Amendments
July 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 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 chapter Family Networks and Family Group Decision Making. |
| Whistleblowing | This chapter has been updated. |
| 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 | This chapter has been amended to include a link to Guidance: Carry Out an Order in Special Educational Needs Cases. |
| 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 2.3, Children Who Are Age Disputed and Age Assessments to BASW Age Assessment Practice Guidance. In Section 6, 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. |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 | Section 2, Ordinary Residence has been updated in line with case law. |
| Placements with Connected Persons | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Financial Arrangements for Care Leavers | This chapter has been updated. |
| Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National Guidance | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers | Information on Ofsted checks has been added in to Section 5.1, 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. |
| 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. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Children and Young People’s Continuing Care National Framework | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Family Networks and Family Group Decision Making | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Next Update: January 2025 |
January 2024
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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 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 Other Arrangements | This chapter has been updated to reflect updated Ofsted Guidance. |
| Health and Safety | Additional information has been added about online safety. |
| Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| 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 to National Early Permanence Practice Standards (Coram Centre for Early Permanence). |
July 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 | 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). Information in relation to legal aid for foster carers and prospective adoptive parents in First Tier Tribunal appeals has also been added into Section 15, Resolving Disagreements. |
| 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. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | This chapter has been updated. Information in relation to the National Age Assessment Board has been added into Section 2.3, Children Who Are Age Disputed and Age Assessments. |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 | This chapter has been amended to include a link to Self-harm: Assessment, Management and Preventing Recurrence NICE Guidance into Further Information. |
| 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 and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| 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 in relation to allergies has been added into Section 6 Diet, Nutrition and Allergies. |
| Health Care Assessments and Plans | Information in relation to allergies has been added into Section 4, Health Plans. |
| 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. |
| Marriage/Civil Partnership of a Looked After Child | This chapter has been updated and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| Leaving Care and Transition | This chapter has been revised to include information from the revised Ofsted inspection framework. A new Section 9, Joint Housing Protocol for Care Leavers has been added. A link to Newham's Local Offer has been added into Section 4, Local Offer. Also, with effect from 1 April 2023, the leaving care allowance increased from £2,000 to £3,000. |
| 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 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 been added. |
| 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 (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 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. |
January 2023
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline | This chapter has been amended throughout in line with Management Guidance in Public Law Children Cases: March 2022. |
| 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. |
| 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 to reflect the changes to the Youth Remand Framework under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2021. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| 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. |
July 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 refreshed and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| Legal Gateway/Planning Meetings | This chapter has been refreshed and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| 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. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | This chapter has been amended to include information regarding The National Transfer Scheme Protocol for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children becoming mandatory for all local authorities with children's services. |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 | Section 2, Ordinary Residence has been amended to reflect Case Law. |
| Decision to Look After | This chapter has been refreshed and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| 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). |
| Placements with Parents | This chapter has been amended to include the Recommendations to Achieve Best Practice in the Child Protection and Family Justice Systems (Public Law Working Group). |
| 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). |
| 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 in line with case-law. |
| Contact with Parents/Adults and Siblings | This chapter has been amended to add a link to the Childnet Parents and Carers Toolkit. |
| Education of Children with a Social Worker, 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. 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. |
| Health Care Assessments and Plans | This chapter has been amended to include a link to Who Pays? Determining which NHS commissioner is responsible for making payment to a provider. |
| Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management | This chapter has been refreshed and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| Restrictive Physical Intervention and Restraint | This chapter has been refreshed and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| 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). |
| Fostering Panel | This chapter has been refreshed and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| Supervision and Support of Foster Carers | This chapter has been updated. |
| Allegations Against Foster Carers | This chapter has been refreshed and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Equality and Diversity | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Early Intervention: Policy and Provision | A link to this policy has been added to the manual. |
| Care Planning | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Risk Assessment and Planning | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Providing Personalised Care | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Health and Safety | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Leisure Activities | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Training and Development of Foster Carers | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Adoption Strategy: Achieving Excellence Everywhere | A link to this strategy has been added to the manual. |
January 2022
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| 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. |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline | This chapter has been updated. The link has been updated to the SWET (updated April 2021). Section 2, Pre-Proceedings has been updated to include information in relation to pre-birth assessments and planning where the mother has learning disabilities. It has also been updated to reflect Practice Guidance on Special Guardianship (Family Justice Council, June 2020). See in particular Section 9, Expectations of the Local Authority by the Court. |
| 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 | Information has been added on recording by employees in a professional capacity. |
| Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities | This chapter has been refreshed and updated and includes links to related reports from the House of Commons Library (see Section 16, Further Information and Statutory Guidance). |
| 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. Information has also been added in relation to age assessments. |
| Families with No Recourse to Public Funds | This chapter has been updated and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| 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. |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 | This chapter has been updated. New Section 2, Ordinary Residence has been added. |
| 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 | Section 1, Planned Placements has been updated to add information on placements in 'other arrangements.' |
| 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. |
| Out of Area Placements | This chapter has been amended to include Section 6, Placements in Wales and Appendix 2: Welsh Model Out of Area Notification Protocol |
| 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 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. |
| 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. |
| Advocacy and Independent Visitors | This chapter has been reviewed should be re-read in its entirety. |
| Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been significantly amended to reflect the 'Review of Sexual Abuse in Schools and Colleges (Ofsted, June 2021)'; updated 'Keeping Children Safe in Education' (see Scope Box) and Sexual Harassment in Education – Briefing (House Of Parliament Library, June 2021) (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, June 2021. In Section 6, When a Child Needs or Joins a New School, information has been added on the School Admission Code. |
| 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 updated in line with the Reunification of Probation Services - from 24 June 2021, probation services will be delivered by the National Probation Service. |
| Placement for Adoption | This chapter has been amended in line with the changes made by Coram BAAF. |
| Adoption Case Records | This chapter has been amended in line with the changes made by Coram BAAF. |
| 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 | This chapter has been updated to note the 'Timetabling and Timescales for Full Family and Friends Assessment' (Family Justice Council, May 2019). See Section 3, Special Guardianship - Matters to be Dealt with in Report for the Court |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Family Justice Resource Hub (ADCS) | This link has been added to the manual. |
| Placements in Other Arrangements | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| YJB and Probation Joint National Protocol for Transitions in England | This link has been added to the manual. |
July 2021
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Assessments | This chapter has been amended to add a new Section 15, 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. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Capacity and Consent | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care and Safeguarding Staff | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
March 2021
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | Further Information has been updated to include a link to Statutory Guidance Modern Slavery: How to Identify and Support Victims. |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds | Section 6, Placements of Children under 13 years has been updated following publication of revised DfE guidance. A revised link has also been added to Secure Children's Homes. 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. |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers | A revised link was added to Prepare for a review panel: adopters and foster carers. |
| Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers | A revised link has been made to Prepare for a review panel: adopters and foster carers. |
| Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters | A revised link has been made to Prepare for a review panel: adopters and foster carers. |
| 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. |
June 2020
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline | This chapter has been updated throughout. |
| Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After and Child In Need) | This chapter has been updated throughout. |
| 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?). |
| Case Records and Retention | This chapter has been updated in order to update the retention of records table. |
| Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities | This chapter has been updated in order to update Section 10.2, Care Plans for Looked After Children. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | The chapter has been updated to refer to the National Referral Mechanism Digital Referral System. Further Information has also been updated. |
| Private Fostering | This chapter has been amended. It confirms in Section 15, 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). |
| 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. |
| Looked After Reviews | This chapter has been updated in order to update the number of days when Looked After Reviews should be convened. |
| 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. |
| Notifications of Significant Events | This chapter has been updated throughout. |
| Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been updated in order to incorporate changes introduced by the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and Keeping Children Safe in Education. |
| Leaving Care and Transition | This chapter has been updated throughout. |
| 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 | This chapter has been amended to reflect the national changes in adoption registration and matching (see Section 9, After the Panel Recommendation) and also a link has been added to Attending and IRM Panel: information sheets, see Section 10, Representations / Independent Review Procedure. |
| Placement for Adoption | This chapter has been amended 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). |
| 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 procedure has been updated to reference and reflect the Family Justice Council Interim Guidance on Special Guardianship (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 (May 2019). See Section 3, Special Guardianship – Matters to be Dealt with in Report to Court and final sections 11 and 12. |
| 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. |
| Deprivation of Liberty | A link has been added to this tri.x resource. |
July 2019
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Children's Consultation and Participation | The Related Guidance section has been updated to add supporting resources with regard to children's consultation and participation. |
| Assessments | This chapter has been revised to reflect updated guidance on Assessment in Working Together to Safeguard Children. |
| 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). |
| 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. |
| 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 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 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 1.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 been also added. |
| Life Story Books Guidance | This chapter has been reviewed. |
| Later Life Letters | This chapter has been 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. |
November 2018
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Public Law Outline Guidance for Practitioners | This chapter has been renewed and updated to reflect the current organisational structure and decision-making. |
| 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. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | This chapter has been substantially updated and should be re-read. |
| Young Carers | This chapter has been reviewed and amended and identifies that a young carer's Needs Assessment can be completed in one of the existing assessment frameworks in use (see Section 2, Recognition). |
| Looked After Reviews | This chapter has been substantially updated and should be re-read. |
May 2018
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Contacts and Referrals | This chapter has been revised to set out in more detail the timetable and partnership requirements associated with effectively managing contacts and referrals. |
| Child in Need Plans and Reviews | This chapter has been updated by adding a new Section 4, Children in Need Moving to Another Authority - Principles. Information and communication is important between the respective local authorities to ensure appropriate services continue for the child and family and, where relevant, any risk of harm is recognised and identified with the receiving local authority. It should be noted that the responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child lies with the local authority where the child is to be found. |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline | Section 4.2, Case Analysis has been updated to reflect the 'permanence provisions' of the Care Plan added by s.8 Children and Social Work Act 2017 (amending section 31(3B) Children Act 1989) which a court is required to consider when deciding whether to make a Care Order. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | This chapter replaced the previous chapter 'Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children'. |
| Decision to Look After and Care Planning | Section 2.1, The Care Plan – Contents has been amended to reflect the additional 'permanence provisions' of the Care Plan (s.8 Children and Social Work Act 2017 amends section 31(3B) Children Act 1989) which a court is required to consider when deciding whether to make a Care Order. |
| Permanence Planning Guidance | Section 5, Assessing and Planning for Permanence has been updated to reflect the additional 'permanence provisions' of the Care Plan (under s.8 Children and Social Work Act 2017 amends section 31(3B) Children Act 1989) which a court is required to consider when deciding whether to make a Care Order. |
| Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children | Section 2, Exceptions has been revised to set out more clearly the circumstances where visiting requirements differ from those set out in Section 1, Normal Frequency. |
| Looked After Reviews | This chapter has been amended to fully reflect the Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review with respect to the circumstances as to when a Looked After Review should be brought forward. The list is not exhaustive (see Section 2, Frequency of Looked After Reviews). |
| Contact with Parents/Adults and Siblings | Section 2, Different Types of Contact has been updated to take account of the use of mobile communication with regards to contact. |
| Health Care Assessments and Plans | A new Section 3.5, Consent to Health Care Assessments has been added. |
| Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers | Section 8, After the Panel Recommendation has been updated to clarify the decision as to the suitability of the applicant must be made within 7 working days of receipt of the panel's recommendation and final set of panel minutes – The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 4: 5.39 and Standard 14 (14.9) Fostering panels and the fostering service's decision-maker. |
| Placement for Adoption | This chapter has been amended to emphasise 'procedural fairness' as a key aspect of the adoption planning process in respect of ensuring parents are provided with information throughout, including the dates of placement/proposed changes of a child's Status, etc. This follows the outcome of a judicial review ([2017] EWHC 1041 (Admin)) (see new Section 4.2, Procedural Fairness). |
| Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters | Section 4.1, Duty to Consider Fostering for Adoption Placement has been updated to reflect the additional consideration (added by s.9 Children and Social Work Act 2017 into the list of considerations whenever a court or adoption agency is coming to a decision relating to the adoption of a child), of the relationship which the child has with relatives, with any person who is a prospective adopter with whom the child is placed and with any other person in relation to whom the court or agency considers the relationship to be relevant. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Mental Capacity Act | This link has been added to the manual. |
