Amendments

In May 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 May 2025 links to sources of further information were updated.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This chapter was refreshed in November 2024.

This chapter was updated in November 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.

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

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

This chapter was added to the manual in November 2024.

In November 2024, this chapter was refreshed.

This chapter was refreshed in November 2024.

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

In November 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 Family Networks and Family Group Decision Making Procedure.

This chapter was refreshed in November 2024.

This chapter was added to the manual in November 2024.

In November 2024, this chapter was refreshed.

Section 2, Ordinary Residence was updated in May 2024 in line with case law.

This chapter was updated in May 2024. Information that the relevant local authority should be notified if the child was previously a looked after child was added into Section 17, Special Guardian Duty on the Death of the Child.

In May 2024, additional information was added about online safety.

This chapter was updated in May 2024.

In May 2024, this chapter was 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 President of the Family Division Practice Guidance: Placements in Unregistered Children's Homes in England or Unregistered Care Home Services in Wales.

In May 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. 

Section 5.2.5, Providing Support was updated in May 2024 to reflect the Home Office increase in financial support to individuals waiting to find out if they will be given asylum in the UK.

In May 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.  

In May 2024, links were added to 'Guidance: Use of Force, Restraint and Restrictive Practices in the Children and Young People Secure Estate' and 'A Joint Thematic Inspection of Work with Children Subject to Remand in Youth Detention'.

This chapter was refreshed in May 2024.

Section 10, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty was updated throughout in May 2024 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. And to include information from Guidance - Placing Children: Deprivation of Liberty Orders (Ofsted) - guidance for providers, social workers and placement commissioners on placing children, subject to a deprivation of liberty order (DoL), in unregistered settings.

This chapter was amended in May 2024 to include information from Special Educational Needs and Disability: Improving Local Authority Decision Making - Report of the Administrative Justice Council's Working Group on Special Educational Needs and Disability.