Using the Procedures
Welcome to the Derby City Children's Social Care Online Procedures.
If are new to the online procedures, please take the time to read this short guide which contains information on how the procedures site works.
Contents
- Structure of the Online Procedures
- Amendments
- Planned Updates
- How to find a Chapter
- Local Resources
- Glossary and National Contacts
- Register for Updates
- Copyright
- Accessibility
- Printing and Retaining Copies
- Browser Recommendations
- Mobile/Tablet Compatibility
1. Structure of the Online Procedures
In this the procedures, all Children's Social Care Policies, Values and Principles are located in Chapter 1.1.1, with which users are recommended to familiarise themselves before accessing any of the other procedures.
2. Amendments
If you wish to make comments about the procedures site, or suggestions about individual chapters, please contact Gavin McCauley, Customer Insight Officer.
If a chapter has been significantly amended or is new, it is marked as such in the Contents List and at the top of the relevant chapter.
Click here to view details of updates made to the procedures.
3. Planned Updates
The next planned update to the procedures will be published during September 2024. As the reader and user of this manual you may have comments and contributions to make; please share any suggestions with Gavin.
If you would like to use material from one of the other local authorities we work with please ask Gavin to contact us. We will request permission for you to use their information.
Any submissions to Gavin should be made 2 months prior to the publication date of the next update, to allow sufficient time for our editing and formatting processes.
4. How to find a Chapter
Procedures and guidance are located in individual 'Chapters' which are available from the Contents Button - on the procedures home page.
4.1 Using the Contents
Chapters are categorised or grouped together as follows:
PARTS: The site contains procedures categorised under a number of Service Sectors, like 'Children in Care'.SECTIONS: Within each Service Sector e.g. 'Children in Care', you will find a Section (group of procedures) like 'Adoption and Permanence'.
CHAPTERS: Under each Section, you'll find individual Chapters/Procedures e.g. ' Adoption Case Records'.
4.2 You can search for a Chapter
If you aren't sure which service or section to look in, try 'Search' which will help you identify specific Chapters and sub headings within Chapters.
5. Local Resources
The procedures site contains a local resource section which can be accessed via the button bar on the left of your screen. This library is populated and maintained locally. If there is a resource that you think should be added talk in the first instance to your manager.
6. Glossary and National Contacts
The procedures may contain terminology which the reader is not familiar with therefore, to help ensure accessibility, a glossary of definitions is available under the resources tab at the top of each page.
There is also a National Contacts resource populated with details of key national agencies and organisations likely to be relevant to procedures user.
7. Register for Updates
We recommend that you register with us to automatically receive notification when the procedures are updated. You will also have the option to sign up to receive a monthly newsletter containing articles which may be of interest. Click on the 'Register for Updates' button on the home screen, to complete and send your details to us.
We will manage your data respectfully and in accordance with your preferences, and we will never share your data with other organisations for marketing or other purposes.
8. Copyright
The content of this website can be accessed, printed and downloaded in an unaltered form, on a temporary basis, for personal study or reference purposes. However any content printed or downloaded may not be sold, licensed, transferred, copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or in or on any media to any person without the prior written consent of tri.x and Derby City Council.
9. Accessibility
This website aims to achieve Double-A conformance to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines in accordance with government guidelines. In order to change font size or site colour use the highlighted 'Accessibility' button at the top right hand corner of any page.
10. Printing and Retaining Copies
The Manual is intended to be viewed on line to ensure only the most up-to-date version of procedures are being used. It will be updated regularly so, in the unlikely event there is a requirement for hard copies they should be destroyed after 72 hours.
11. Browser Recommendations
It is recommended that the site is viewed with the latest browsers, with Java Script and cookies enabled for maximum compatibility and functionality.
Recommended browsers are:
- Internet Explorer 11 (Windows 7, 8 and 8.1);
- Microsoft Edge (Windows 10);
- Google Chrome;
- Mozilla Firefox;
- Apple Safari.
12. Mobile/Tablet Compatibility
This site has been tested on a variety of mobile devices to ensure that it displays correctly. However, if you find that you still cannot use the site select the 'mobile' option at the bottom of the screen. If you are using an older mobile device it is possible that the procedures will not display correctly.
If you would like the text to be larger, resize the text under the accessibility options, alternatively if you would also like the buttons and the rest of the layout to be enlarged you can use the zoom function within your browser.
The majority of devices have the functionality to allow a shortcut to be downloaded to the homescreen by loading the site using the 'url' and using the upload function and tapping 'Add to Home Screen'. The functionality may vary between devices, please refer to the manufacturer's instructions.