Amendments

In December 2024, 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 added to the manual in December 2024.

In December 2024, this chapter was refreshed.

This chapter was updated in December 2024, to reflect Championing Kinship Care: The National Kinship Care strategy.

In December 2024, Section 4.2, Procedural Fairness was updated in line with case-law.

In December 2024, links to sources of further information were updated.

In December 2024, information was added in relation to Ofsted and CQC Joint Registration Guidance: Children's Homes and Health Care.

This chapter was updated in December 2024.

This chapter was updated in December 2024.

In December 2024, 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 December 2024, information was added to Section 3, Stage One-The Pre-Assessment Process, with details on how to request information about an applicant from Ofsted and with a link to DBS guidance leaflets - GOV.UK in the Related Guidance Section.

In December 2024, information was added into Section 9, Accommodation, Bedroom Space and Sharing in relation to bunk beds.

This chapter was updated in December 2024, with a link to DBS guidance leaflets - GOV.UK in Section 4.4, Concluding the Investigation.

In December 2024, information on Ofsted checks was added in to Section 4.1, Checks and a link was added to the Disclosure and Barring Service Guidance Leaflets - GOV.UK in the Related Guidance Section.

In December 2024, this chapter was refreshed.

In December 2024, this chapter was refreshed.

In December 2024, a link was added to Ofsted and CQC Joint Registration Guidance: Children's Homes and Health Care.

This chapter was updated in December 2024, to include a link to the Disclosure and Barring Service Guidance Leaflets - GOV.UK. in Section 4.4, Concluding the LADO Process. 

This chapter was refreshed in December 2024.

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

In June 2024, this chapter was updated.

In June 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 also added.

In June 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 June 2024, information in relation to family group decision-making was added into Section 1, Introduction and Time Limits and Section 5, Pre-Proceedings.

Section 4, Different Situations whereby Children may be Living with Family and Friend Carers was updated in June 2024 to include information about Ukrainian children being cared for my family and friends in the UK.

This chapter was updated in June 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).

In June 2024, this chapter was given a refresh.

This chapter was updated in June 2024. Information that the relevant local authority should be notified if the child was previously a looked after child was added into Section 17, Special Guardian Duty on the Death of the Child.

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

This chapter was amended in June 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.

These details were updated in June 2024.