Amendments

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

In April 2025, this chapter was updated.

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

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

In April 2025, this chapter was updated.

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

In April 2025, the Staying Put Policy document was updated with an updated version. A link to Staying Put Roles was also added. 

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

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

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

This chapter was refreshed in October 2024.

This chapter was refreshed in October 2024.

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

In October 2024, this chapter was refreshed.

This chapter was refreshed in October 2024.

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

This chapter was added to the manual in October 2024.

This chapter was refreshed in October 2024.

This chapter was refreshed in October 2024.

This chapter was added to the manual in October 2024.

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

This PDF document was replaced with an updated version in October 2024.

In October 2024, this PDF document was replaced with an updated version.

In October 2024, this chapter was refreshed in line with local procedure.

In October 2024, the Staying Put Policy PDF document was updated with an updated version.

This chapter was refreshed in October 2024.

In October 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.

This chapter was added to the manual in October 2024.

This chapter was updated in October 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 October 2024, information on Ofsted checks was added in to Section 4.1, Checks.

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