Amendments

This chapter was refreshed in November 2025.

In November 2025, in Section 2.1, Additional Considerations Where a Child Has Multiple Needs, information was added about how to access pre-application advice on caring for children with complex needs (Ofsted) 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 has been added to this chapter.

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

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 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

In November 2025, information was added from How Local Authorities Can Help Young Carers (Ofsted Blog) and additional resources were added to Further Information.

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 include information for the Restraint and restrictive practices: positive environments for children – Ofsted: social care.

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, 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 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).

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

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

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

In May 2025 Section 15, Registering an appeal with the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Disability) updated in line with case law.

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

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

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

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.

This chapter was updated in November 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.

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

This chapter was refreshed in November 2024.

This chapter was added in November 2024.

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

In November 2024, a link to BASW Age Assessment Practice Guidance was added in Section 4, Age Assessment. A link to Operation Innerste Process: Caseworker Guidance was added in Further Information. Links to sources of further information were also updated.

This chapter was added in November 2024.

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

This chapter was updated in November 2024 in line with revised Working Together to Safeguard Children.

In November 2024, this chapter was refreshed.

In November 2024, this chapter was refreshed.

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.

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

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.

This chapter was updated in November 2024 in line with revised Working Together to Safeguard Children.

In November 2024, information was added in relation to family group decision-making in Section 1, Introduction and Time Limits and Section 5, Pre-Proceedings. A link was also added to the Family Networks and Family Group Decision Making Procedure.

This chapter was updated in November 2024 in line with revised Working Together to Safeguard Children.

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.

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. And 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.

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

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

This chapter was updated in May 2024 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.

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

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. 

Section 4, Different Situations whereby Children may be Living with Family and Friend Carers was updated in May 2024 to include information about Ukrainian children being cared for my family and friends in the UK.

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.

This chapter was refreshed in May 2024.