Amendments

In January 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.

This chapter was refreshed in January 2025.

This chapter was refreshed in January 2025.

This chapter was updated in January 2025, to include information from the Ofsted and CQC Joint Registration Guidance: Children's Homes and Health Care.

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

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

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

In January 2025, information on Ofsted checks was added in to Section 4.1, Checks.

In January 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 January 2025, in line with How Local Authorities and Children's Homes Can Achieve Stability and Permanence for Children with Complex Needs (Ofsted).

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

In July 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.

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

This chapter was refreshed in July 2024.

This chapter was refreshed in July 2024.

In July 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 refreshed in July 2024.

This chapter was added in July 2024.

This chapter was added in July 2024.

This chapter was refreshed in July 2024. 

In July 2024, Section 15, Resolving Disagreements was updated to include information on Guidance: Carry Out an Order in Special Educational Needs Cases. Also a link to the SEND local offer for Wigan was added to Section 3, Local Offer.

In July 2024, this chapter was updated in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children. New Section 3, Death of a Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24 was added. 

In July 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 refreshed in July 2024.

In July 2024, Section 10, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty was updated 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.

This chapter was amended in July 2024.

This chapter was updated in July 2024.

This chapter was refreshed in July 2024.

This chapter was refreshed in July 2024.

This chapter was updated in July 2024. Information was added into Section 10, 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.