Caption: August 2021 amendments
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| Capacity and Consent |
A section on consent to the use of medication to suppress puberty has been updated and a new section on consent to life ending withdrawal of medical support has been added. The section on consent to information has been updated to reflect revisions in Working Together to Safeguard Children |
| Initial Contacts and Referrals |
This chapter has been updated to reflect the latest version of Working Together and slightly amended to reference Early Help alongside the CAF. |
| Assessments |
This chapter has been amended to add a new section on 16 and 17 year olds who may be Homeless and/or require Accommodation and reflects the issue of Homelessness and the vulnerability of young people identified in Working Together to Safeguard Children. |
| Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline |
The link to the SWET has been updated, additional information has been included in relation to pre-birth assessment some planning where the mother has learning disabilities. This chapter has also been updated to reflect practice guidance on Special Guardianship. |
| Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery |
Minor amendments have been made to this chapter in line with the U.K.'s exit from the EEA. |
| Families with No Recourse to Public Funds |
This chapter has been updated to note the high court ruling that immigration caseworkers, when deciding whether to accept that the applicant is 'destitute or at risk of imminent destitution' are required to 'have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare' of any children involved in the application, in accordance with section 55 Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009. |
| Family and Friends Care |
A new section on education has been added and further information on the School Admission Code. |
| Relinquished Children |
This chapter has been updated to reflect case law setting out lessons for the future in non-notification cases. |
| Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims for Looked After Children |
This chapter has been revised throughout and a link added to House of Commons Library Briefing Paper: Criminal Injuries Compensation for Victims of Child Abuse. |
| Placements in Residential Care |
This chapter has been updated to note that, from September 2021, looked after children under 16 years of age cannot be accommodated in unregulated independent or semi-independent placements. |
| Placements Outside England and Wales |
Additional information has been added in relation to placements in Scotland, in line with a High Court case. |
| Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers |
A new section on consent to life ending withdrawal of medical support has been added to reflect a High Court judgement. |
| Advocacy and Independent Visitors |
This chapter has been revised and updated throughout. Links to local advocacy services have been added. |
| Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children |
This chapter has been updated to reflect revised Working Together and information has been added on the school admission code. |
| Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UK |
This chapter has been revised to update information on insurance cover and how to apply for a Global Health Insurance Card. It has also been updated to link to reissue the Home Office guidance for local authority children service departments when applying for passports on behalf of children. |
| Leaving Care and Transition |
The section on pathway planning has been updated to note that immigration status should be included as a separate section on the pathway plan. This will help to ensure that young people who have been granted Pre-Settled Status under the EU Settlement Scheme apply to convert this to Settled Status at the appropriate. Pathway Plans should contain clear information about what action needs to be taken by whom and when to ensure that the young person's right to remain legally in the UK is not jeopardised. |
| Applications for Special Guardianship Orders |
This chapter has been updated to reflect Practice Guidance on Special Guardianship published by the Family Justice Council, Special Guardianship Applications in Care Proceedings. The Special Guardianship Support Plan and new Section on Special Guardianship Orders in International Cases. information was also added on the School Admission Code. |
| List of Agency Decision Makers, Designated Managers and Nominated Officers |
A note has been added regarding consent to life-ending withdrawal of medical support for a child will require an application to the High Court even if all relevant parties are in agreement. Legal advice must be sought as a matter of urgency. |
| Practice Standards |
These have been revised throughout and published for the first time as part of the Procedures manual. |
| Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 |
This policy applies when a child or care leaver is discharged from hospital after having been detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. |
Caption: February 2021 amendments
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| Capacity and Consent |
This chapter has been updated to add information on a High Court case in relation to consent in the context of the use of medication to suppress puberty, also information has been added in relation to NICE Quality Standard: Decision-Making and Mental Capacity. |
| Complaints and Representations |
This chapter has been revised throughout and a link to Wiltshire county council information about the DOFA has been added. |
| Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities |
This chapter has been amended to reference recent case law holding that, as part of the mediation process a parent/child/young person is entitled to bring along any supporter they wish, including a lawyer. |
| Families with No Recourse to Public Funds |
This chapter has been revised throughout. |
| Prevention of Homelessness and Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 Year Olds who may be Homeless and/or Require Accommodation; and Duty to Refer |
This chapter has been updated to add a link to Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers: good practice advice (DfE and MHCLG) to support the development of joint protocols that can help local authorities to meet the accommodation needs of care leavers (see Section 4, Housing Protocols for Care Leavers). |
| Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds |
Additional guidance on 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 has been added. |
| Leaving Care and Transition |
This chapter has been revised with a link to Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers: good practice advice (DfE and MHCLG) to support the development of joint protocols that can help local authorities to meet the accommodation needs of care leavers. Additional content has therefore been added in a new Section Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leaver as well as Reviews of Pathway and Where Care Leavers Live or Move to a Different Local Authority Area. |
| Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody |
This chapter has been revised to reflect Care leavers leaving custody in Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers: good practice advice (DfE and MHCLG). |
| A section of Child Protection Procedures has been added with a new link to the South-West Child Protection Procedures. |
