Amendments

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

This chapter was refreshed in April 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 updated in April 2025 with a link to DBS guidance leaflets (GOV.UK) in Section 4.4, Concluding the Investigation.

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

In April 2025, Section 4.2, Procedural Fairness was updated in line with case-law.

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

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

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

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

In April 2025, links to sources of further information were updated.

This chapter was updated in April 2025 with a link to DBS guidance leaflets (GOV.UK) in the Related Guidance Section.

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

In September 2024, this chapter was refreshed throughout.

This chapter was updated in September 2024, links have been added to Care Experience Matters (GOV.UK), Children as Suspects and Defendants (CPS), Guidance: Use of Force, Restraint and Restrictive Practices in the Children and Young People Secure Estate and A Joint Thematic Inspection of Work with Children Subject to Remand in Youth Detention.

This chapter was updated in September 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 September 2024, this chapter was refreshed throughout.

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

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

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

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

In September 2024, this chapter was refreshed throughout.

In September 2024, this chapter was refreshed throughout.

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

This chapter was added in September 2024.

In September 2024, a information was added to Section 3, Stage One - The Pre-Assessment Process, with details on how to request information about an applicant from Ofsted.

This chapter was added in September 2024.

This chapter was updated in September 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.

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

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