Amendments

This chapter was refreshed in April 2026. The Government guidance 'Report the death or serious harm of a child or care leaver' was updated to provide what information is needed when reporting incidents involving children who have died or been seriously harmed and abuse or neglect is known or suspected, looked after children and care leavers. The Serious Incident Notification Guide for local authorities was added to this chapter.

This chapter was updated in April 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 refreshed in April 2026.

In April 2026, the link in Section 2, Disruption Meetings was updated.

This chapter was updated in April 2026.

This chapter was refreshed in April 2026.

In April 2026, this chapter was updated.

This chapter was updated in April 2026, to include information for the Restraint and restrictive practices: positive environments for children - Ofsted: social care.

In April 2026, Bexley's Staying Put Policy was added into Related Guidance section above.

In October 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.

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

This chapter was updated in October 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 October 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.

This chapter was refreshed in October 2025, to include information from the Criminal Injuries Compensation: A Guide.

In October 2025, in Section 2.1, Additional Considerations Where a Child Has Multiple Needs information was added about how to access pre-application advice on caring for children with complex needs (Ofsted) if you are thinking about opening a children's social care service for children with complex needs.

In October 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 refreshed in April 2025.

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.

In April 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.

This chapter was refreshed in October 2024 and locally where required in April 2025.

This chapter was refreshed locally throughout in April 2025.

This chapter was refreshed in April 2025 in line with How Local Authorities and Children’s Homes Can Achieve Stability and Permanence for Children with Complex Needs (Ofsted).

This chapter was updated throughout in October 2024 to reflect the revised Working Together to Safeguard Children and refreshed locally April 2025.

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

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

This chapter was refreshed in April 2025.

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

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

In April 2025, information was added in relation to Ofsted and CQC Joint Registration Guidance: Children’s Homes and Health Care.

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

In October 2024, a link to BASW Age Assessment Practice Guidance was added in Section 4, Age Assessment. A link to Operation Innerste Process: Caseworker Guidance was added into Further Information.

This chapter was added in October 2024.

In October 2024, information on Ofsted checks was added into Section 5.1, Checks.

This chapter was updated in October 2024.

This chapter was refreshed in October 2024.

This chapter was added in October 2024.

This chapter was added in October 2024.

This chapter was refreshed in October 2024.

This chapter was refreshed throughout in line with the revised Working Together to Safeguard Children.

This chapter was updated throughout in October 2024 to reflect the revised Working Together to Safeguard Children.

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

This chapter was refreshed throughout in October 2024.