Amendments

This chapter was refreshed in October 2025.
The Government guidance ‘Report the death or serious harm of a child or care leaver’ has been 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.

In October 2025, links have been 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 October 2025, information about how to access pre-application advice on caring for children with complex needs (Ofsted) was added in Section 2.1, Additional Considerations Where a Child Has Multiple Needs. If you are thinking about opening a children’s social care service for children with complex needs.

This chapter was updated in October 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.

In October 2025, information from Good decisions: supporting children aged 16 and 17 who need help when they are homeless (GOV.UK) 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. A new Section 3.1, Domestic Abuse and Homelessness was added.

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

In October 2025, information was added from How Local Authorities Can Help Young Carers (Ofsted Blog) and additional resources were added to Further Information.

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

Section 15.1, Registering an appeal with the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Disability) was updated in April 2025 in line with case law.

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

This chapter was refreshed in April 2025 in line with How Local Authorities and Children’s Homes Can Achieve Stability and Permanence for Children with Complex Needs (Ofsted).

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

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

In April 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 April 2025 with a link to DBS guidance leaflets (GOV.UK) in Section 4.4, Concluding the Investigation.

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

This chapter was updated in April 2025 with a link to DBS guidance leaflets (GOV.UK) in the Related Guidance Section.

This chapter was updated in April 2025 to include a link to the Disclosure and Barring Service Guidance Leaflets (GOV.UK) in the Related Guidance Section.

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