Amendments

In February 2026, 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 February 2026.

In February 2026, 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. In February 2026, this chapter was updated with information from the Youth Justice Charter - know your rights in the youth justice system. The Youth Justice Charter sets out what children can expect at each stage of the youth justice system - helping them understand who does what, what their rights are, and what to do if the standards are not met. 

In February 2026, 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 2027, with a new fair access limit of £3000.

This chapter was refreshed in February 2026. 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.

This chapter was updated in February 2026, to include information from the Ministry of Justice Youth Remand Concordat. In February 2026, this chapter was updated with information from the Youth Justice Charter - know your rights in the youth justice system. The Youth Justice Charter sets out what children can expect at each stage of the youth justice system - helping them understand who does what, what their rights are, and what to do if the standards are not met.

In February 2026, information was added from How Local Authorities Can Help Young Carers (Ofsted Blog) and additional resources were added to Further Information.

This chapter was refreshed in February 2026, to include information from the Criminal Injuries Compensation: A Guide.

In February 2026, 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 February 2026, to include information for the Restraint and restrictive practices: positive environments for children - Ofsted: social care.

This chapter was updated in February 2026, 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 February 2026, information was added to Section 1, from Good decisions: supporting children aged 16 and 17 who need help when they are homeless - GOV.UK and Section 3.1, Domestic Abuse and Homelessness was added.

This chapter was updated in February 2026.

In August 2025, this chapter was reviewed and updated in line with local procedure.

In August 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 added to the manual in August 2025.

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

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

This chapter was previously known as Case Transfer Policy. This chapter was updated in August 2025 and should be re-read.

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

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

This chapter was updated in August 2025. 

This chapter was added to the manual in August 2025.

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

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

In February 2025, this chapter was refreshed.

In February 2025, this chapter was refreshed.

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

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

This chapter was updated in February 2025.

In February 2025, information on Ofsted checks was added into Section 5.1, Checks.

This chapter was updated in February 2025. 

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

This chapter was refreshed in August 2024 and should be re-read throughout. 

This chapter was refreshed in August 2024.

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

In August 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 August 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.

This chapter was refreshed in August 2024.

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

This chapter was updated in August 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 updated to include information about Ukrainian children being cared for by family and friends in the UK.

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

In August 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 August 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 refreshed throughout in August 2024 and should be re-read.

This chapter was updated in August 2024.

This chapter was amended in February 2024, to note that with effect from 1 April 2023, the leaving care allowance increased from £2,000 to £3,000.

In February 2024 Section 10, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty 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 President of the Family Division Practice Guidance: Placements in Unregistered Children's Homes in England or Unregistered Care Home Services in Wales.

This chapter was updated in February 2024. Information was added in to Section 4, Assessment in relation to the National Age Assessment Board.

In February 2024, amendments were made to reflect case-law in relation to assessing legal capacity.

This New chapter was added in February 2024.

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

In February 2024, information was 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.

In February 2024 Section 5.2.5, Providing Support was updated 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 February 2024, section 2, Ordinary Residence was updated in line with case law.

This chapter was amended in February 2024 to include information from Special Educational Needs and Disability: Improving Local Authority Decision Making - Report of the Administrative Justice Council's Working Group on Special Educational Needs and Disability. Information was also added into Section 15, Resolving Disagreements in relation to legal aid for foster carers and prospective adoptive parents in First Tier Tribunal appeals.

This chapter was refreshed throughout in February 2024 and should be re-read.

In February 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 President of the Family Division Practice Guidance: Placements in Unregistered Children's Homes in England or Unregistered Care Home Services in Wales.

This chapter was refreshed throughout in February 2024.

In August 2023 information was added into Section 6, Diet, Nutrition and Allergies in relation to allergies.

In August 2023 information was added into Section 4, Health Plans in relation to allergies.

In August 2023 this chapter was amended in line with revised Keeping Children Safe in Education. New Section 2, The Difference Between an Allegation of Harm and a Concern was added.

This chapter was updated in August 2023 in line with local procedure.

This chapter was added in August 2023.

Section 3, Section 20 Accommodation was updated in line with case-law in August 2023.

This chapter was updated in August 2023.

This chapter was revised in August 2023 to include information from the revised Ofsted inspection framework.

In August 2023 this chapter was amended to include information from Annex to MOJ Circular 2022/03: Additional Information on Remand to Local Authority Accommodation (RLAA).