Amendments

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, 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, this new chapter was added to the manual.

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

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. 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, this new chapter was added to the manual.

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 refreshed in December 2025.

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.

In December 2025, this new chapter was added to the manual.

In December 2025, this new chapter was added to the manual.

In December 2025, this new chapter was added to the manual.

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

This chapter was added to the manual in August 2025.

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

In August 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 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. Links were added to:

• Care Experience Matters (GOV.UK);
• Children as Suspects and Defendants (CPS);
• Guidance: Use of Force, Restraint and Restrictive Practices in the Children and Young People Secure Estate;
• A Joint Thematic Inspection of Work with Children Subject to Remand in Youth Detention.

In December 2024, information on Ofsted checks was added into Section 6, Checks and References.

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

This chapter was refreshed in December 2024.

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

In December 2024, this chapter was refreshed.

In December 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.

Section 15.1, Registering an appeal with the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Disability) was updated in December 2024 in line with case law.

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

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

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 refreshed in June 2024.

Section 10, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty When One or More of the Relevant Criteria Under Section 25 Children Act 1989 are Not Satisfied was updated throughout in June 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. Also 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.

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

This chapter was refreshed in June 2024.

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

This chapter was refreshed in June 2024.

In June 2024, this chapter was updated in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children. A new Section 2, Death of a Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24 was also added.

This chapter was updated in June 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.

This chapter was refreshed in June 2024.