Amendments
October 2024
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles | This chapter has been revised in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children. |
| Contacts and Referrals | This chapter has been updated. |
| Assessments | This chapter has been updated. |
| Child Protection Enquiries (Section 47) | This chapter has been updated. |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline | Information has been added in relation to family group decision-making in Section 1, Introduction and Time Limits and Section 5, Pre-Proceedings, and a link has been added to chapter Family Networks and Family Group Decision Making. |
| Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After, Child In Need or Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24) | This chapter has been updated in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children. New Section 3, Death of a Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24 has been added. |
| Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities | Section 15, Resolving Disagreements has been updated to include information on Guidance: Carry Out an Order in Special Educational Needs Cases. In addition Section 15.1, Registering an appeal with the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Disability) has been updated in line with case law. |
| Personal Budgets and Direct Payments | This chapter has been updated. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | A link has been added in Section 4, Age Assessment to BASW Age Assessment Practice Guidance. In Further Information, a link has been added to Operation Innerste Process: Caseworker Guidance. |
| Kinship Care | This chapter has been updated to reflect Championing Kinship Care: The National Kinship Care strategy. |
| Placements with Connected Persons | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Notifications of Significant Events | This chapter has been updated in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children, to note that notifications should also be made of the death of a care leaver up to and including the age of 24. |
| Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been revised in response to Working Together to Safeguard Children (December 2023), and includes the ongoing development of the strategic leadership roles of Virtual School Heads (VSH) in promoting educational outcomes for children aged 0 to 18 who have, or previously had a social worker, and children in kinship care arrangements. |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act of 1983 | Section 2, Ordinary Residence has been updated in line with case law. |
| Staying Put | This chapter has been updated to note that if a young person in a Staying Put arrangement dies up to and including the age of 24, notifications should be made in accordance with the procedure on Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After, Child in Need or Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24). |
| Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National Guidance | This chapter has been updated. |
| Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers | Information on Ofsted checks has been added in to Section 4.1, Checks. |
| Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters | Information has been added to Section 3, Stage One-The Pre-Assessment Process, with details on how to request information about an applicant from Ofsted. |
| Placement for Adoption | Section 4.2, Procedural Fairness has been updated in line with case-law. |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders | This chapter has been updated. Information has been added into Section 17, Special Guardian Duty on the Death of the Child, that the relevant local authority should be notified if the child was previously a looked after child. |
| Ofsted Inspection Framework | A link has been added to Ofsted and CQC Joint Registration Guidance: Children's Homes and Health Care. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential Settings | This chapter has been added. |
| Children and Young People’s Continuing Care National Framework | This chapter has been added. |
| Family Networks and Family Group Decision Making | This chapter has been added. |
| Next Update: April 2025 |
April 2024
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities | This chapter has been amended, to include information from Special Educational Needs and Disability: Improving Local Authority Decision Making - Report of the Administrative Justice Council's Working Group on Special Educational Needs and Disability. |
| Family and Friends Care | Section 4, Different Situations whereby Children may be Living with Family and Friend Carers has been updated to include information about Ukrainian children being cared for my family and friends in the UK. |
| Young Carers | This chapter has been updated. |
| Placements in Residential Care | This chapter has been updated to include information from Guidance - Placing Children: Deprivation of Liberty Orders - guidance for providers, social workers and placement commissioners on placing children, subject to a deprivation of liberty order (DoL), in unregistered settings and President of the Family Division Practice Guidance: Placements in Unregistered Children's Homes in England or Unregistered Care Home Services in Wales. |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds | Section 10, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty has been updated throughout in line with Revised Practice Guidance on the Court's Approach to Unregistered Placements (October 2023) and Revised National Listing Protocol for Applications that Seek Deprivation of Liberty Orders Relating to Children under the Inherent Jurisdiction. |
| Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been updated. |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act of 1983 | Section 2, Ordinary Residence has been updated in line with case law. |
October 2023
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Capacity and Consent | Amendments have been made to reflect case-law in relation to assessing legal capacity. |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline | Information has been added into Section 4, Care Orders and Supervisions Orders on a Care Plan of the Child Remaining at Home in relation to Supervision Orders, in line with Public Law Working Group (PLWG) Recommendations to Achieve Best Practice in the Child Protection and Family Justice Systems: Supervision Orders. |
| Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities | Information has been added into Section 15, Resolving Disagreements in relation to legal aid for foster carers and prospective adoptive parents in First Tier Tribunal appeals. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | Information has been added into Section 4, Assessment in relation to the National Age Assessment Board. |
| Families with No Recourse to Public Funds | Section 5.2.5, Providing Support has been updated to reflect the Home Office increase in financial support to individuals waiting to find out if they will be given asylum in the UK. |
| Local Authority's Sufficiency Duty - Accommodation for Looked After Children | A link in the Relevant Guidance has been updated. |
| Decision to Look After | Section 3, Section 20 Accommodation has been updated in line with case-law. |
| Placements in Other Arrangements | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation | This chapter has been amended to include information from Annex to MOJ Circular 2022/03: Additional Information on Remand to Local Authority Accommodation (RLAA). |
| Health and Safety | Information has been added into Section 6, Diet, Nutrition and Allergies, in relation to allergies. Additional information has also been added about online safety. |
| Health Care Assessments and Plans | Information has been added into Section 4, Health Plans in relation to allergies. |
| Marriage / Civil Partnership of a Looked After Child | This chapter has been amended to reflect that the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 raised the age of marriage and civil partnership to 18 in England and Wales, with effect from 26 February 2023. |
| Leaving Care and Transition | This chapter has been amended to note that with effect from 1 April 2023, the leaving care allowance increased from £2,000 to £3,000. It has also been revised to include information from the Revised Ofsted Inspection Framework. |
| Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters | This chapter has been refreshed and a link added (above) to National Early Permanence Practice Standards (Coram Centre for Early Permanence). |
| CSC Scheme of Delegation | This file has been updated. |
| List of Decision Makers in Children's Services | This chapter has been updated. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National Guidance | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Ofsted Inspection Framework | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
April 2023
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline | This chapter has been updated. |
| Case Records and Retention | This chapter has been updated in relation to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. |
| Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities | This chapter has been updated to include information from Guidance: Area SEND Inspections Framework and Handbook (November 2022). |
| Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential Settings | This chapter has been updated to include information from the UK Social Work Practice in Safeguarding Disabled Children and Young People report. |
| Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management | This chapter has been amended to incorporate Ofsted feedback. Additional information has been added into Section 2, Positive Behaviour Support and Section 5.4, Recording of Sanctions. |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act of 1983 | This chapter has been amended to include a link to Self-harm: Assessment, Management and Preventing Recurrence NICE Guidance in the Further Information section. |
| Leaving Care and Transition | This chapter has been amended. |
| Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services | Section 2, Looked After Children who are Arrested has been updated in relation to appropriate adults. |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders | This chapter has been updated to reflect the updated Public Law Working Group Best Practice Guidance. This includes the new interim guidance, issued by the President of the Family Division, that addresses the lawful extension of care proceedings beyond 26 weeks. Section 6.3, Placement before Special Guardianship Order is made has been added in line with guidance that states where there is no pre-existing relationship between the child and special guardians the child should be placed on an interim basis before the special guardianship order is made. |
October 2022
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | This chapter has been updated. |
| Decision to Look After | This chapter has been updated. |
| Placements in Foster Care | This chapter has been amended to add a link to the NYAS ‘My Things Matter’ Report – support and respect care-experienced children and their belongings when they move. |
| Placements in Residential Care | This chapter has been amended to add a link to the NYAS ‘My Things Matter’ Report – support and respect care-experienced children and their belongings when they move. |
| Placements Outside England and Wales | This chapter has been updated. |
| Contact with Parents/Adults and Siblings | Section 3, Supervised Contact has been updated to reflect a finding by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that the supervisor's observations of the contact must be clearly recorded in the child's record and shared with the parents within 3 months of the visit. |
| Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been updated to reflect Keeping Children Safe in Education (2021). Schools should have policies and processes in place to ensure all concerns about all adults working in or on behalf of the school or college (including supply teachers, volunteers and contractors) are dealt with promptly and appropriately. |
| Health Care Assessments and Plans | This chapter has been updated. |
| Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management | This chapter has been updated. |
| Restrictive Physical Intervention and Restraint | This chapter has been refreshed and requires re-reading. |
| Leaving Care and Transition | This chapter has been amended to add a link to the NYAS ‘My Things Matter’ Report – support and respect care-experienced children and their belongings when they move. |
| Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters | This chapter has been updated. |
| Adoption Panel | This chapter has been updated. |
| Placement for Adoption | This chapter has been updated. |
| Adoption Support | This chapter has been updated. |
| Disruption of Adoptive Placements | This chapter has been updated. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Equality and Diversity | This chapter has been added. |
| Care Planning | This chapter has been added. |
| Risk Assessment and Planning | This chapter has been added. |
| Leisure Activities | This chapter has been added. |
| Health and Safety | This chapter has been added. |
| Providing Personalised Care | This chapter has been added. |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act of 1983 | This chapter has been added. |
| Training and Development of Foster Carers | This chapter has been added. |
April 2022
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Capacity and Consent | Section 4.3, Consent to the Use of Medication to Suppress Puberty has been updated in line with case-law. |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline | This chapter has been updated throughout. |
| Complaints and Representations | This chapter has been amended to reflect the Children's Statutory Complaint Process: Guide for Practitioners (Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman, 2021). (See Relevant Guidance). |
| Electronic Recording of Meetings and Conversations | Part 1 of this chapter has been updated in line with case-law. Information has also been added on recording by employees in a professional capacity. |
| Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care and Safeguarding Staff | This chapter has been given a general refresh. |
| Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities | Section 15, Resolving Disagreements has been updated in line with the First Tier Tribunal's extended powers to hear appeals and make non-binding recommendations about health and social care aspects of Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, provided those appeals also include education elements. |
| Short Breaks | Information has been added in to Section 7, Short Break Settings, in relation to the prohibition on looked after children under the age of 16 being placed in 'other arrangements' placements for the purposes of a short break. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | A link has been added to the Independent Child Trafficking Guardians Referral Form. In areas where the ICTG service has been implemented, if the social worker considers a child to be a potential victim of modern slavery, they should refer them to the ICTG service by completing the online referral form. Section 6.1, Placement Options has been updated in relation to placements in 'other arrangements'. Section 4, Assessment has been updated in relation to Age Assessments. |
| Decision to Look After and Care Planning | Section 1.3, Section 20 Accommodation has been revised in line with the Public Law Working Group (PLWG) Recommendations to Achieve Best Practice in the Child Protection and Family Justice Systems. |
| Placements with Parents | Section 1, Planned Placements has been updated to add information on placements in 'other arrangements.' |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds | This chapter has been updated. |
| Out of Area Placements | Section 6, Placements in Wales has been updated in line with updated Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review. |
| Placements Outside England and Wales | Section 3, Placements in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and Guernsey has been updated in line with updated Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review. |
| Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation | Information has been added in to Section 3, Local Authority Accommodation, in relation to children under the age of 16 being placed in 'other arrangements' placements. |
| Restrictive Physical Intervention | A link has been added giving Ofsted guidance on Positive Environments Where Children Can Flourish. |
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Placements in Other Arrangements | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
October 2021
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Capacity and Consent | Section 4.3, Consent to the Use of Medication to Suppress Puberty has been updated and new Section 5.4, Consent to Life-ending Withdrawal of Medical Support has been added, to reflect High Court judgments. Section 2.1, Consent to Information has been updated to reflect revisions contained in the statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children. It has also been updated to add information on a High Court case in relation to consent in the context of the use of medication to suppress puberty. |
| Contacts and Referrals | Guidance contained in this chapter has been reviewed and updated as required to reflect guidance from the refreshed Working Together to Safeguard Children. |
| Assessments | This chapter has been updated to add a new section on 16 and 17 year olds who may be Homeless and/or require Accommodation and reflects the issue of Homelessness and the vulnerability of young people identified in Working Together to Safeguard Children. |
| Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities | This chapter has been amended and should be re-read. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | Minor amendments have been made to this chapter in line with the UK’s exit from the EEA. |
| Prevention of Homelessness and Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 Year Olds who may be Homeless and/or Require Accommodation; and Duty to Refer | This chapter has been updated to add a link to Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers: good practice advice (DfE and MHCLG) to support the development of joint protocols that can help local authorities to meet the accommodation needs of care leavers. (See Section 4, Housing Protocols for Care Leavers). |
| Family and Friends Care | This chapter has been revised. New Section 6, Education has been added and information added on the School Admission Code. |
| Relinquished Children | This chapter has been updated to reflect case-law setting out lessons for the future in non-notification cases. |
| Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims for Looked After Children | This chapter has been refreshed and a link added to House of Commons Library Briefing Paper: Criminal Injuries Compensation for Victims of Child Abuse. |
| Placements with Parents | This chapter has been amended. |
| Placements in Residential Care | This chapter has been updated to note that, from September 2021, looked after children under 16 years of age cannot be accommodated in unregulated independent or semi-independent placements. |
| Placements Outside England and Wales | In Section 3, Placements in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and Guernsey, additional information has been added in relation to placements in Scotland, in line with a High Court case. |
| Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers | New Section 7.4, Consent to Life-ending Withdrawal of Medical Support has been added, to reflect a High Court judgment. |
| Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been updated and should be re-read. |
| Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UK | This guidance has been reviewed and updated throughout. Section 2.4, Obtaining a Passport has also been updated to link to reissued Home Office guidance for Local Authorities Children’s Services Departments when Applying for Passports on Behalf of Children. |
| Leaving Care and Transition | Section 6, Pathway Planning has been updated to note that, in relevant cases, immigration status should be included as a separate section on the Pathway Plan. This will help to ensure that young people who have been granted Pre Settled Status under the EU Settlement Scheme apply to convert this to Settled Status at the appropriate. Pathway Plans should contain clear information about what action needs to be taken by whom and when to ensure that the young person’s right to remain legally in the UK is not jeopardised. |
| Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody | This chapter has been amended. It has also been updated to reflect the Section 2.6 Care leavers leaving custody in Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers: good practice advice (DfE and MHCLG) 2020. (See Section 3.9, Planning for Release). |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders | This chapter has been revised. In Section 12, The Special Guardianship Support Plan, information has been added on the School Admission Code. It has also been updated to reflect Practice Guidance on Special Guardianship published by the Family Justice Council (June 2020). See Section 6.2, Special Guardianship Applications in Care Proceedings and new Section 16, Special Guardianship Orders in International Cases. |
| Court Reports in Placement Order Applications and Adoption/Special Guardianship Guidance | Section 3, Special Guardianship - Matters to be Dealt with in Report for the Court has been updated. |
| List of Decision Makers in Children's Services | This chapter has been updated. |
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act of 1983 | This policy applies when a child or care leaver is discharged from hospital after having been detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. |
April 2021
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Capacity and Consent | Information has been added in relation to NICE Quality Standard: Decision-Making and Mental Capacity. |
| Complaints and Representations | Information contained in this procedure has been reviewed and refreshed as required. |
| Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities | Section 15, Resolving Disagreements has been updated to reference recent case-law holding that, as part of the mediation process, a parent/child/young person is entitled to bring along any supporter they wish, including a lawyer. |
| Families with No Recourse to Public Funds | This chapter has been given an extensive refresh but not as a result of legislative change. |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds | A new Section 10, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty When One or More of the Relevant Criteria Under Section 25 Children Act 1989 are Not Satisfied has been added. Section 6, Placements of Children under 13 years has been updated following publication of revised DfE guidance. A revised link has been added to Secure Children's Homes. |
| Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been updated to reflect changes from the revised Working Together to Safeguard Children. |
| Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers | A revised link has been added to Prepare for a review panel: adopters and foster carers. See Section 9, Representations / Independent Review Procedure. |
| Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers | A revised link has been added to Prepare for a review panel: adopters and foster carers. See Section 6.1, Proposal to Terminate Foster Carer's Approval. |
| Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters | A revised link has been added to Prepare for a review panel: adopters and foster carers. See Section 9, Representations / Independent Review Procedure. |
| Access to Birth Records and Adoption Case Records | This chapter has been given a general refresh throughout and information added on applying for a copy of a birth certificate online. |
October 2020
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Assessments | This chapter has been updated in line with the new digital referral system for reporting potential victims of Modern Slavery. In Section 12, Regular Review - the following has been added: For children under the age of 5 assessments should be reviewed every 6 months. |
| Child in Need Plans and Reviews | In Section 3, Reviews of Child in Need Plans, the timescale for reviews has been changed to at least every 8 weeks (previously 3 months). |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | This chapter has been updated to take account of the new NRM digital referral form to report Modern Slavery. Section 11, Further Information has also been updated to include a link to Statutory Guidance Modern Slavery: How to Identify and Support Victims. |
| Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims for Looked After Children | The address for the First Tier Tribunal has been updated in Section 7, Appealing Decisions. |
| Notifications of Significant Events | This procedure has been updated to reflect the latest Ofsted guidance for social care providers on the types of incident which they consider to be serious and which will therefore require notification to the regulatory authority. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Capacity and Consent | In this chapter, guidance is offered in relation to the various situations in which consent is likely to be sought, with reference to previous legal judgments. |
| Storage of Data on Mobile Devices | This chapter provides guidance on the storage of personal data (including photographs) on mobile devices. 'Personal data' is any information about an identifiable living individual. |
| Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care and Safeguarding Staff | This chapter is designed to highlight some of the issues to be considered, with links to additional information. |
April 2020
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Recording Policy and Guidelines | This chapter has been amended to reflect the Ofsted Twitter Blog of 24/7/19 by Yvette Stanley, Ofsted's National Director for Social Care. The Blog highlights feedback from a number of inspections and explores what good recording should look like. (Ofsted: developments in children's social care – What makes an effective case record?) |
| Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities | An update has been made in Section 1, Principles to draw attention to OFSTED's advice that Local Authorities should exercise due diligence in ensuring schools for pupils with SEN are registered with the DFE. The same diligence should be exercised on behalf of pupils with SEN. |
| Placements in Residential Care | This chapter has been updated locally to specify that the child's social worker should visit the child/young person within 72 hours of them moving to the placement. |
| Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children | This chapter has been updated locally to specify that visits should be made within 10 days of a child being placed on an interim care order with their parents. |
| Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. The requirement for clear separation of reviews (for clarifying whether the criteria for keeping a child in secure accommodation are met, and the child's looked after review) has been emphasised. Clarifying whether the criteria for keeping a child in secure accommodation are met must come before a LAC review so the decision can inform the LAC review and they must be chaired by different individuals. |
| Notifications of Significant Events | This procedure has been updated to reflect revised guidance issued by Ofsted to Children's Homes Providers in August 2019. The revised guidance sought to clarify what is meant by a 'serious event' in relation to a child living in a Children's Homes with the aim of reducing the overall number of notifications made to Ofsted, and in particular reducing the number of repeat notifications made as a result of submitting additional / updated information. |
| Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been updated to reflect Keeping Children Safe in Education 2019 which replaces the 2018 version. Section 8, Safeguarding the Looked After Child at School has been amended to include reference to Upskirting (which is now a criminal offence) and serious violence. In Section 1.3, Role of the Local Authority, Virtual School Head (VSH), and School OFSTED's advice that Local Authorities should exercise due diligence in ensuring schools for LAC pupils are registered with the DFE has been added. |
| Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers | A link has been added to Attending an IRM Panel: information sheets. See Section 9, Representations / Independent Review Procedure. |
| Supervision and Support of Foster Carers | This chapter has been updated to reflect in more detail the foster carer's role and responsibilities with respect to Fostering National Minimum Standards – Notification of Significant Events (see Section 1, Introduction) and relevant aspects of Schedule 6 The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 (see Section 2, Planned Supervision Visits). |
| Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers | A link has been added to Attending an IRM Panel: information sheets. See Section 6, Representations/Review Procedure. |
| Allegations Against Foster Carers | This chapter has been reviewed and refreshed, and terminology has been updated where required. |
| Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters | A link has been added to Attending an IRM Panel: information sheets. See Section 10, Representations / Independent Review Procedure. |
| Access to Birth Records and Adoption Case Records | A link has been added to Attending an IRM Panel: information sheets. See Section 3.2, Adoption Orders made on or after 30 December 2005. |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders | This chapter has been updated to reference and reflect the Family Justice Council: Interim Guidance on Special Guardianship (Family Justice Council, May 2019) (see new Section 6.2, Special Guardianship applications in care proceedings). |
| Court Reports in Placement Order Applications and Adoption/Special Guardianship Guidance | This chapter has been updated to note the Family Justice Council: Interim Guidance on Special Guardianship, (Family Justice Council, May 2019). See Section 3, Special Guardianship - Matters to be Dealt with in Report for the Court and final paragraphs 11 and 12. |
| CSC Scheme of Delegation | This chapter has been re-named and substantially updated and should be re-read. |
| List of Decision Makers in Children's Services | This chapter has been updated. |
October 2019
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Children's Consultation and Participation | The Relevant Guidance section has been updated to add supporting resources with regard to children's consultation and participation. |
| Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After and Child In Need) | This chapter has been updated throughout to reflect Working Together to Safeguard Children and the process for reporting a serious incident to the Panel via the Child Safeguarding Incident Notification System. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | This chapter has been updated. A new Section 6, Suitable Placements has been added. Details of the National Transfer Scheme Protocol for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children Version 2.0 March 2018 have been added into Section 1, Introduction and Definitions. |
| Private Fostering | This chapter has been amended. It confirms in Section 14, After the Private Fostering Arrangement Ends that any request for support by the young person should be made to the local authority in which they are resident or where the education and training is being provided. |
| Decision to Look After and Care Planning | This chapter has been amended to reflect Section 3 of the Care Planning and Care Leavers (Amendment) Regulations 2014. The Care Plan must identify whether there is reason to believe the child has been trafficked or is an unaccompanied asylum seeker (see Section 2.1, The Care Plan - Contents). |
| Placements with Parents | This chapter has been updated to note that this procedure does not apply to children subject to Interim Care Orders where the placement is required by the court under Section 38(6) Children Act 1989 for the purposes of assessment, (see Scope of this chapter). |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds | This chapter has been updated. |
| Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children | This chapter has been amended to include a link to the Leaving Care and Transition Procedure in relation to Personal Adviser visits to 'Relevant' or 'Former Relevant' young people. |
| Notifications of Significant Events | This chapter has been updated. |
| Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been updated. |
| Leaving Care and Transition | This chapter has been updated. Amendments have been made in:
|
| Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters | This chapter has been amended to reflect the national changes in adoption registration and matching (see Section 9, After the Panel Recommendation). |
| Placement for Adoption | This chapter has been amended in to reflect the national changes in adoption registration and matching (see Section 7.13, Inter Agency Placements and Section 11, Children Approved for Adoption for Whom no Placement has been Identified). |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential Settings | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
April 2019
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Children's Consultation and Participation | This chapter has been updated to incorporate principles of Working Together. |
| Assessments | This chapter has been revised to reflect updated guidance on Assessment in Working Together to Safeguard Children. |
| Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After and Child In Need) | This chapter has been amended. From 29 June 2018 local authorities in England must notify the national Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel within 5 working days of becoming aware of a serious incident. |
| Recording Policy and Guidelines | This chapter has been amended to reflect HHJ Greensmith's comments regarding M and N (Children: Local authority gathering, preserving and disclosing evidence) [2018] EWFC 40 (1 June 2018). It has also been reviewed and updated following the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018. |
| Case Records and Retention | Section 1, The Case Record has been updated in line with Adoption and Care Planning (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2018, which permits the transfer of a copy of the child's case record (or part of that record) to another adoption agency when the local authority considers this to be in the interests of the child. |
| Access to Records / Subject Access Requests | This chapter has been updated and should be read in its entirety. |
| Confidentiality Policy | This guidance has been reviewed and updated following the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018. |
| Electronic Recording of Meetings and Conversations | This guidance has been reviewed and updated in following the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018. |
| Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities | This chapter has been updated in line with the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and revised statutory guidance which require schools, through the designated teacher to provide support to previously Looked After Children. A previously Looked After Child is one who is no longer looked after in England and Wales because they are the subject of an Adoption, Special Guardianship or Child Arrangements Order which includes arrangements relating to with whom the child is to live, or when the child is to live with any person, or has been adopted from 'state care' outside England and Wales. |
| Prevention of Homelessness and Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 Year Olds who may be Homeless and/or Require Accommodation; and Duty to Refer | This chapter has been updated to incorporate local authorities duty to refer. It should be read in its entirety. |
| Relinquished Children | Section 5, Consent and Competency has been updated to include additional information on parental capacity to consent, in line with High Court case-law. |
| Decision to Look After and Care Planning | Additional information has been added in to Section 1.3, Section 20 Accommodation, in line with recent case-law. |
| Ceasing to Look After a Child | This chapter has been updated in line with the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and revised statutory guidance. These changes relate to the status of 'previously Looked After Children'. A previously Looked After Child is one who is no longer looked after in England and Wales because they are the subject of an Adoption, Special Guardianship or Child Arrangements Order which includes arrangements relating to with whom the child is to live, or when the child is to live with any person, or has been adopted from 'state care' outside England and Wales. Previously Looked After Children are entitled to support from their school through the Designated Teacher (see Section 2.5, Children Who Move into Permanency). |
| Permanence Planning Guidance | This chapter has been updated in line with the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and revised statutory guidance. These changes relate to the status of 'previously looked after children'. A previously Looked After Child is one who is no longer looked after in England and Wales because they are the subject of an Adoption, Special Guardianship or Child Arrangements Order which includes arrangements relating to with whom the child is to live, or when the child is to live with any person, or has been adopted from 'state care' outside England and Wales. Children subject to a Adoption, Special Guardianship or Child Arrangements Order are entitled to support from their school, through the designated teacher. |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds | This chapter has been updated to fully reflect the updated guidance 'Secure children's homes: how to place a child aged under 13 (July 2018)'. (See Section 6, Placements of Children under the age of 13 Years) |
| Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation | This chapter has been updated in relation to placing young people in custody, see Section 2.3, How to Request a Transfer or Placement Review. |
| Looked After Reviews | Section 9, The Role of the Looked After Review in Achieving Permanence for the Child has been amended to reflect the outcome of a High Court Judgement in respect of children who were subject to Section 20 and where there were concerns of significant delays in their planning for permanence. The court noted the IROs' recognition and action over a number of reviews but acknowledged that a more robust response had been needed. |
| Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been updated to reflect amendments made by the Children and Social Work Act 2017. These changes relate to the status of 'previously looked after children' i.e. a previously looked-after child is one who is no longer looked after in England and Wales because s/he is the subject of an adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements order which includes arrangements relating to with whom the child is to live, or when the child is to live with any person, or has been adopted from 'state care' outside England and Wales. The chapter includes a new Section 15, Mental Health and a new Section 8, Safeguarding the Looked After Child at School. In addition the chapter reflects the statutory guidance Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) 2018, as it relates to Looked After Children and guidance regarding Data protection and safeguarding as set out in Data protection: a toolkit for schools (Open Beta: Version1.0) (August 2018). A link has also been added to the National Curriculum Assessments at Key Stage 2. |
| Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services | This chapter has been updated in relation to placing young people in custody, see Section 7.7, How to Request a Transfer or Placement Review. |
| Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody | This chapter has been updated in relation to placing young people in custody, see Section 3.8, How to Request a Transfer or Placement Review. |
| Adoption Panel | This guidance has been reviewed and updated following the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018. |
| Adoption Support | This chapter has been updated in line with the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and revised statutory guidance which require schools, through the Designated Teacher for Looked After Children, to offer support to previously looked after children. A previously looked-after child is one who is no longer looked after in England and Wales because subject of an Adoption, Special Guardianship or Child Arrangements Order which includes arrangements relating to with whom the child is to live, or when the child is to live with any person, or has been adopted from 'state care' outside England and Wales). |
| Adoption Reviews | Section 5, The Conduct of Adoption Reviews (bullet point f) has been amended to reflect the status of adopted children as being 'previously looked after' when considering their educational needs. A link to DfE guidance on Promoting the Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After children has also been added. |
| Adoption Case Records | Section 3, Security, Retention and Sharing of Records has been updated in line with Adoption and Care Planning (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2018, which provides that an adoption agency may disclose an adoption case record to another adoption agency for purposes related to either agency's functions as an adoption agency. Further information has been added in relation to adoption records where an Adoption Order is not made. |
| Life Story Books Guidance | This chapter has been reviewed. |
| Later Life Letters | This chapter has been fully reviewed. |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders | This chapter has been updated in line with the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and revised statutory guidance which require schools, through the designated teacher to provide support to previously Looked After Children. A previously Looked After Child is one who is no longer looked after in England and Wales because they are the subject of an Adoption, Special Guardianship or Child Arrangements Order which includes arrangements relating to with whom the child is to live, or when the child is to live with any person, or has been adopted from 'state care' outside England and Wales. It has also been updated to reflect the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman good practice points to follow when working with Special Guardians. A link to the full report 'Firm Foundations: Complaints about Council Support and Advice for Special Guardians (Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman) (May 2018)' has been added into the Relevant National Guidance section of this chapter. |
October 2018
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles | A new Section 2, Corporate Parenting has been added on Corporate Parenting in response to the DfE Applying Corporate Parenting Principles to Looked-after Children and Care Leavers – Statutory Guidance (Feb 2018). It includes the seven corporate parenting principles set out in the guidance. |
| Assessments | Section 4, Communication has been updated to include reference to parents with learning disabilities. |
| Deprivations of Liberty | This chapter has been updated. |
| Mental Capacity | This chapter has been updated. |
| Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children | This procedure has been updated to reflect local practice. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Applications for Emergency Protection Orders | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Public Law Outline | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Legal Planning Meetings | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Court Proceedings | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Leaving Care and Transition | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
