Amendments

This chapter was updated in September 2024.

In September 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 September 2024, this chapter was refreshed.

This chapter was added to the manual in September 2024.

This chapter was added to the manual in September 2024.

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

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, and a link was added to chapter Family Networks and Family Group Decision Making.

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, 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. Links to sources of further information were also updated.

This chapter was refreshed in September 2024.

In September 2024, this chapter was refreshed.

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

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 procedure on Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After, Child in Need or Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24).

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.

This chapter was added in September 2024.

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

This chapter was refreshed in March 2024.

This chapter was refreshed in March 2024.

This chapter was amended in March 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.

In March 2024, this chapter was refreshed and a link was added to National Early Permanence Practice Standards (Coram Centre for Early Permanence). 

Section 10, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty was updated in March 2024 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.

In March 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.

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