Amendments

In March 2026, 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.

This chapter was updated in March 2026 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.

This Chapter was added to the Manual in March 2026.

This chapter was updated in March 2026 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.

This chapter was updated in March 2026.

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

In March 2026, 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.

This chapter was refreshed in March 2026.

In March 2026, Section 6, Financially Supporting Transport for Parents, was added in line with local procedure. 

This chapter was updated in March 2026.

In March 2026 this chapter was refreshed throughout and should be re-read.

In March 2026 information has been added from How Local Authorities Can Help Young Carers (Ofsted Blog) and additional resources were added to Further Information.

In September 2025, this chapter was reviewed and updated in line with local procedure. 

In September 2025, this chapter was reviewed and refreshed in line with local procedure.

In September 2025, this chapter was reviewed and updated in line with local procedure.

In September 2025, information was added to Section 1, Prevention of Homelessness and Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 Year Old Young People who may be Homeless and/or Require Accommodation from Good decisions: supporting children aged 16 and 17 who need help when they are homeless - GOV.UK and Section 3.1, Domestic Abuse and Homelessness was added.

In September 2025, Children in Care Placements Commissioning and Sufficiency Strategy was updated. Market Position Statement was also added. 

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

In September 2025, this chapter was updated in line with local procedure.

In September 2025, this chapter was reviewed and updated in line with local procedure. 

In September 2025, this chapter was updated in line with local procedure.

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

Section 13, Direct Payments Policy was updated in March 2025.

In March 2025, this chapter was refreshed.

In March 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 March 2025, a link was added to Ofsted and CQC Joint Registration Guidance: Children’s Homes and Health Care.

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

In March 2025, information was added in relation to Ofsted and CQC Joint Registration Guidance: Children’s Homes and Health Care. It was also reviewed and refreshed in line with local procedure.

In March 2025, the Derby Staying Put Policy was updated.

Section 4.2, Procedural Fairness was updated in March 2025 in line with case-law.

In March 2025, this chapter was reviewed and updated in line with local procedure.

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

In March 2025, information on Ofsted checks was added into Section 5.1, Checks. Also included, a link to the Disclosure and Barring Service Guidance Leaflets (GOV.UK) in Related Guidance. It was also reviewed and updated in line with local procedure.

In March 2025, links were added to additional sources of guidance.

In March 2025, links to sources of further information were updated.

This chapter was reviewed in March 2025 in line with local procedure.

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.

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

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

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.

In September 2024, this chapter was revised in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children.

This chapter was refreshed in September 2024.

This chapter was updated in September 2024.

In September 2024, information was added in relation to family group decision-making in Sections 1, Introduction and Time Limits, and Section 5, Pre-Proceedings, and a link was added to Family Networks and Family Group Decision Making Procedure.

In September 2024, this chapter was updated in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children. New Section 4, Death of a Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24 was added.

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

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 or where the Local Authority are providing support services, including finance.

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.

This chapter was updated in September 2024.

This chapter was added to the manual in September 2024.