Amendments

This chapter was updated in January 2026.

This chapter was updated in January 2026.

This chapter was updated in January 2026.

This chapter was updated in December 2025 to include information from the Ministry of Justice Youth Remand Concordat.
In December 2025 this chapter was 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 December 2025.

This chapter was updated in December 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.

This chapter was refreshed in December 2025 to include information from the Criminal Injuries Compensation: A Guide.

This chapter was refreshed in December 2025.

The Government guidance ‘Report the death or serious harm of a child or care leaver’ has been 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 has been added to this chapter.

In December 2025 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.

In December 2025 this chapter was 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 December 2025 information was added in Section 6.3 Placement before a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) is Granted to highlight that the DfE has extended the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund initially until March 2026, with a new fair access limit of £3000.

This chapter was updated in December 2025 to include information for the Restraint and restrictive practices: positive environments for children – Ofsted: social care.

In December 2025 information was added in Section 3 Examples of Adoption Support to highlight that the DfE has extended the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund initially until March 2026, with a new fair access limit of £3000.

In December 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.

This chapter was updated in September 2025.

In June 2025, this PDF document was replaced with an updated version.

This chapter was updated in June 2025.

In June 2025, a link to Norfolk Local Assessment Protocol was added to the Related Guidance section.

In June 2025, links were added to additional sources of guidance.

These details were updated in June 2025.

In June 2025, information was added to Section 1, Prevention of Homelessness and Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 Year Old Young People who may be Homeless and/or Require Accommodation, 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.

This chapter was updated in June 2025.

This chapter was updated in June 2025.

This chapter was updated in June 2025.

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

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.