GM First: LA and Provider Covenant


GM First: Covenant

This GM First Covenant sets out what are intended to be shared principles between LAs and Children’s Care Providers based in Greater Manchester that can help to enable closer partnership working to maximise the numbers of GM children and young people who get to remain close to home.

We want to use the opportunity through this covenant to embrace closer working relationships, in order to:

  • Have more GM children properly matched in local settings
  • Have constructive discussions with partners such as health and education to help align services to our children’s needs
  • Improve the working relationship and decision making when our children are placed with local care Providers.

GM LAs pledge to:

Work to accommodate children and young people close to home, where it is assessed to be in their best interests.

Providers pledge to:

Have a genuine interest in taking placements for properly matched children who live locally as a priority and that you therefore put GM LA children and young people first and at the heart of your services now and in the future.

GM LAs pledge to:

Provide you with at least 1 named contact person in each GM LA that you can speak to about upcoming vacancies in your service and see whether a GM child / young person might be a good match for your service.

Providers pledge to:

Identify a named person who GM LAs can contact to talk about vacancies and upcoming referrals a to see if we can accommodate GM children in local services.

GM LAs pledge to:

Ensure that referral information based on a comprehensive social work assessment and is clear, detailed and timely with risks are identified to enable Partner Providers to find the best match for each child / young person.

Providers pledge to:

Proactively work with Local Authorities to ensure children are accommodated close to home where this is in their best interests.

GM LAs pledge to:

Create an environment where new services that best meet need can be established within the GM region.

Providers pledge to:

Engage with GM LAs to best understand the services that are in explicit need of development and target any new service setup accordingly. As part of this early engagement with LAs over potential expansion is expected, in order to avoid the creation of unnecessary or unneeded services.

GM LAs pledge to:

Respond in a timely manner to resolve concerns and create opportunity for reflective practice after the event to enable discussion and shared learning to take place.

Providers pledge to:

Respond in a timely manner to resolve concerns and create opportunity for reflective practice after the event to enable discussion and shared learning to take place.

GM LAs pledge to:

Plan placements wherever possible and support providers when it is not, sharing the risk with the Partner Provider.

Providers pledge to:

Work in partnership with LAs to deliver the best outcomes for children.

GM LAs pledge to:

Ensure appropriate paperwork is in place and made available.

Providers pledge to:

Ensure appropriate paperwork is in place and made available.

GM LAs pledge to:

Work with providers to ensure that the best possible education provision is identified and mediate where there are concerns.

Providers pledge to:

Understand our responsibilities as a Corporate Parent.

GM LAs pledge to:

Work in partnership with providers and make regular visits to maintain relationships and manage risk.

Providers pledge to:

Train and support our staff / carers to meet the needs of young people in our care.

GM LAs pledge to:

Support children to remain in placements where this is in their best interests, but equally support placement moves in a timely manner where this is appropriate.

Providers pledge to:

Support children to remain in placements where this is in their best interests, but equally support placement moves in a timely manner where this is appropriate.

GM LAs pledge to:

Facilitate relationships with other agencies to ensure full access to the local offer.

Providers pledge to:

Work with placement teams to develop robust referral processes that work for both parties.