Amendments
August 2024
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Contacts and Referrals | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Assessments | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Child Protection Enquiries (Section 47) | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| 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 Family Networks and Family Group Decision Making Procedure. |
| 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. A new Section 3, Death of a Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24 has been added. |
| 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 and Promoting the Education and 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. |
| Staying Put Policy | This chapter has been replaced with an updated PDF. |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders | This chapter has been updated. Information has been added into Section 16, 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. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Family Networks and Family Group Decision Making | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Next Update: February 2025 |
May 2024
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Local Assessment Protocol | This document has been updated. |
February 2024
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Title | 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 | 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. Information has also 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 | This chapter has been updated. Information has been added in to Section 4, Assessment in relation to the National Age Assessment Board. |
| Families with No Recourse to Public Funds | Section 3.2.5, 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. |
| 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 refreshed. |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 | Section 2, Ordinary Residence has been updated in line with case law. |
| Securing Permanence | This document has been updated. |
| Placement Planning and Disruption Meetings | Preventing a Disruption, has been added to Section 2 Disruption meetings. This has been a local amendment. |
| 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 Revised Practice Guidance on the Court’s Approach to Unregistered Placements (October 2023). |
| 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 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 Revised Practice Guidance on the Court’s Approach to Unregistered Placements (October 2023). |
| Placements in Other Arrangements | This chapter has been updated. |
| Supporting and Promoting the Education and Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been refreshed and should be re-read. |
| Health and Safety | Additional information has been added about online safety. |
| Early Permanence Placements / Fostering for Adoption | This chapter has been refreshed and a link added to National Early Permanence Practice Standards (Coram Centre for Early Permanence). |
October 2023
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Continuum of Need Guidance | This updated document has been added to the manual. |
August 2023
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline | Section 8, Court Hearings has been updated in line with A View From the President's Chambers: Relaunching the PLO (November 2022), and that section should be re-read. In Relevant Guidance, a link has been added to Pre-proceedings and Family Justice Hub (Research in Practice). |
| 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. |
| Decision to Look After | Section 3, Section 20 Accommodation has been updated in line with case-law. |
| 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 Care Assessments and Plans | This chapter has been updated. Information in relation to allergies has been added into Section 4, Health Care Plans. |
| Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management | This chapter has been updated to incorporate Ofsted Feedback. |
| Health and Safety | This chapter has been updated. Information in relation to allergies has been added into Section 6, Diet, Nutrition and Allergies. |
| Marriage / Civil Partnership of a Child in Care | 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 was also updated to include information from the revised Ofsted Inspection Framework. |
| Allegations Against Foster Carers | This chapter has been amended in line with revised Keeping Children Safe in Education. A new Section 2, The Difference Between an Allegation of Harm and a Concern has also been added. |
| Allegations Against Prospective Adopters and in Relation to Children Placed for Adoption or Already Adopted | This chapter has been amended in line with revised Keeping Children Safe in Education. A new Section 2, The Difference Between an Allegation of Harm and a Concern has also been added. |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders | Section 6.1, Placement before a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) is Granted 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. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Title | 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. |
February 2023
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 | This chapter has been amended to refer to Guidance issued by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. A link has been added to Self-harm: Assessment, Management and Preventing Recurrence NICE Guidance in the Further Information section. |
| Placements Outside England and Wales | Section 3, Placements in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and Guernsey has been updated in line with the Cross-border Placements (Effect of Deprivation of Liberty Orders) (Scotland) Regulations 2022 and Cross-Border Placements (Effect of Deprivation of Liberty Orders) (Scotland) Regulations 2022: Practice Guidance, Notice and Undertaking Template. |
| Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation | This chapter has been amended in line with the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. |
| Family Time with Parents/Adults and Siblings | Section 3, Supervised Family Time 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. |
| Children in Care and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services | Section 2, Children who are Arrested has been updated in relation to appropriate adults. |
| Adoption Panel | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Placement for Adoption | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Adoption Support | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Disruption of Adoptive Placements | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| 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. |
August 2022
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline | This chapter has been given a general refresh. |
| 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. |
| Decision to Look After | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Care Planning | This chapter has been separated from the chapter previously called Decision to Look After and Care Planning. |
| Ceasing to Look After a Child | This chapter has been updated to add a note regarding transferring a child's belongings in appropriate luggage and includes a link to a link to NYAS, My Things Matter Report (see Section 5, Administration/Process Issues). |
| Securing Permanence | This document 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 (see Section 4, Placement Planning). |
| 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 (see Section 2.3, Placement Planning). |
| Education of Children in Care and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been updated to reflect Keeping Children Safe in Education. 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. See Section 8.3, Protecting Children with a Social Worker, Looked After Children and Previously Looked After Children from Adults Who May Pose a Risk to Them and/or Other Children in the School. |
| Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Restrictive Physical Intervention and Restraint | This chapter has been updated and two new sections have been added: Section 8, Children and Young People with Extra Support Needs and Section 10, After Applying Restraint. |
| 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 (see Scope of This Chapter). |
| Staying Put Policy | This chapter has been updated to include the 2022-23 version of the Warrington Staying Put Policy. |
| Fostering Panel | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Equality and Diversity | This chapter has been added to the procedures manual. |
| Providing Personalised Care | This chapter has been added to the procedures manual. |
| Leisure Activities | This chapter has been added to the procedures manual. |
| Risk Assessment and Planning | This chapter has been added to the procedures manual. |
| Health and Safety | This chapter has been added to the procedures manual. |
| Training and Development of Foster Carers | This chapter has been added to the procedures manual. |
February 2022
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Capacity and Consent | Section 4.3, Consent to the Use of Medication to Suppress Puberty has been updated in line with case-law. |
| Complaints and Representations | This chapter has been amended to reflect the Children's Statutory Complaint Process: Guide for Practitioners (Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman) - see Relevant Guidance. |
| Electronic Recording of Meetings and Conversations | Information has been added on recording by employees in a professional capacity. |
| Direct Payments | This chapter has been amended. |
| Short Breaks | Information 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 has been added into Section 7, Short Break Settings. |
| Relinquished Children | This chapter has been updated to reflect case-law setting out lessons for the future in non-notification cases. |
| 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 | 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. |
| 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. Additional information has also been added in relation to placements in Scotland, in line with a High Court case. |
| Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation | Information in relation to children under the age of 16 being placed in 'other arrangements' placements has been added into Section 3, Local Authority Accommodation. |
| Education of Children in Care and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been significantly amended to reflect the 'Review of Sexual Abuse in Schools and Colleges (Ofsted)'; updated 'Keeping Children Safe in Education' (see Scope of this Chapter) and Sexual Harassment in Education – Briefing (House of Parliament Library) (see Section 8.2, Protecting looked after children from sexual harassment and child on child abuse). The chapter has also been amended to reflect Promoting the Education of Children with a Social Worker: Virtual School Head Role Extension. Information on the School Admission Code has been added in Section 6, When a Child Needs or Joins a New School. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Placements in Other Arrangements | This chapter has been added to the procedures manual. |
August 2021
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Capacity and Consent | This chapter has 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. Information has also been added in relation to NICE Quality Standard: Decision-Making and Mental Capacity. A 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 also been updated to reflect revisions contained in the statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children. |
| Assessments | A new section on 16 and 17 year olds who may be Homeless and/or require Accommodation has been added to reflect 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 | 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. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | Minor amendments have been in line with the UK's exit from the EEA. A link added to the Independent Child Trafficking Guardians Referral Form has also been added. 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. |
| 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 | A link has been added to the publication Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers: Good Practice Advice (DfE and MHCLG) which seeks to support the development of joint protocols that can help local authorities to meet the accommodation needs of care leavers. |
| Placements with Connected Persons | In Section 6, Ending the Placement information has been added regarding why a placement may end. |
| Placements in Foster Care | Section 7, Ending of Placement regarding a Family and Friends Foster Carer withdraws from the full fostering assessment. |
| Placements in Residential Care | This procedure has been updated to note that, from September 2021, Children in Care under 16 years of age cannot be accommodated in unregulated independent or semi-independent placements. |
| Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers | A Section 7.5, Consent to Life-ending Withdrawal of Medical Support has been added to reflect a High Court judgment. |
| Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UK | This guidance has been reviewed and updated throughout. Section 2.3 Insurance Cover has been updated to include details of how to apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) which provides access to reduced cost or free medical insurance in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. 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 | This chapter has been updated with a link to the publication Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers: Good Practice Advice (DfE and MHCLG) which seeks to support the development of joint protocols that can help local authorities to meet the accommodation needs of care leavers. Additional content has therefore been added in a new Section 8, Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers as well as Section 7, Reviews of Pathway Plans and Section 13, Where Care Leavers Live or Move to a Different Local Authority Area. |
| Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody | This chapter has been updated to reflect Section 2.6 'Care leavers leaving custody' in the publication Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers: Good Practice Advice (DfE and MHCLG) (see Section 3.9, Planning for Release). |
| 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. |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders | This procedure has been updated to reflect Practice Guidance on Special Guardianship published by the Family Justice Council. See Section 6, Approval of Special Guardianship for Children in Care, and a new Section 16, Special Guardianship Orders in International Cases. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 | This new policy applies when a child or care leaver is discharged from hospital after having been detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. |
March 2021
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Placements in Foster Care | A note has been added into Section 7, Ending of Placements to remind that in all cases, the child should be accompanied to their new placement by the social worker and helped to settle in. Suitable luggage should be used and a child's belongings should never be transported in bin-bags or other inappropriate containers. |
February 2021
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Families with No Recourse to Public Funds | This guidance has been reviewed and updated throughout. |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds | Section 6, Placements of Children under 13 Years has been updated following publication of revised DfE guidance. |
| Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers | This procedure has been reviewed throughout and updated to reflect practice in Warrington for the recruitment, assessment and approval of foster carers. Section 13, Changes in the Foster Carer's Household or Circumstances has been extensively updated to include information on the steps to take if a foster carer becomes involved with a new partner, is separated or bereaved. |
| Review and Termination of Foster Carers | This procedure has been reviewed locally and updated to reflect practice for reviewing foster carer's approval. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Staying Put Policy (2020) | The Warrington Staying Put Policy which sets out the arrangements to enable care leavers to remain with their foster carers after they turn 18, has been reviewed locally and updated. A link to the template Staying Put Living Together Agreement has also been added into the Additional Local Resources section. |
September 2020
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Supervision and Support of Foster Carers | This chapter has been reviewed and updated throughout; Section 5, Support Visits and Section 8, Overcoming Difficulties are new. |
August 2020
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| 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 Title | Details |
| Capacity and Consent | This new section considers the various situations in which consent is likely to be sought, with reference to previous legal judgements. |
| Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care and Safeguarding Staff | The use of social media in a social care and safeguarding environment is a developing area. Cases and reviews have discussed the use of social media in social work practice. There is, however, currently no specific government guidance on the issue. This new chapter is designed to highlight some of the issues to be considered, with links to additional information. It is not intended to provide any legal advice, and legal advice must be sought as appropriate. Local Authorities and Courts may have local protocols in place on the use of social media/service of documents. |
| Storage of Data on Mobile Devices | This new chapter provides guidance on the storage of personal data (including photographs) on mobile devices. 'Personal data' is any information about an identifiable living individual. |
April 2020
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders | Section 11, Assessment for Support and Special Guardianship Plan has been updated to reflect processes in place for assessing and approving support for Special Guardians. New local information and information and guidance has also been added. |
February 2020
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Title | Details |
| Recording Policy and Guidelines | This chapter has been amended to reflect the Ofsted 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 | A note has been added into section 1 to draw attention to OFSTED's advice that Local Authorities should exercise due diligence in ensuring schools for pupils with SEND are registered with the DfE. |
| Family and Friends Care | This chapter has been updated. |
| Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews | This chapter has been updated to emphasise the requirement for clear separation between the child's Case Review and the Secure Accommodation Review. Clarifying whether the criteria for keeping a child in secure accommodation continue to be met must come before a Case Review so the decision can inform the Case Review and they must be chaired by different individuals. |
| Supervision and Support of Foster Carers | This guidance 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, and relevant aspects of Schedule 6 The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 (see Section 2, Planned Supervision Visits). |
| Allegations Against Foster Carers | This procedure has been reviewed and terminology has been refreshed as required. |
| 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 (May 2019). See Section 3, Special Guardianship – Matters to be Dealt with in Report to Court and final sections 11 and 12. |
| Removed Chapters | |
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