Amendments

This chapter was updated throughout in November 2025.

In November 2025, links were 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 November 2025 to include information for the Restraint and restrictive practices: positive environments for children - Ofsted: social care.

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

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

This chapter was refreshed in November 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 was added.

This chapter was updated in November 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 November 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 throughout in June 2025.

This chapter was updated in May 2025 to include a link to the Disclosure and Barring Service Guidance Leaflets (GOV.UK) in Related Guidance.

This chapter was updated in May 2025 to include a link to the Disclosure and Barring Service Guidance Leaflets (GOV.UK) in Section 4.5, Concluding the Investigation.

In May 2025, this chapter was updated throughout.

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

In May 2025, information in relation to bunk beds was added into Section 9, Accommodation, Bedroom Space and Sharing.

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

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

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

This chapter was updated throughout in May 2025.

This chapter was updated throughout in May 2025.

This chapter was updated throughout in May 2025.

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

This chapter was added to the procedures manual in November 2024.

This chapter was refreshed throughout in November 2024.

This chapter was refreshed in November 2024.

In November 2024 links to sources of further information were updated.

This chapter was updated in November 2024.

In November 2024, this chapter was refreshed.

In November 2024, information on Ofsted checks was added in to Section 4, Checks and References.

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

This chapter was refreshed in May 2024.

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

In May 2024 further links were added in Relevant Guidance.

In May 2024 additional information was added about online safety.

In May 2024 new section Transfer protocol for DCT or CIOC to Transitions Team was added.

This chapter was added to the procedures manual in May 2024.

In May 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.

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

In May 2024, Section 10, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty was 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.

In May 2024 this chapter was 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 was added.

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

In May 2024 this chapter was updated to include information from Guidance - Placing Children: Deprivation of Liberty Orders (Ofsted) - guidance for providers, social workers and placement commissioners on placing children, subject to a deprivation of liberty order (DoL), in unregistered settings.

Links to national guidance were updated in May 2024.

In May 2024 links were added to further information.

In May 2024 a link was added to guidance on supported accommodation.

This chapter was updated in May 2024. Information was 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.

This chapter was updated in May 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).

Additional links were added in May 2024.

This chapter was updated throughout in May 2024.

In May 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.