The Children Looked After Service comprises of 4 social work teams, made up of Social Workers, Social Work Assistants, Managers and Admin Staff.

The teams work with children and young people who are presently being looked after by the local authority and are expected to be looked after for at least 2 months.

They receive referrals from the Advice & Assessment service (including Royal London Hospital) and the Family Support & Protection teams.

The service’s mission statement is to provide alternative care and support for children and young people who cannot live with their birth families and through this build their resilience, help them to develop positive relationships and strive to provide them with opportunities to improve their life chances.

Children may be looked after on a voluntary basis at the request of their parents, or by virtue of a legal order. The teams carry out all the statutory functions in respect of children looked after, this includes ensuring that all their educational, health, social, psychological and general welfare needs are being met. The teams also ensure that adequate plans are made regarding children and young people’s future; this might include working to place children back into their families or arranging to move them into permanent alternative families, including adoptive families. For young people expected to be looked after up to the age of 18 the service also prepares these young people for independent living.