Amendments
March 2024
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Early Help: Local Guidelines for Early Help in North Somerset are outlined in the Early Help Strategy | This chapter has been updated and a new PDF link added. |
| Recording Policy and Guidelines | This chapter has been updated. |
| Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities | This chapter has been amended 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. |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 | Section 2, Ordinary Residence has been updated in line with case law. |
| Families with No Recourse to Public Funds | Section 5.2.5, Providing Support has been 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. |
| Family and Friends Care | Section 4, Different Situations whereby Children may be Living with Family and Friend Carers has been updated to include information about Ukrainian children being cared for my family and friends in the UK. |
| Young Carers | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Ceasing to Look After a Child | This chapter has been updated. |
| Placements in Residential Care | This chapter has been 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. |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds | Section 10, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty has been 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. |
| Placements in Other Arrangements | This chapter has been 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. |
| Health and Safety | Additional information has been added about online safety. |
| Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been updated. |
| Local Contacts | These details have been updated. |
| Next Update: September 2024 |
September 2023
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Capacity and Consent | Amendments have been made to reflect case-law in relation to assessing legal capacity. |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline | Section 8, Court Hearings has been updated in line with A View From the President’s Chambers: Relaunching the PLO (November 2022). In Relevant Guidance a link has been added to Pre-proceedings and Family Justice Hub (Research in Practice). Also, information has been 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. |
| Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities | This chapter has been updated. Information has been added into Section 15, Resolving Disagreements in relation to legal aid for foster carers and prospective adoptive parents in First Tier Tribunal appeals. It has also been updated to include information from Guidance: Area SEND Inspections Framework and Handbook (November 2022). |
| Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential Settings | This chapter has been updated to include information from the UK Social Work Practice in Safeguarding Disabled Children and Young People report. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | This chapter has been updated. Information has been added in to Section 4, Assessment in relation to the National Age Assessment Board. |
| Local Authority's Sufficiency Duty - Accommodation for Looked After Children | This chapter has been amended to include the North Somerset Sufficiency Strategy in the relevant guidance section. |
| Decision to Look After | Section 3, Section 20 Accommodation has been updated in line with case-law in September 2023. |
| Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation | This chapter has been amended to include information from Annex to MOJ Circular 2022/03: Additional Information on Remand to Local Authority Accommodation (RLAA). |
| Placements in Other Arrangements | This chapter has been refreshed and should be re-read in it's entirety. |
| Health and Safety | Information has been added into Section 6, Diet, Nutrition and Allergies, in relation to allergies. |
| Health Care Assessments and Plans | Information has been added into Section 4, Health Plans in relation to allergies. |
| Marriage/Civil Partnership of a Looked After Child | This chapter has been amended to reflect that the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 raised the age of marriage and civil partnership to 18 in England and Wales, with effect from 26 February 2023. |
| Leaving Care and Transition | This chapter has been amended to note that with effect from 1 April 2023, the leaving care allowance increased from £2,000 to £3,000. It was also updated to include information from the revised Ofsted Inspection Framework. |
| Allegations Against Foster Carers | This chapter has been amended in line with revised Keeping Children Safe in Education. New Section 2, The Difference Between an Allegation of Harm and a Concern has been added. |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders | This chapter has been updated. Information has been added into Section 6.2, Special Guardianship Applications in Care Proceedings in relation to timing of assessments. |
| Local Contacts | These details have been updated. |
| New Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Transfer of Children from Family Support & Safeguarding Teams to the Children in Care Team | This document has been added to the manual. |
| Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National Guidance | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Ofsted Inspection Framework | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
May 2023
| Removed Chapters | |
|
|
March 2023
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Case Records and Retention | This chapter has been updated in relation to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 | This chapter has been amended to refer to Guidance issued by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. A link has also been added to Self-harm: Assessment, Management and Preventing Recurrence NICE Guidance in Further Information. |
| Ceasing to Look After a Child | This chapter has been updated to add a note regarding transferring a child's belongings in appropriate luggage and includes a link to a link to NYAS, My Things Matter Report (see Section 5, Administration / Process Issues). |
| Placements Outside England and Wales | Section 3, Placements in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and Guernsey has been updated in line with the Cross-border Placements (Effect of Deprivation of Liberty Orders) (Scotland) Regulations 2022 and Cross-Border Placements (Effect of Deprivation of Liberty Orders) (Scotland) Regulations 2022: Practice Guidance, Notice and Undertaking Template. |
| Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation | This chapter has been amended in line with the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. |
| Contact with Parents/Adults and Siblings | Section 3, Supervised Contact has been updated to reflect a finding by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that the supervisor's observations of the contact must be clearly recorded in the child's record and shared with the parents within 3 months of the visit. |
| Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management | This chapter whas been amended to incorporate Ofsted feedback. Additional information has been added into Section 2, Positive Behaviour Support and Section 5.4, Recording of Sanctions. |
| Responsibilities of the Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services | Section 2, Looked After Children who are Arrested has been updated in relation to appropriate adults. |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders | This chapter has been updated to reflect the updated Public Law Working Group Best Practice Guidance. This includes the new interim guidance, issued by the President of the Family Division, that addresses the lawful extension of care proceedings beyond 26 weeks. Section 6.3, PPlacement before a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) is Granted has been added in line with guidance that states where there is no pre-existing relationship between the child and special guardians the child should be placed on an interim basis before the special guardianship order is made. |
| Local Contacts | These details have been updated. |
September 2022
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline | This chapter has been refreshed and should be reread in its entirety. |
| Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities | Section 15, Resolving Disagreements has been updated in line with the First Tier Tribunal's extended powers to hear appeals and make non-binding recommendations about health and social care aspects of Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, provided those appeals also include education elements. |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 | This chapter has been amended to reflect recent case Law in Section 2, Ordinary Residence. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | This chapter has been amended to include information regarding the National Transfer Scheme Protocol for Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children becoming Mandatory for all Local Authorities with a Children's Services. |
| Decision to Look After | This chapter has been refreshed and should be reread in its entirety. |
| Ceasing to Look After a Child | This chapter has been updated to add a note regarding transferring a child's belongings in appropriate luggage and includes a link to a link to NYAS, My Things Matter Report (see Section 5, Administration / Process Issues). |
| Placements in Foster Care | This chapter has been amended to add a link to the NYAS 'My Things Matter' Report – support and respect care-experienced children and their belongings when they move (see Section 4, Placement Planning). |
| Placements in Residential Care | This chapter has been amended to add a link to the NYAS 'My Things Matter' Report – support and respect care-experienced children and their belongings when they move (see Section 2.3, Placement Planning). |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds | Section 10, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty has been updated in line with case-law. |
| Contact with Parents/Adults and Siblings | This chapter has been amended to include a link to Childnet Parents and Carers Toolkit in the Relevant Guidance section. |
| Education of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been updated to reflect Keeping Children Safe in Education (2021). Schools should have policies and processes in place to ensure all concerns about all adults working in or on behalf of the school or college (including supply teachers, volunteers and contractors) are dealt with promptly and appropriately. See Section 8.3, Protecting Children with a Social Worker, Looked After Children and Previously Looked After Children from Adults Who May Pose a Risk to Them and/or Other Children in the School. |
| Health Care Assessments and Plans | This manual has been amended to include a link to Who Pays? Determining which NHS commissioner is responsible for making payment to a provider. |
| Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management | This chapter has been refreshed and should be reread in it entirety. |
| Restrictive Physical Intervention and Restraint | This chapter has been refreshed and should be reread in it entirety. |
| Leaving Care and Transition | This chapter has been amended to add a link to the NYAS 'My Things Matter' Report – support and respect care-experienced children and their belongings when they move (see Scope of This Chapter). |
| Fostering Panel | This chapter has been refreshed and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| Allegations Against Foster Carers | This chapter has been refreshed and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Equality and Diversity | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Care Planning | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Providing Personalised Care | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Risk Assessment and Planning | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Health and Safety | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Leisure Activities | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Training and Development of Foster Carers | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
March 2022
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Capacity and Consent | Section 4.3, Consent to the Use of Medication to Suppress Puberty has been updated in line with case-law. |
| Legal Gateway/Planning Meetings | This chapter has been updated and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| Complaints and Representations | This chapter has been amended to reflect the Children's Statutory Complaint Process: Guide for Practitioners (Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman) (see Relevant Guidance). |
| Electronic Recording of Meetings and Conversations | Section 1, Recording by Service-users Acting in a Personal Capacity of this chapter has been updated in line with case-law. Information has also been added to Section 2, Recording by Employees acting in a Professional Capacity. |
| Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care and Safeguarding Staff | This chapter has been given a general refresh. |
| Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities | This chapter has been refreshed and updated and includes links to related reports from the House of Commons Library (see Section 16, Further Information and Statutory Guidance). |
| Short Breaks | Information has been added into Section 7, Short Break Settings, in relation to the prohibition on looked after children under the age of 16 being placed in 'other arrangements' placements for the purposes of a short break. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | A link has been added to the Independent Child Trafficking Guardians Referral Form. In areas where the ICTG service has been implemented, if the social worker considers a child to be a potential victim of modern slavery, they should refer them to the ICTG service by completing the online referral form. Section 6.1, Placement Options has been updated in relation to placements in 'other arrangements'. Section 4, Assessment has been updated in relation to Age Assessments. |
| Family and Friends Care | This chapter has been revised. Section 7, Education has been added and information added on the School Admission Code. |
| Relinquished Children | This chapter has been updated to reflect case-law setting out lessons for the future in non-notification cases. |
| Decision to Look After and Care Planning | Section 1.3, Section 20 Accommodation has been revised in line with the Public Law Working Group (PLWG) Recommendations to Achieve Best Practice in the Child Protection and Family Justice Systems. |
| Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims for Looked After Children | This chapter has been refreshed and a link added to House of Commons Library Briefing Paper: Criminal Injuries Compensation for Victims of Child Abuse. |
| Placements with Parents | Section 1, Planned Placements has been updated to add information on placements in 'other arrangements.' |
| Placements in Residential Care | This chapter has been updated to note that, from September 2021, looked after children under 16 years of age cannot be accommodated in unregulated independent or semi-independent placements. |
| Out of Area Placements | Section 6, Placements in Wales has been updated in line with updated Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review. |
| Placements Outside England and Wales | Section 3, Placements in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and Guernsey has been updated in line with updated Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review. Additional information has also been added in relation to placements in Scotland, in line with a High Court case. |
| Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation | Information has been added into Section 3, Local Authority Accommodation, in relation to children under the age of 16 being placed in 'other arrangements' placements. |
| Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been significantly amended to reflect the 'Review of Sexual Abuse in Schools and Colleges (Ofsted,)'; updated 'Keeping Children Safe in Education' (see Scope of This Chapter) and Sexual Harassment in Education – Briefing (House of Parliament Library) (see Section 8.2, Protecting looked after children from sexual harassment and child on child abuse). The chapter has also been amended to reflect Promoting the Education of Children with a Social Worker: Virtual School Head Role Extension. Information on the School Admission Code has been added into Section 6, When a Child Needs or Joins a New School. |
| Restrictive Physical Intervention | This chapter has been updated to include a link Positive Environments Where Children Can Flourish (Ofsted) in the Related Guidance in the scope of this chapter section. |
| Leaving Care and Transition | Section 6, Pathway Planning has been updated to note that, in relevant cases, immigration status should be included as a separate section on the Pathway Plan. This will help to ensure that young people who have been granted Pre-Settled Status under the EU Settlement Scheme apply to convert this to Settled Status at the appropriate. Pathway Plans should contain clear information about what action needs to be taken by whom and when to ensure that the young person's right to remain legally in the UK is not jeopardised. |
| Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody | This chapter has been updated to reflect the changes made as a result of the Reunification of Probation Services. |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders | This chapter has been revised. Informationon the School Admission Code has been added into Section 12, The Special Guardianship Support Plan. |
| Local Contacts | This chapter has been updated. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Early Intervention: Policy and Provision (House of Commons Library) | This link has been added to the manual. |
| Allocation of Work and Transfer between Teams | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Family Justice Resource Hub (ADCS) | This link has been added to the manual. |
| Placements in Other Arrangements | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| YJB and Probation Joint National Protocol for Transitions in England | This link has been added to the manual. |
| Adoption Strategy: Achieving Excellence Everywhere | This link has been added to the manual. |
September 2021
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Capacity and Consent | Section 4.3, Consent to the Use of Medication to Suppress Puberty has been updated and new Section 5.4, Consent to Life-ending Withdrawal of Medical Support has been added, to reflect High Court judgments. Section 2.1, Consent to Information has been updated to reflect revisions contained in the statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children. Information has also been added on a High Court case in relation to consent in the context of the use of medication to suppress puberty. A new Section 6, NICE Quality Standard: Decision-Making and Mental Capacity has also been added. |
| Contacts and Referrals | Guidance contained in this chapter has been reviewed and updated as required to reflect guidance from the refreshed Working Together to Safeguard Children. |
| Assessments | This chapter has been amended to add a new Section 15, 16 and 17 year olds who may be Homeless and/or require Accommodation and reflects the issue of Homelessness and the vulnerability of young people identified in Working Together to Safeguard Children. |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline | This chapter has been updated to reflect Practice Guidance on Special Guardianship (Family Justice Council). See Section 9, Expectations of the Local Authority by the Court in particular. |
| Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities | This chapter has been amended. Section 15, Resolving Disagreements has been updated to reference recent case-law holding that, as part of the mediation process, a parent/child/young person is entitled to bring along any supporter they wish, including a lawyer. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | Minor amendments have been made to this chapter in line with the UK's exit from the EEA. |
| Families with No Recourse to Public Funds | This chapter has been updated and should be re-read in it entirety. |
| Prevention of Homelessness and Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 Year Olds who may be Homeless and/or Require Accommodation; and Duty to Refer | This chapter has been updated to add a link to Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers: good practice advice (DfE and MHCLG) to support the development of joint protocols that can help local authorities to meet the accommodation needs of care leavers (see Section 4, Housing Protocols for Care Leavers). |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds | A new Section 10, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty When One or More of the Relevant Criteria Under Section 25 Children Act 1989 are Not Satisfied has been added. |
| Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers | A new Section 7.4, Consent to Life-ending Withdrawal of Medical Support has been added, to reflect a High Court judgment. |
| Advocacy and Independent Visitors | This chapter has been updated reviewed and updated throughout and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been updated to reflect changes from the revised Working Together to Safeguard Children. |
| Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UK | This guidance has been reviewed and updated throughout. Section 2.3, Insurance Cover has been updated to include details of how to apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) which provides access to reduced cost or free medical insurance in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. Section 2.4, Obtaining a Passport has also been updated to link to reissued Home Office guidance for Local Authorities Children's Services Departments when Applying for Passports on Behalf of Children. |
| Leaving Care and Transition | This chapter has been updated with a link to Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers: good practice advice (DfE and MHCLG) to support the development of joint protocols that can help local authorities to meet the accommodation needs of care leavers. Additional content has therefore been added in a new Section 8, Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leaver as well as Section 7, Reviews of Pathway Plans and Section 13, Where Care Leavers Live or Move to a Different Local Authority Area |
| Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody | This chapter has been updated to reflect the Section 2.6 Care leavers leaving custody in Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers: good practice advice (DfE and MHCLG) (see Section 3.9, Planning for Release). |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders | This chapter has been updated to reflect Practice Guidance on Special Guardianship published by the Family Justice Council (June 2020). See Section 6.2, Special Guardianship Applications in Care Proceedings and new Section 16, Special Guardianship Orders in International Cases. |
| Court Reports in Placement Order Applications and Adoption/Special Guardianship Guidance | This chapter was updated in September 2021 to include 'Timetabling and Timescales for Full Family and Friends Assessment' (Family Justice Council, May 2019) in Section 3, Special Guardianship - Matters to be Dealt with in Report for the Court. |
| Local Contacts | This chapter has been updated. |
| List of Agency Decision Makers, Designated Managers and Nominated Officers | This chapter has been updated. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
