Amendments

In December 2025, 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 2026, with a new fair access limit of £3000.

This chapter was updated in December 2025 to include information from the Ministry of Justice Youth Remand Concordat.

This chapter was refreshed in December 2025.

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

This chapter was refreshed in December 2025. 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 was added to this chapter.

This chapter was updated in December 2025 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 updated in December 2025 to include information for the Restraint and restrictive practices: positive environments for children – Ofsted: social care.

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, 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 2026, with a new fair access limit of £3000.

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

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

In June 2025, information was added to Section 1, prevention of Homelessness and Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 Year Old Young People who may be Homeless and/or Require Accommodation from Good decisions: supporting children aged 16 and 17 who need help when they are homeless - GOV.UK and Section 3.1, Domestic Abuse and Homelessness was added.

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

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

This chapter was refreshed in June 2025.

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

In June 2025, this chapter was revised in line with updated government guidance.

In June 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 updated in June 2025, with a link to DBS guidance leaflets - GOV.UK in Section 4.4, Concluding the Investigation.

This chapter was refreshed in June 2025, in line with How Local Authorities and Children's Homes Can Achieve Stability and Permanence for Children with Complex Needs (Ofsted). Information was also added in Section 2.1, Additional Considerations Where a Child Has Multiple Needs information about how to access pre-application advice on caring for children with complex needs (Ofsted). If you are thinking about opening a children's social care service for children with complex needs.

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