From the CHARMS Main Menu, click 'Children' on the Record Counts widget.
This will open the ‘Search - Child’ screen.
Please note: By default, 'Include Archived' is ticked so that when searching for child records, the results include archived/closed records. This is required to help prevent users adding duplicate records onto CHARMS.It is possible to amend the default so that ‘Include archived' is not ticked, which means, by default, archived records are not returned on the child search screen, unless manually ticked. Speak to your account manager if your agency wishes to amend the default so that ‘Include Archived' is not ticked (Tbl_CharmsConfig.DisableIncludeArchiveByDefault).
If your agency does amend this default setting, ensure that users are made aware that they will need to manually insert the tick when searching, prior to adding new child record, to avoid duplicate records being added into CHARMS.
Here you can search for a child by:
- ID - this is the unique ID created by CHARMS when a record is added to the system.
- Child's First Name
- Child's Surname - there is also a tick box option to just search by a child’s previous name.
- Team Agency - click the ‘…’ button to select from the lookup list, Team Agency on a child record represents your organisations team/office.
- Placement Type - searches the placement types associated to the child on the Main Details screen.
- Current Situation - select from the lookup list.
- LA Social Worker - click the ‘…’ button to select from the lookup list.
- Support Worker - click the ‘…’ button to select from the lookup list, this can represent the internal worker the child has been allocated.
- Placement Worker - click the ‘…’ button to select from the lookup list.
- LA Agency - click the ‘…’ button to select from the lookup list, Agency on a child record is the referring Local Authority.
- ALL modules - allows the user to search for a child across all modules they have access to. This requires the permission "VIEW_CHILD_SEARCH_CROSS_MODULE" which can only be allocated by SCN staff and is not visible in the list of permissions for ordinary users. Please speak to your account manager if this permission is required.
- Currently Placed - allows the user to search for a children with a current placement only.
- Include Archived - filter for Archived, Un-Archived, or all records.
- Duty - Ticking the Duty box will return any children that have the duty tick populated on the child main details & whereby there is action to be taken by the Duty Social Worker.
- Manager - ticking the Manager tickbox will show any children where the record has been ticked on Main Details for Manager follow up.
- Previous Names - allows the user to include previous names in the first name and surname search boxes.
- Middle Name - searches middle name of records using the name entered in the first name search box.
- Relative Names - includes relative/birth parent names in the first name / surname search.
- Protection Plan - tick the box to return records that have been marked as being on a Protection Plan.
Please note: The Duty box can be renamed, for example to OOH. Speak to your CHARMS account manager if you would like to amend this filter.
Select 'Advanced Search' to open more search options:
- Ref.
- Keywords - Use this to search for a Date of Birth, first name, surname, or reference.
- Referral Hub - A referral hub can be selected here from the lookup list called 'Referral Hub'.
- Type - If your agency uses the agency ‘Type’ within the lookup list, use this dropdown to filter by Type, based on the child LA agency.
- Language - Click the ‘…’ button to select from the lookup list.
- Matching Status - Click the ‘…’ button to select from the lookup list.
- Referral After/Withdrawn After - Use to search for children either referred or withdrawn after the dates entered.
- District - Searches the district associated to the child on the Main Details screen.
- LA Unique ID
- Ethnic Origin - Click the ‘…’ button to select from the lookup list.
- Notes - Using the ‘Notes’ you may search for a child using any notes (except progress notes) as recorded within the notes section of their record.
- Stage Closed - Used to search for child based on their closed 'stage'.
- Retain Until From/To - Use to search for child records that have a retention date.
- Gender - Select from the lookup list.
- RAG - This will filter the results by the RAG rating 'Placement Stability Indicator' on the Main Details of a child's record.
- Date of Birth - Use to search by the child's date of birth.
Selecting 'Basic Search' will close the advanced search options.
Type in your search criteria e.g. surname, using only the first few letters to ensure you return the record you are looking for.
Click the 'Search' button or press the enter/return key on your keyboard to return the results of the search. Any resulting child records will be displayed.
Click the ID link on the child’s record that you want to view or modify and you will be taken to the ‘Main Details’ tab of the selected child. If you are in the incorrect record, on the left hand menu of the child’s record click the ‘Search’ link to return to the child’s search screen.
If any children have a Personal Detail recorded that has been marked as 'Flagged for attention', they will appear with a flag icon against their name.
Any records that have been archived will show highlighted in red and italicised:
A warning icon will be displayed on the Child search screen when a data retention request is associated with that record.
The 'Placed' column will show a green tick if the child is in a current placement, or a red cross if not placed.
Clicking on the tick will open a popup showing brief placement details.
Clicking either the 'Go To Child' or 'Go To Carer' button will take you to the child/carer record.