Text size: a | a | a

Management's role in the guardianship process for younger people

A range of mechanisms are in place to ensure that responsible officers and supervising officers are doing what is required in accordance with the law and the Code of Practice. These include formal supervision, adherence to local procedures, use of templates, briefings/training and informal support from MHO staff.

In some authorities the supervising officer/responsible officer role is undertaken only by an MHO. In others this is undertaken by the care manager and training is provided to support them in undertaking this responsibility.

Templates are used by eight local authorities to review private guardianship cases.

Completed forms are countersigned by private guardians and by the line manager of the supervisor in Aberdeenshire. In Angus a pro-forma is used by seniors supervising the responsible officer.

Recording systems

In all authorities, supervising officers and responsible officers are expected to keep a record of contact visits with the adult and the guardian. Most use the department's case recording system to detail contacts. As indicated above, some use templates to record contacts/visits.

None of the authorities has a specific template for supervising officers/responsible officers to use in summarising their involvement as part of arrangements to transfer the case to another supervising officer/responsible officer. Normal procedures for case transfer were said to be used.

Appointment of supervising officers and responsible officers In most authorities team leaders are responsible for appointing workers as part of the caseload allocation processes. In some authorities the role of supervising officer is undertaken by the MHO who completed the MHO report for the application. In others, it is combined with the care management role.

Some authorities delegate the role of responsible officer to the care manager involved. In others, MHOs are appointed to undertake this function.