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 has been added to this chapter.

This chapter was refreshed in April 2026 to include information from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and Coram BAAF: Initial Health Assessment (IHA) Delivery Standards.

In April 2026, this chapter was updated to reflect the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 and a link to the Information Commissioners Office ‘Better Records Together’.

Section 8.6, Where the Advice from the Guardian and the Local Authority assessment are fundamentally different in relation to the safety and best interests of a child was added in April 2026 to the chapter in line with practice guidance issued jointly by Cafcass and the ADCS.

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

This chapter was updated in April 2026 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.

This chapter was refreshed in April 2026 to include information from the Criminal Injuries Compensation: A Guide.

In April 2026, information was added from How Local Authorities Can Help Young Carers (Ofsted Blog) and additional resources were added to Further Information.

In April 2026, this chapter was refreshed.

In April 2026, this chapter was updated to include the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.

In April 2026, a link to the children commissioners' guidance “What I wish my parents or carers knew…": A guide for parents and carers on managing children’s digital lives was added in Section 7, Online Safety.

This chapter was updated in April 2026 to include information from the Ministry of Justice Youth Remand Concordat and 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 April 2026, this chapter was updated to provide a link to the Information Commissioners Office ‘Better Records Together’.

In April 2026, 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 April 2026, information was added to Section 3.4, as the government has extended health services and other entitlements to care leavers.

Section 4.2, Procedural Fairness was updated in April 2026 in line with case-law.

In April 2026, information was added in Section 3, Examples of Adoption Support 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.

Section 3, Security, Retention and Sharing of Records was updated in the light of the Records of Adopted and Care-experienced People - Good Practice Guidance for Record-keepers and Care Professionals (England and Wales) Guidance - published February 2024 which recommends that Adoption records where an Adoption Order is made should now have for "good practice" minimum retention of 125 years (date of birth + 125 years this was previously 100 years) or for "exemplary practice" for 150 years, or best practice would be permanent preservation/retention. 

In April 2026, 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 and 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.