Amendments

This chapter was updated in December 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 December 2025, information was added in Section 6.3, Placement before a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) is Granted to highlight that the DfE has extended the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund initially until March 2027, with a new fair access limit of £3000.

In December 2025, information was added in Section 3, Examples of Adoption Support to highlight that the DfE has extended the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund initially until March 2027, with a new fair access limit of £3000.

In December 2025, 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. Also, information from the Youth Justice Charter - know your rights in the youth justice system was added. 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 updated in December 2025.

This chapter was updated in December 2025.

This chapter was updated in December 2025, to include information from the Ministry of Justice Youth Remand Concordat. Also information from the Youth Justice Charter - know your rights in the youth justice system was added. 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 December 2025, information was added from How Local Authorities Can Help Young Carers (Ofsted Blog) and additional resources were added to Further Information.

This chapter was updated in December 2025, to include information from the Ministry of Justice Youth Remand Concordat. In December 2025, this chapter was updated 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 December 2025, links were 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 updated in June 2025.

This chapter was updated in June 2025 to include a link to the Disclosure and Barring Service Guidance Leaflets - GOV.UK. in the Related Guidance Section.

In June 2025 updates were made to reflect the Homelessness Code of Guidance - Chapter 22: Care Leavers (updated 3 May 2024) which sets out the expectation that authorities should have in place joint protocols which clearly outline jointly held corporate parenting responsibilities for care leavers. See Section 8, Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers.

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

This chapter was updated in June 2025 to include Hillingdon’s Data Protection Policies in the Related Guidance Section.

In June 2025 links were added to additional sources of guidance.

This chapter was updated in June 2025 to include a link to the Disclosure and Barring Service Guidance Leaflets - GOV.UK. in Section 4.5, Concluding the Investigation.

This chapter was refreshed in June 2025.

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

This chapter was updated in June 2025 with a link to DBS guidance leaflets - GOV.UK in Section 4.4, Concluding the Investigation.

This chapter was refreshed in June 2025.

This chapter was refreshed in December 2024.

This chapter was updated in December 2024.

In December 2024, a link was added to Ofsted and CQC Joint Registration Guidance: Children’s Homes and Health Care.

In December 2024, 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 December 2024, information was added in relation to Ofsted and CQC Joint Registration Guidance: Children’s Homes and Health Care.

In December 2024 information on Ofsted checks was added in to Section 5.1, Checks.

This chapter was added to the manual in December 2024.

In December 2024, links to sources of further information were updated.

This chapter was updated in December 2024.

This chapter was refreshed in December 2024.

In December 2024 this chapter was refreshed.

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

In December 2024 Section 4.2, Procedural Fairness was updated in line with case-law.

This chapter was added to the manual in December 2024.

This chapter was updated in December 2024 to reflect Championing Kinship Care: The National Kinship Care strategy.

This chapter was updated in June 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 to the manual in June 2024.

In June 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.

This chapter was updated in June 2024.

This chapter was updated in June 2024.

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

In June 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 refreshed in June 2024.

This chapter was refreshed in June 2024.

In June 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.

This chapter was updated in June 2024.

In June 2024 this chapter was updated.

This chapter was updated in June 2024 to reflect Championing Kinship Care: The National Kinship Care Strategy.

This chapter was updated in June 2024.

In June 2024 information was added in relation to family group decision-making in Section 1, Introduction and Time Limits and Section 5, Pre-Proceedings.

This chapter was refreshed in June 2024.

This chapter was updated in June 2024.

This chapter was updated in June 2024.

This chapter was updated in June 2024.

This chapter was updated in June 2024.