Authorities placing a child in care in Barnsley

Local authorities have a duty to tell other local authorities if they place a child in care within their area. Children’s homes must also tell their local authority when a child in care is placed with them by a different authority.

If a local authority or organisation places a child who isn't in care within a different local authority's area for three months or more, they also have to notify the host authority. This must be done prior to the placement (as soon as they have an intention to do so), or as soon as they can.

The host authority must give education and health partners details about placements of children in care in their area. They should be supported by relevant agencies in both the host and home authority to enable this.

Details we need

If you place a child from outside our local authority area within Barnsley, you need to provide:

• child’s full name
• date of birth
• gender
• placing authority name
• social worker name and contact details (phone number and email)
• emergency details for home authority
• independent reviewing officer details
• legal status
• whether the notification is for a new placement, a change, or an end of placement
• date the placement started, or date due to change or end
• carer or institution type (foster carer, children’s home or other)
• what the carer has been contracted to provide (if specialist, for example)
• carer contact details, including address
• certain needs or risks to the child, including special educational needs, disability, youth offending, mental health needs etc (a copy of the care plan should be shared to highlight the needs)
• GP details - old and new, if known
• a digital photograph of the child that can be shared with the police force

Police force notification

The College of Policing encourages local authorities to notify the relevant police force when a child is being placed out-of-area. This is based on the needs and risk of the child. By doing this you'll help in the safeguarding some of the most vulnerable children in the care system.

You need to tell the South Yorkshire Police Missing Officer if a child is being placed in Barnsley. This is even more crucial if there are concerns around sexual exploitation or the child going missing 

You can email the missing officer at tim.fish@southyorks.pnn.police.uk.