Amendments

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.

In November 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.

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. 

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

In November 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.

In November 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. 

This chapter was refreshed in November 2025. The Government guidance, Report the death or serious harm of a child or care leaver was 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 to this chapter.

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 in November 2025, to include information from the Ministry of Justice Youth Remand Concordat.

This chapter was refreshed in November 2025.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.