Amendments

This chapter was updated in May 2026.

This chapter was added in April 2026.

This chapter was added in April 2026.

In April 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 and 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 April 2026 Section 8.6, Where the Advice from the Guardian and the Local Authority assessment are fundamentally different in relation to the safety and best interests of a child was added to the chapter in line with practice guidance issued jointly by Cafcass and the ADCS.

In April 2026, Section 3, Security, Retention and Sharing of Records was updated in the light of the Records of Adopted and Care-experienced People – Good Practice Guidance for Record-keepers and Care Professionals (England and Wales) Guidance - published February 2024 which recommends that Adoption records where an Adoption Order is made should now have for "good practice" minimum retention of 125 years (date of birth + 125 years this was previously 100 years) or for "exemplary practice" for 150 years, or best practice would be permanent preservation/retention.

This chapter was refreshed in April 2026.

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 added in April 2026.

This chapter was updated in April 2026 to include information from the Ministry of Justice Youth Remand Concordat and 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.

This chapter was added in April 2026.

This chapter was refreshed in April 2026

This chapter was updated in April 2026 to include information for the Restraint and restrictive practices: positive environments for children – Ofsted: social care.

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

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

In October 2025, 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 a section was added around Domestic Abuse and Homelessness.

This chapter was updated in October 2025.

In October 2025 links have been 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 refreshed in October 2025 to include information from the Criminal Injuries Compensation: A Guide.

This chapter was added to the manual in October 2025.

This chapter was updated in October 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.

In October 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 added to the manual in October 2025.

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.