Amendments

This chapter was updated in November 2024. Information was added into Section 16, 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 refreshed in November 2024.

In November 2024, this chapter was refreshed.

In November 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 November 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. 

This chapter was updated in November 2024 to reflect Championing Kinship Care: The National Kinship Care strategy. Section 4, Different Situations whereby Children may be Living with Family and Friend Carers was also updated to include information about Ukrainian children being cared for my family and friends in the UK.

This chapter was refreshed in November 2024.

In November 2024, additional information was added about online safety.

This chapter was refreshed in November 2024.

This PDF document has been replaced with an updated version.

In November 2024, information on Ofsted checks was added into Section 5.1, Checks.

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

This link was updated in November 2024.

This chapter was updated in November 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 Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After, Child in Need or Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24) Procedure.

In November 2024, this chapter was refreshed.

This chapter was refreshed in November 2024.

This document was replaced with an updated version in November 2024.

In November 2024, a link was added in Section 4.1, Age Assessment to BASW Age Assessment Practice Guidance. In Further Information, a link was added to Operation Innerste Process: Caseworker Guidance. Links to sources of further information were also updated.

This chapter was added to the manual in November 2024.

This chapter was added to the manual in November 2024.

In November 2024, information was added in relation to family Network decision-making in Section 1, Introduction and Time Limits and a link was added to Family Networks and Family Network Decision Making. Information was also 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 added in May 2024

In May 2024, additional information was added about online safety.

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

In May 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 Revised Practice Guidance on the Court’s Approach to Unregistered Placements (October 2023).

Section 5.2.5, Providing Support was updated in May 2024 to reflect the Home Office increase in financial support to individuals waiting to find out if they will be given asylum in the UK.

In May 2024, this chapter was reviewed and updated in line with local procedures.

Section 3, Section 20 Accommodation was updated in May 2024 in line with case-law.

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

This chapter was updated in May 2024.