Amendments

In April 2026, Section 8.6, Where the Advice from the Guardian and the Local Authority assessment are fundamentally different in relation to the safety and best interests of a child was added to the chapter in line with practice guidance issued jointly by Cafcass and the ADCS.

This chapter was refreshed in April 2026.

This chapter was updated in April 2026 to include information for the Restraint and restrictive practices: positive environments for children – Ofsted: social care.

This chapter was refreshed in April 2026.

In April 2026, this chapter was updated to include the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.

This chapter was refreshed in April 2026 to include information from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and Coram BAAF: Initial Health Assessment (IHA) Delivery Standards.

This chapter was updated in April 2026 to include information from the Ministry of Justice Youth Remand Concordat. This chapter was also updated with information from the Youth Justice Charter - know your rights in the youth justice system. The Youth Justice Charter sets out what children can expect at each stage of the youth justice system — helping them understand who does what, what their rights are, and what to do if the standards are not met.

This chapter was refreshed in April 2026. The Government guidance ‘Report the death or serious harm of a child or care leaver’ was updated to provide what information is needed when reporting incidents involving children who have died or been seriously harmed and abuse or neglect is known or suspected, looked after children and care leavers. The Serious Incident Notification Guide for local authorities was also added to this chapter.

In April 2026, this chapter was updated to reflect the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 and a link to the Information Commissioners Office ‘Better Records Together’.

This chapter was refreshed in April 2026 to include information from the Criminal Injuries Compensation: A Guide.

In April 2026, this chapter was updated to provide a link to the Information Commissioners Office ‘Better Records Together’.

In April 2026, information was added to Section 3.4, Health and Emotional Well-being, as the government has extended health services and other entitlements to care leavers.

In April 2026, this chapter was updated with guidance from the Youth Remand Concordat which gives guidance and principles for Local Authorities and key agencies in working with children through the remand process. This chapter was also updated with information from the Youth Justice Charter - know your rights in the youth justice system. The Youth Justice Charter sets out what children can expect at each stage of the youth justice system — helping them understand who does what, what their rights are, and what to do if the standards are not met.

In October 2025 this chapter was revised in line with updated government guidance.

In October 2025, information was added to Section 1 from Good decisions: supporting children aged 16 and 17 who need help when they are homeless - GOV.UK and a section was added around Domestic Abuse and Homelessness.

In October 2025, in Section 2.1, Additional Considerations Where a Child Has Multiple Needs information was added about how to access pre-application advice on caring for children with complex needs (Ofsted) If you are thinking about opening a children’s social care service for children with complex needs.

In October 2025 information was added from How Local Authorities Can Help Young Carers (Ofsted Blog) and additional resources were added to Further Information.

This chapter was updated in October 2025 to reflect Granting Leaves of Absence in Working Together to Improve School Attendance statutory guidance, which states that generally, the DfE does not consider a need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation to be an exceptional circumstance for leave of absence.

In October 2025 links have been added to Youth Remand Concordat - Guidance and principles to follow a joint approach throughout the youth remand process for local and national partners and Delivering the best for girls in custody - an independent review into placements and care for girls in the Children and Young People Secure Estate.

In April 2025 updates were made to reflect the Homelessness Code of Guidance - Chapter 22: Care Leavers (updated 3 May 2024) which sets out the expectation that authorities should have in place joint protocols which clearly outline jointly held corporate parenting responsibilities for care leavers. See Section 8, Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers.

In April 2025 Section 15.1, Registering an appeal with the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Disability) was updated in line with case law.

This chapter was refreshed in April 2025 in line with How Local Authorities and Children’s Homes Can Achieve Stability and Permanence for Children with Complex Needs (Ofsted).

In April 2025 information was added in relation to Ofsted and CQC Joint Registration Guidance: Children’s Homes and Health Care.

In April 2025 links to sources of further information were updated.

In April 2025 a link was added to Ofsted and CQC Joint Registration Guidance: Children’s Homes and Health Care.

In April 2025 links were added to additional sources of guidance.

In October 2024, this chapter was refreshed.

This chapter was updated in October 2024.

This chapter was added in October 2024.

This chapter was refreshed in October 2024

In October 2024, information was added in relation to family group decision-making in Section 1, Introduction and Time Limits and Section 5, Pre-Proceedings, and a link added to chapter Family Networks and Family Group Decision Making.

This chapter was updated in October 2024 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).

This chapter was updated in October 2024.

In October 2024, this chapter was 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.

In October 2024, this chapter was revised in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children.

This chapter was updated in October 2024.

This chapter was added in October 2024.

In October 2024, this chapter was 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. 

In October 2024, a link to BASW Age Assessment Practice Guidance was added in Section 4, Age Assessment. A link to Operation Innerste Process: Caseworker Guidance was added in Further Information.

Section 10, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty was updated throughout in October 2024 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.

In October 2024, this chapter was refreshed.

In October 2024, this chapter was 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 was added.

Section 15, Resolving Disagreements was updated in October 2024 to include information on Guidance: Carry Out an Order in Special Educational Needs Cases.

In April 2024, this chapter was updated.

In April 2024, information was 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.

This chapter was amended in April 2024 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.

In December 2023, the government launched Championing Kinship Care: The National Kinship Care strategy.
This chapter was updated in April 2024 to reflect changes in the strategy and should be re-read. 

In April 2024, this chapter was 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.

Section 2, Ordinary Residence was updated in April 2024 in line with case law.

Section 10, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty was updated in April 2024 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.

This chapter was refreshed in April 2024.