List of Agency Decision Makers, Designated Managers and Nominated Officers
Related guidance
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: Director of Children’s Social Care
The Agency Decision Maker who makes decisions on fostering matters (on the basis of recommendations of the Fostering Panel).
Post title: Assistant Director Corporate Parenting
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: Director of Children’s Social Care
The manager who can authorise the final Care Plan to be taken before the Court within Care Proceedings.
Post title: Independent Reviewing Officer for the Child and Service Manager
The manager who can authorise the initiating of Care Proceedings.
Post title: Assistant Directors of Children’s Social Care – Notification to the Director of Children’s Social Care and must go to the next Care Episode Panel
The manager who can authorise the change of name of a Looked After Child.
Post title: Director of Children’s Social Care
The manager who can authorise the suspension or termination of contact between a Looked After child and their parents (subject to the Court's approval after 7 days for children on Emergency Protection Orders, Interim Care Orders or Care Orders).
Post title: Team Manager
The senior manager who should be notified in the event of death or serious injury to a child.
Post title: Assistant Director Quality Assurance notifies Director of Children’s Social Care and Corporate Director of Children, Families and Education (In the absence of the Assistant Director Quality Assurance, the Assistant Director in whose area the child’s case is held to notify Director of Children’s Social Care)
The manager who can authorise a child becoming Looked After.
Post title: Director of Children’s Social Care but Corporate Director of Children Families and Education for children over the age of 16
The manager who can authorise an application for an Emergency Protection Order.
Post title: Assistant Directors Children’s Social Care
(notification to the Director of Children’s Social Care and attendance at next Care Episode Panel is required)
The manager who can authorise the placement of a Looked after child outside England and Wales.
Post title: Corporate Director of Children, Families and Education
The manager who can authorise any exemptions from the usual fostering limit for foster carers living in the local authority area.
Post title: Director of Children’s Social Care
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: Director of Children’s Social Care / Director Integrated Children's Commissioning & Youth Services
The manager who can authorise appointments to the Central List of Fostering Panel members
Post title: Assistant Director Corporate Parenting
The manager who can approve a Pathway Plan.
Post title: Team Manager
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: Assistant Director Quality Assurance / Assistant Director Corporate Parenting
The manager who can authorise a passport application for a Looked After child.
Post title: Assistant Directors Children’s Social Care
The manager who can authorise an application for a Placement Order.
Post title: Director of Children’s Social Care / Assistant Director Corporate Parenting
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: Team Manager (Assessments) / Service Manager Assessments / Assistant Director Early Help, Access and Assessments
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: Corporate Director of Children, Families and Education
The manager who can authorise Special Guardianship as the permanence plan for a Looked After child.
Post title: Assistant Director Corporate Parenting
The manager who can authorise the level of special guardianship support to be provided, including financial support to special guardians.
Post title: Assistant Director Corporate Parenting
The manager who can authorise the change of placement affecting a Looked After child in Key Stage 4.
Post title: Assistant Director Safeguarding / Assistant Director Corporate Parenting – must go to Care Episode Panel for ratification by Director of Children’s Social Care
The person who can authorise Fostering for Adoption.
Post title: Director of Children’s Social Care
The manager who can authorise the placement of a Looked After child outside the area of the local authority.
Post title: Director of Children’s Social Care
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: Assistant Director Corporate Parenting – must go to the Care Episode Panel for ratification by the Director of Children’s Social care
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: Director of Children’s Social Care
Last Updated: February 12, 2025
v52
