List of Agency Decision Makers, Designated Managers and Nominated Officers
Please note: Authorisation for some placements for looked after children must be at Assistant Director level or above. The circumstances in which this applies are:
- Where proposed placement costs total £2000 per week or more;
- Where the proposed placement is a residential provision;
- Where the proposed placement is through an Independent Fostering Association and the Local Authority is requiring single occupancy and/or bed blocking.
See also Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers Procedure.
NOTE
Consent to life-ending withdrawal of medical support for a child will require an application to the High Court even if all relevant parties are in agreement. Legal advice must be sought as a matter of urgency.AMENDMENT
This chapter was updated in January 2023.Designated Managers with Specified Area of Responsibility
| Designated Managers with Specified Area of Responsibility | Post Title and Contact Details |
Agency Decision Maker (Adoption)The Agency Decision Maker who makes decisions on all adoption matters (some of which will be made on the basis of a recommendation of the Adoption Panel). |
Post title: Assistant Director Contact details: Iona Payne Post title: Head of Service, Children in Care and Care leavers Contact details: Anna Stephens |
Agency Decision Maker (Fostering)The Agency Decision Maker who makes decisions on fostering matters (on the basis of recommendations of the Fostering Panel). |
Post title: Head of Service for Fostering, Adoption and Residential Children’s Homes Contact details: Anna Stephens Post title: Head of Service for Children in Care and Care Experienced Young People Contact details: Emma Lightfoot |
Designated Manager (Adoption Panel Appointments)The manager who can authorise appointments to the Central List of Adoption Panel members. |
Post title: ACE Lead Manager Brenda Vincent Contact details: Brenda Vincent 0300 369 0556 |
Designated Manager (Adoption Support)The manager who can authorise the level of adoption support to be provided to children, adopters (including financial support) and their family or birth family members. |
Post title: Adoption Operations Manager –Spokes Contact details: Louise Hathaway 0300 369 0556 |
Designated Manager (Care Plans)The manager who can authorise the final Care Plan to be taken before the Court within Care Proceedings. |
Post title: Relevant Head of Service Contact details: Anna Stephens or Emma Lightfoot |
Designated Manager (Care Proceedings)The manager who can authorise the initiating of Care Proceedings. |
Post title: Relevant Head of Service Contact details: Joel Desous or Emma Lightfoot |
Designated Manager (Change of Name)The manager who can authorise the change of name of a Looked After Child. |
Post title: Assistant Director Contact details: Iona Payne |
Designated Manager (Contact with Parents)The manager who can authorise the suspension or termination of contact between a Looked After child and his or her parents (subject to the Court's approval after 7 days for children on Emergency Protection Orders, Interim Care Orders or Care Orders). |
Post title: Relevant Head of Service Contact details: Joel Desous or Emma Lightfoot |
Designated Manager (Death or Serious Injury to a Child)The senior manager who should be notified in the event of death or serious injury to a child. |
Post title: Head of Service, Safeguards Contact details: Tony McGregor |
Designated Manager (Decision to Look After or cease to Look After)The manager who can authorise a child becoming or ceasing to be Looked After. |
Post title: Relevant Head of Service Contact details: Emma Lightfoot or Joel Desous |
Designated Manager (Emergency Protection Orders)The manager who can authorise an application for an Emergency Protection Order. |
Post title: Relevant Head of Service (or out of hours Head of Service) Contact details: Joel Desous or Emma Lightfoot |
Designated Manager (Emigration)The manager who can authorise the placement of a Looked after child outside England and Wales. |
Post title: Director of Childrens Services or Assistant Director Contact details: Pete Campbell or Iona Payne |
Designated Manager (Exemptions and Extensions from Fostering Limit)The manager who can authorise any exemptions from the usual fostering limit for foster carers living in the local authority area. |
Post title: Head of Service Contact details: Anna Stephens |
Designated Manager (External Placements)The manager who can authorise placements of Looked After children with external providers of residential care or foster carers from an independent fostering agency. |
Post title: Relevant Head of Service Contact details: Joel Desous or Emma Lightfoot |
Designated Manager (Fostering Panel Appointments)The manager who can authorise appointments to the Central List of Fostering Panel members |
Post title: Fostering Team Manager Contact details: Beth Corrigan, |
Designated Manager (Leaving Care)The manager who can approve a Pathway Plan. |
Post title: Team Manager or Assistant Team Manager Contact details: Laura Freeman |
Designated Manager (Marriage / Civil Partnership)The manager who can authorise the marriage / civil partnership of a Looked After child. |
Post title: Assistant Director Contact details: Iona Payne |
Designated Manager (Notifications)Where a Looked After Child from another local authority has been placed in the area, the manager to whom the notification should be sent. |
Post title: Head of Service, Safeguards Contact details: Tony McGregor |
Designated Manager (Passports)The manager who can authorise a passport application for a Looked After child. |
Post title: Head of Service Contact details: Anna Stephens or Joel Desous or Emma Lightfoot |
Designated Manager (Placement Orders)The manager who can authorise an application for a Placement Order. |
Post title: Relevant Head of Service Contact details: Joel Desous or Emma Lightfoot |
Designated Manager (Private Fostering)The manager who can approve assessments of private foster carers, impose requirements on private foster carers or decide to prohibit someone from acting as a private foster carer. |
Post title: Fostering Team Manager Contact details: Beth Corrigan, |
Designated Manager (Secure Accommodation)The manager who can authorise: A placement of a Looked After child in secure accommodation for up to 72 hours without a Secure Accommodation Order; and/or An application for a Secure Accommodation Order; and/or A child's continued secure placement on the recommendation of the Secure Accommodation Review Panel; and/or Applications to renewal Secure Accommodation Orders on the recommendation of the Secure Accommodation Review Panel. |
Post title: Assistant Director, Children, Young People and Families Contact details: Iona Payne |
Designated Manager (Special Guardianship)The manager who can authorise Special Guardianship as the permanence plan for a Looked After child. |
Post title: Relevant Head of Service Contact details: Anna Stephens or Emma Lightfoot |
Designated Manager (Special Guardianship Support)The manager who can authorise the level of special guardianship support to be provided, including financial support to special guardians. |
Post title: Relevant Head of Service Contact details: Emma Lightfoot or Anna Stephens |
Nominated Officer (Disruption of Education)The manager who can authorise the change of placement affecting a Looked After child in Key Stage 4. |
Post title: Relevant Head of Service Contact details: Emma Lightfoot or Anna Stephens |
Nominated Officer (Out of Area Placements)The manager who can authorise the placement of a Looked After child outside the area of the local authority. |
Post title: Relevant Head of Service Contact details: (on behalf of DCS for relevant Head of Service) Emma Lightfoot or Anna Stephens |
Nominated Officer (Immediate Placement of a Looked After Child with Connected Person)The manager who can authorise the placement of a Looked After child with a family or friend ('Connected Person') who is not already approved as a foster carer. |
Post title: Relevant Head of Service Contact details: Emma Lightfoot or Anna Stephens |
Nominated Officer (Placement of a Looked After Child subject to Care Order or Interim Care Order with Parents)The manager who can authorise the placement of a Looked After child with a parent, person with Parental Responsibility or person who held a Residence Order/Child Arrangements Order specifying with whom the child was to reside immediately before the Care Order. |
Post title: Relevant Head of Service Contact details: Emma Lightfoot or Anna Stephens or Joel Desous |
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