is being supported by the Local Authority move to another Local Authority and gains a permanent tenancy in their area, registers with a new GP and Educational Provider, a referral will be made by the allocated Social Worker in Hull to the EHASH team in the relevant area.
When EHASH are notified of a child in another area, permanently moving into our Local Authority, they need to be provided with a tenancy agreement to evidence that they have secured permanent housing. They also need to provide evidence that the child is registered with an educational provision and a GP in the area. They must provide all of the relevant documents to EHASH, including the most recent assessment, impact chronology, reason for referral, safety plans and any other documents felt relevant and necessary. The only circumstances in which this will be waived are if the family are fleeing domestic abuse and is residing in temporary housing.
If it is a child subject to a Child in Need plan, the Social Worker in the transferring Local Authority needs to complete a handover visit with the receiving Social Worker. They also need to facilitate and chair a Child in Need review meeting with all of the family, network and professionals present.
If a child is subject to a Child Protection plan, the transferring Social Worker must complete the booking form with all of the relevant family, network and professionals included. This will be provided to them by the Child Protection Chair administration team. The Conference must be held within 15 working days.
If a child is subject to the Public Law Outline, it is vital that the receiving team understand the concerns prior to the child being transferred. The Local Authority needs to be made aware in advance of the next Public Law Outline meeting to ensure that all relevant preparations can be made for the receiving Social Worker, Team Manager and legal representative to attend. This would be chaired by the transferring Local Authority.
Last Updated: November 24, 2025
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