Amendments

2025

June 2025

Placement Planning, Foster Home Stability and Disruption Meetings	In June 2025, this chapter was reviewed and updated in line with local procedure and should be re-read.
Health and Safety	In June 2025, information was added into Section 9, Accommodation, Bedroom Space and Sharing in relation to bunk beds.
Leaving Care and Transition	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.
Exemptions and Extensions/Variations to Foster Carer Approval	in June 2025, this chapter was reviewed and updated in line with local procedure and should be re-read.
Placement for Adoption	In June 2025, Section 4.2, Procedural Fairness was updated in line with case-law.
Plan, Do, Review	In June 2025, this chapter was reviewed and updated throughout in line with local procedure.
Allegations Against Foster Carers	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.
Kinship Care	In June 2025, this chapter was revised in line with updated government guidance.
Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National Guidance	In June 2025, links were added to additional sources of guidance.
Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities	In June 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.
Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters	This chapter was updated in June 2025 with a link to DBS guidance leaflets (GOV.UK) in the Related Guidance Section.
Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential Settings	In June 2025, information was added in relation to Ofsted and CQC Joint Registration Guidance: Children’s Homes and Health Care.
Single Assessment Process: Overview	In June 2025, a link to the local threshold document was added to related guidance.
Thresholds for Children's Services	This guidance was reviewed and updated throughout in June 2025.
Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers	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.
Disability Living Allowance – Fostered Children and Children in Residential Care	This chapter was refreshed throughout in June 2025.
Allegations Against Prospective Adopters and in Relation to Children Placed for Adoption or Already Adopted	This chapter was updated in June 2025 with a link to DBS guidance leaflets (GOV.UK) in Section 4.4, Concluding the Investigation.
Ofsted Inspection Framework	In June 2025, a link was added to Ofsted and CQC Joint Registration Guidance: Children’s Homes and Health Care.