Amendments

In February 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 February 2025, this chapter was refreshed.

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

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

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

In February 2025, this chapter was refreshed.

In February 2025, information on Ofsted checks was added in to Section 5.1, Checks.

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

In August 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 August 2024, amendments were made line with the revised Working Together to Safeguard Children.

This chapter was updated in August 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.

In August 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 August 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 experienced young person up to and including the age of 24.

In August 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 Revised Practice Guidance on the Court’s Approach to Unregistered Placements (October 2023).

In August 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, and 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.

This chapter was refreshed in August 2024.

In August 2024, amendments were made line with the revised Working Together to Safeguard Children.

This chapter was updated in August 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 Experienced Young Person Up to and Including the Age of 24) Procedure.

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

In August 2024, Section 15. Resolving Disagreements was updated to include information on Guidance: Carry Out an Order in Special Educational Needs Cases, and 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 new chapter was added to the manual in August 2024.

In August 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 added to chapter Family Networks and Family Group Decision Making.

This chapter was refreshed in August 2024.

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

This new chapter was added to the manual in August 2024.

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

In August 2024, amendments were made in line with the revised Working Together to Safeguard Children.

This chapter was refreshed in August 2024.