Amendments
April 2024
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Contacts and Referrals | This chapter has been refreshed where required. |
| Families with No Recourse to Public Funds | This chapter has been updated. |
| Family and Friends Policy | 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. |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 | Section 2, Ordinary Residence has been updated in line with case law. |
| 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 Revised Practice Guidance on the Court’s Approach to Unregistered Placements (October 2023). |
| 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 refreshed throughout. |
| Next Update: October 2024 |
February 2024
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Permanence Planning Guidance (Documents Library) | This chapter has been updated locally and can be found in the Documents Library. |
January 2024
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings, Legal Gateway Meetings and the Public Law Outline | This chapter has been updated locally and can be found in the Documents Library. |
October 2023
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Capacity and Consent | Amendments have been made to reflect case-law in relation to assessing legal capacity. |
| 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 to include information in relation to the National Age Assessment Board into Section 4, Assessment. |
| Decision to Look After | Section 3, Section 20 Accommodation has been updated in line with case-law. |
| Health and Safety | Information in relation to allergies has been added into Section 6, Diet, Nutrition and Allergies. |
| Health Care Assessments and Plans | Information in relation to allergies has been added into Section 4, Health Plans. |
| Restrictive Physical Intervention and Restraint | This chapter has been updated locally where required. |
| 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 has also been revised to include information from the revised Ofsted Inspection Framework. |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders | This chapter has been updated. Information in relation to timing of assessments has been added into Section 6.2, Special Guardianship Applications in Care Proceedings. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Placements in Other Arrangements | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Gender Identity Issues | This chapter 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. |
April 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 and a link to Self-harm: Assessment, Management and Preventing Recurrence NICE Guidance in the Further Information Section. |
| Providing Personalised Care | A link has been added to Culturally Appropriate Care (Skills for Care). |
| 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. |
| Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management | This chapter has been amended to incorporate Ofsted feedback. Additional information has been added into Section 2, Positive Behaviour Support and Section 5.4, Recording of Sanctions. |
| 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. |
| Placement for Adoption | This chapter has been refreshed. |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders | In April 2023 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, Placement before Special Guardianship Order is made, 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. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation | This chapter has been updated. |
| Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Adoption Panel | This chapter has been added. |
| Disruption of Adoptive Placements | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
October 2022
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| How to Arrange a Legal Gateway Meeting and Accessing Legal Advice including Urgent Duty Line | This chapter has been amended to reflect local guidance. |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings, Legal Gateway Meetings and the Public Law Outline | This chapter has been refreshed locally where required. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | This chapter has been refreshed locally where required. |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 | This chapter has been refreshed locally where required. |
| Decision to Look After | This chapter is has been updated and separates from the previously combined chapter Decision to Look After and Care Planning. |
| Care Planning | This chapter is has been updated and separates from the former combined chapter Decision to Look After and Care Planning. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management | This chapter has been refreshed throughout and replaces the previous version. |
| Restrictive Physical Intervention and Restraint | This chapter has been refreshed where required. |
| 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. |
| Fostering Panel | This chapter has been refreshed throughout and replaces the previous version. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Equality and Diversity | This chapter has been added. |
| Care Planning | This chapter is new and separates from the former combined chapter Decision to Look After and Care Planning. |
| Risk Assessment and Planning | This chapter has been added. |
| Providing Personalised Care | This chapter has been added. |
| Health and Safety | This chapter has been added. |
| Leisure Activities | This chapter has been added. |
| Training and Development of Foster Carers | This chapter has been added. |
April 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. |
| Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care Staff | This chapter has been given a general refresh. |
| Overnight Short Breaks | Information has been added in to 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 was updated in relation to placements in ‘other arrangements’. Section 4, Assessments was updated in relation to Age Assessments. |
| Family and Friends Policy | New 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. |
| 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. |
| Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children including the Virtual School | This chapter has been significantly updated to reflect the ‘Review of Sexual Abuse in Schools and Colleges (Ofsted, June 2021)’; updated ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (see Scope Box) and Sexual Harassment in Education – Briefing (House Of Parliament Library, June 2021). (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, June 2021. In Section 6, When a Child Needs or Joins a New School, information was added on the School Admission Code. |
| Restrictive Physical Intervention | A link to Guidance: Positive Environments Where Children Can Flourish (Ofsted) has been added to Section 8, Further Information. |
| 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. |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders | This chapter has been revised in Section 12, The Special Guardianship Support Plan. |
December 2021
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Managing Allegations Against Foster Carers and Prospective Adopters | This PDF has been updated. |
October 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 a 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 Sharing has been updated to reflect revisions contained in the statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children. |
| Assessments | This chapter has been amended to add a new section on 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. |
| Child Protection Enquiries (Section 47) | This chapter has been reviewed and revised where required to reflect local arrangements. |
| Applications for Emergency Protection Orders | This chapter has been refreshed locally. |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings, Legal Gateway Meetings and the Public Law Outline | This chapter has been updated to reflect local guidance and also the Practice Guidance on Special Guardianship (Family Justice Council). |
| Accessing Legal Advice | This chapter has been amended to reflect local guidance. |
| 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. |
| 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). |
| Decision to Look After and Care Planning | Links to the Documents Library have been added in Section 1.2, Considerations before a Decision to Look After is made. |
| Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers | This chapter has been refreshed locally where required. |
| Supervised Contact and the Surrey Contact Service | This chapter has been reviewed and revised where required to reflect local arrangements. |
| Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children including the Virtual School | 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 the publication Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers: Good Practice Advice published by the (DfE and MHCLG). This publication seeks 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. Local updates have been added where required. |
| 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. See Section 6.2, Special Guardianship Applications in Care Proceedings and new Section 16, Special Guardianship Orders in International Cases. |
| 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. |
July 2021
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Children Missing from Home and Care | This chapter has been updated. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Missing Persons and Child Exploitation Memorandum of Understanding | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
May 2021
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Personal Care and Relationships | This chapter has been reviewed and updated. |
April 2021
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Capacity and Consent | Information has been added in relation to NICE Quality Standard: Decision-Making and Mental Capacity. |
| 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 refreshed throughout and should be re-read in its entirety. |
| Notifications of Significant Events | This procedure has been updated to reflect the latest Ofsted guidance for social care providers on the types of incident which they consider to be serious and which will therefore require notification to the regulatory authority. |
| Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers | A revised link has been added to Prepare for a review panel: adopters and foster carers. |
| Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers | A revised link has been added to Prepare for a review panel: adopters and foster carers. |
October 2020
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Assessments | This chapter has been updated in line with the new digital referral system for reporting potential victims of Modern Slavery. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | This chapter has been updated to take account of the new NRM digital referral form to report Modern Slavery. The Further Information has also been updated to include a link to Statutory Guidance Modern Slavery: How to Identify and Support Victims. |
| Families with No Recourse to Public Funds | This chapter has been reviewed and updated locally and should be re-read. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Helping Families Early Strategy (2020 - 2023) | This strategy has been added to the manual. |
| Capacity and Consent | In this chapter, guidance is offered in relation to the various situations in which consent is likely to be sought, with reference to previous legal judgements. |
| Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care Staff | The use of social media in a social care and safeguarding environment is a developing area. Cases and reviews have discussed the use of social media in social work practice. There is, however, currently no specific government guidance on the issue. This chapter is designed to highlight some of the issues to be considered, with links to additional information. |
| Storage of Data on Mobile Devices | This chapter provides guidance on the storage of personal data (including photographs) on mobile devices. |
| Supervised Contact and the Surrey Contact Service | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| General Statement re Adoption Functions | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
August 2020
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After and Child in Need) | A link to 'Cause for Concern and Serious Incident Notification Procedure' has been added. |
| Notifications of Significant Events | A link to 'Cause for Concern and Serious Incident Notification Procedure' has been added. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Cause for Concern and Serious Incident Notification Procedure | This procedure was added as new and replaces 'Need to Know Incident Reporting Procedure' (2019). |
April 2020
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline | This chapter has been updated to reference and reflect the Family Justice Council Interim Guidance on Special Guardianship (May 2019)(see Section 1, Introduction). |
| Recording Policy and Guidelines | This chapter has been amended to reflect the Ofsted Blog of 24/7/19 by Yvette Stanley, Ofsted's National Director for Social Care. The Blog highlights feedback from a number of inspections and explores what good recording should look like. (Ofsted: developments in children's social care – What makes an effective case record?). |
| Permanence Planning Guidance | This chapter has been reviewed and updated to reflect local Surrey guidance. |
| Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews | This chapter has been updated to emphasise the requirement for clear separation between the child's Case Review and the Secure Accommodation Review. Clarifying whether the criteria for keeping a child in secure accommodation continue to be met must come before a Case Review so the decision can inform the Case Review and they must be chaired by different individuals. |
| Notifications of Significant Events | This procedure has been updated to reflect revised guidance issued by Ofsted to Children's Homes Providers in August 2019. The revised guidance sought to clarify what is meant by a 'serious event' in relation to a child living in a Children's Homes with the aim of reducing the overall number of notifications made to Ofsted, and in particular reducing the number of repeat notifications made as a result of submitting additional / updated information. |
| Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children including the Virtual School | This chapter has been updated to reflect Keeping Children Safe in Education. Section 8, Safeguarding the Looked After Child at School includes a reference to Upskirting (which is now a criminal offence) and a new section on Serious Violence. Information was added to reflect OFSTED's advice that LAs should exercise due diligence in ensuring schools for LAC pupils are registered with the DFE. |
| Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers | A link has been added to Attending an IRM Panel: information sheets. See Section 9, Representations / Independent Review Procedure. |
| Supervision and Support of Foster Carers | This chapter has been updated to reflect in more detail the foster carer's role and responsibilities with respect to Fostering National Minimum Standards – Notification of Significant Events (see Section 1, Introduction) and relevant aspects of Schedule 6 The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 (see Section 2, Planned Supervision Visits). |
| Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers | A link has been added to Attending an IRM Panel: information sheets. See Section 6, Representations/Review Procedure. |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders | This procedure has been updated to reference and reflect the Family Justice Council Interim Guidance on Special Guardianship (May 2019) (see new Section 6.2, Special Guardianship Applications in Care Proceedings). |
October 2019
| Updated Chapters | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Child Protection Enquiries (Section 47) | This chapter has been reviewed and revised to reflect local arrangements. |
| Children Missing from Home and Care | This PDF has been updated. |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline | This chapter has been amended to reflect changes from 'Practice Direction 27a - Family Proceedings: Court Bundles (Universal Practice to be Applied in the High Court and Family Court)', in relation to the required maximum length of certain court documents, (unless otherwise specifically directed by the court). In addition, a new subsection of Section 4.1, Local Authority Documentation - 'Final Care Plan' provides further detail on the importance of recording information on the Care Plan which will help the child, parent or the child's carer understand why decisions have been or are being made. It has also been amended to reflect HHJ Greensmith's comments regarding M and N (Children: Local authority gathering, preserving and disclosing evidence) [2018] EWFC 40 (1 June 2018)) (see Section 10, Good Local Authority Practice During Proceedings). |
| Recording Policy and Guidelines | This chapter has been amended to reflect HHJ Greensmith's comments regarding M and N (Children: Local authority gathering, preserving and disclosing evidence) [2018] EWFC 40 (1 June 2018). |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery | A new Section 6, Suitable Placements has been added. Details of the National Transfer Scheme Protocol for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children Version 2.0 March 2018 have been added into Section 1, Introduction and Definitions. |
| Private Fostering | This chapter has been amended. It confirms in Section 14, After the Private Fostering Arrangement Ends that any request for support by the young person should be made to the local authority in which they are resident or where the education and training is being provided. |
| Decision to Look After and Care Planning | This chapter has been amended to reflect Section 3 of the Care Planning and Care Leavers (Amendment) Regulations 2014. The Care Plan must identify whether there is reason to believe the child has been trafficked or is an unaccompanied asylum seeker (see Section 2.1, The Care Plan - Contents). |
| Placements with Parents | This chapter has been updated to note that this procedure does not apply to children subject to Interim Care Orders where the placement is required by the court under Section 38(6) Children Act 1989 for the purposes of assessment (see Scope of this Chapter). |
| Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services | This chapter has been updated in relation to placing young people in custody, see Section 7.7, How to Request a Transfer or Placement Review. |
| Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody | This chapter has been updated in relation to placing young people in custody, see Section 3.8, How to Request a Transfer or Placement Review. |
| New Chapters and Features | |
| Chapter Name | Details |
| Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After and Child in Need) | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential Settings | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| 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 added to the manual. |
| Young Carers | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Placement Planning Meetings | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Disruption Meetings | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Notifications of Significant Events | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Leaving Care and Transition | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
| Placement for Adoption | This chapter has been added to the manual. |
