• Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

This chapter has been significantly amended to reflect the 'Review of Sexual Abuse in Schools and Colleges (Ofsted, June 2021)'; updated 'Keeping Children Safe in Education' (see Scope Box) and Sexual Harassment in Education – Briefing (House Of Parliament Library, June 2021). (See Section 8.2, Protecting looked after children from sexual harassment and peer on peer abuse).

The chapter has also been amended to reflect Promoting the Education of Children with a Social Worker: Virtual School Head Role Extension, June 2021.

This chapter has been replaced.

This chapter replaces a similar chapter and provides links to the Lambeth Safeguarding Children Partnership: Multi-Agency Threshold Guidance and a link specifically to the Guidance Threshold Chart.

The Guidance seeks to identify the issues and concerns that are relevant to the 4 Tiers of need and provides a useful case example to reflect the levels of need and consequent multi-agency working required. The Guidance provides also provides links to additional relevant local and national guidance.

Information has been added in relation to: a High Court case with regard to consent in the context of the use of medication to suppress puberty (see new Section 4.3, Consent to the Use of Medication to Suppress Puberty) and NICE Quality Standard: Decision-Making and Mental Capacity (see new Section 6, NICE Quality Standard: Decision-Making and Mental Capacity).

This chapter has been amended to reflect amendments to Working Together. A new section on '16 and 17 year olds who may be Homeless and/or require Accommodation' has been added and reflects the issue of Homelessness and the vulnerability of young people identified in Working Together to Safeguard Children; 'contextual safeguarding' is re-referenced by Working Together as 'risk outside of the home'.

Information contained in this procedure has been reviewed and refreshed as required. A link to Lambeth's 'Make a complaint about children's social care' (which includes access to the relevant form) has been included in Local Information.

This chapter has been amended and now links to the Whistleblowing document in the Share hub.

Section 11, Further Information has been as updated to include a link to Statutory Guidance 'Modern Slavery: How to Identify and Support Victims' and Home Office guidance on 'Assessing age for asylum applicants'.

This chapter has been fully refreshed and updated to focus on the meaning of 'Public Funds' and the assessment of need under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 issues including: 'Assessment Considerations', 'limitations on the ability to self-support', 'providing support' and 'ongoing duty to reassess need' etc. (see Section 2, Meaning of 'Public Funds' and Section 3, Role of the Local Authority particularly).

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). It also reflects the amended Working Together to Safeguard Children (see Section 2, Homelessness: Duty to Refer and Section 3, Homelessness: Code of Guidance - Referral Process).

A new Section 10, 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. Section 6, Placements of Children under 13 years has been updated following publication of revised DfE guidance. A revised link has been added to Secure Children's Homes.

This procedure has been updated to reflect the latest Ofsted guidance for social care providers on the types of incident which they consider to be serious and which will therefore require notification to the regulatory authority.

This chapter has been updated to reflect changes from the revised Working Together to Safeguard Children (see Section 8.1, Child Protection Policy and Procedures).

This guidance has been reviewed and updated throughout. Section 2.3, Insurance Cover has been updated to include details of how to apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) which provides access to reduced cost or free medical insurance in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

Section 2.4, Obtaining a Passport has also been updated to link to reissued Home Office guidance for Local Authorities Children's Services Departments when Applying for Passports on Behalf of Children.

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.

Additional content has therefore been added in a new Section 8, Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers as well as Section 7, Reviews of Pathway Plans and Section 13, Where Care Leavers Live or Move to a Different Local Authority Area.

A revised link has been added to 'Prepare for a review panel: adopters and foster carers' (see Section 9, Representations / Independent Review Procedure).

A revised link has been made to 'Prepare for a review panel: adopters and foster carers' (see Section 6.1, Proposal to Terminate Foster Carer's Approval).

This chapter has been significantly refreshed and updated throughout. Information has been added on applying for a copy of a birth certificate online and a link to the IRM has been updated.

This policy applies when a child or care leaver is discharged from hospital after having been detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. The chapter reflects particularly the Duties to provide after-care services and aftercare planning.

The use of social media in a social care and safeguarding environment is a developing area. Cases and reviews have discussed the use of social media in social work practice. There is, however, currently no specific government guidance on the issue. This chapter is designed to highlight some of the issues to be considered, with links to additional information. It is not intended to provide any legal advice, and legal advice must be sought as appropriate. Local Authorities and Courts may have local protocols in place on the use of social media/service of documents.

This chapter provides guidance on the storage of personal data (including photographs) on mobile devices. 'Personal data' is any information about an identifiable living individual.

This document has been added.

This chapter has been amended to reflect changes from 'Practice Direction 27a - Family Proceedings: Court Bundles (Universal Practice to be Applied in the High Court and Family Court)' in relation to the required maximum length of certain court documents, (unless otherwise specifically directed by the court). In addition, a new subsection of Section 4.1, Local Authority Documentation 'Final Care Plan' provides further detail on the importance of recording information on the Care Plan which will help the child, parent or the child's carer understand why decisions have been or are being made.

This chapter has been updated in line with the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and revised statutory guidance which require schools, through the designated teacher to provide support to previously Looked After Children.

This chapter already links to statutory guidance:

• Prevention of Homelessness and Provision of accommodation for 16 and 17 year old young people who may be homeless and/or require accommodation (2018): this guidance is solely concerned with the functions of children's services and housing services when young people seek help from, or are referred to, local authorities because of homelessness or being threatened with homelessness. It incorporates judgements made in the House of Lords over several years around the duties of local authorities under Section 20 (Children Act 1989) and Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996.

The guidance also reflects the duties introduced under the Homelessness Reduction Act (2017).

And now includes a link to:

• Homelessness - Duty to Refer: the Homelessness Reduction Act (2017) places a duty on specified public authorities to refer service users who they think may be homeless or threatened with homelessness to local authority homelessness/housing options teams. The guidance provides helpful information and detail on the referral process which is brought out in additional links.

This chapter has been amended and confirms that 'After the Private Fostering Arrangement Ends' any request for support by the young person should be made to the local authority in which they are resident or where the education and training is being provided.

This chapter has been updated in line with the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and revised statutory guidance.

These changes relate to the status of 'previously Looked After Children'. A previously Looked After Child is one who is no longer looked after in England and Wales because they are the subject of an Adoption, Special Guardianship or Child Arrangements Order which includes arrangements relating to with whom the child is to live, or when the child is to live with any person, or has been adopted from 'state care' outside England and Wales.

This chapter has been updated in line with the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and revised statutory guidance.

These changes relate to the status of 'previously looked after children'. A previously Looked After Child is one who is no longer looked after in England and Wales because they are the subject of an Adoption, Special Guardianship or Child Arrangements Order which includes arrangements relating to with whom the child is to live, or when the child is to live with any person, or has been adopted from 'state care' outside England and Wales.

This chapter has been updated to reflect amendments made by the Children and Social Work Act 2017.

These changes relate to the status of 'previously looked after children' i.e. a previously looked-after child is one who is no longer looked after in England and Wales because they are the subject of an adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements order which includes arrangements relating to with whom the child is to live, or when the child is to live with any person, or has been adopted from 'state care' outside England and Wales. The chapter includes a new Section 15, Mental Health and a new Section 8, Safeguarding the Looked After Child at School. A link has been added to the National Curriculum Assessments at Key Stage 2.

This chapter has been updated and amendments have been made in:

• Section 5, Leaving Care Assessment of Need - in relation to children who are victims of trafficking or unaccompanied asylum seeking children;
• Section 7, Reviews of Pathway Plans - in relation to Relevant/Former Relevant young people moving to 'unregulated' accommodation; and
• Section 8, Personal Advisers - in relation to frequency of visits by Personal Advisers.

This chapter has been updated in line with the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and revised statutory guidance which require schools, through the Designated Teacher for Looked After Children, to offer support to previously looked after children.

A previously looked-after child is one who is no longer looked after in England and Wales because subject of an Adoption, Special Guardianship or Child Arrangements Order which includes arrangements relating to with whom the child is to live, or when the child is to live with any person, or has been adopted from 'state care' outside England and Wales).

Section 5, The Conduct of Adoption Reviews (bullet point 6) has been amended to reflect the status of adopted children as being 'previously looked after' when considering their educational needs. A link to DfE guidance on Promoting the Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After children has also been added.

Section 3, Security Retention and Sharing of Records has been updated in line with Adoption and Care Planning (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2018, which provides that an adoption agency may disclose an adoption case record to another adoption agency for purposes related to either agency's functions as an adoption agency. Further information has been added in relation to adoption records where an Adoption Order is not made.

This chapter has been updated in line with the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and revised statutory guidance which require schools, through the designated teacher to provide support to previously Looked After Children.

A previously Looked After Child is one who is no longer looked after in England and Wales because they are the subject of an Adoption, Special Guardianship or Child Arrangements Order which includes arrangements relating to with whom the child is to live, or when the child is to live with any person, or has been adopted from 'state care' outside England and Wales.

Section 9, The Role of the Looked After Review in Achieving Permanence for the Child has been amended to reflect the outcome of a High Court Judgement in respect of children who were subject to Section 20 and where there were concerns of significant delays in their planning for permanence. The court noted the IROs' recognition and action over a number of reviews but acknowledged that a more robust response had been needed.

This chapter has been substantially amended to reflect the Children and Social Work Act 2017 on the Leaving Care Services and Care leavers. Particularly:

• The Local Offer - all local authorities must publish up-date information about the services it offers for care leavers and other services which may assist care leavers in, or preparing for, adulthood and independent living. (This is to follow);
• Corporate parenting: the Children and Social Work Act 2017 establishes 7 Corporate Parenting Principles, which should include and involve the Local Authority's partner agencies;
• Continuing Support Up to the Age of 25: all Care leavers between the ages of 21 and up to 25 will be entitled to support irrespective of whether they are in education or training. Even when they may not initially choose such support, they can return and seek support, which can be provided on specific issues or on a more comprehensive basis where this is needed.

Section 3, Assessment has been updated: in advance of undertaking an age assessment for an unaccompanied asylum seeking child, local authorities must seek Home Office assistance with verifying the authenticity of identity documents e.g. travel documents or a birth certificate. A link to the relevant contact details for local authorities has been added. The statutory guidance has been updated to link to the DfE 2017 Care of unaccompanied migrant children and child victims of modern slavery – statutory guidance for local authorities. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 is referenced in relation to age assessments.

This chapter has been updated by adding a link to 'NRPF Connect' and updating links to 'NRPF Practice Guidance' (which provides to a range of specific guidance).

This chapter has been extensively amended and now includes new/enhanced sections on 'Applications for Secure Accommodation'; 'Children to Whom Section 25 Applies', (including the issues of children aged 16 years and Section 20 Accommodation); 'Placements for Children aged under 13 years' and 'Support, Monitoring and Ending of Placements' etc. The chapter has also been re-titled to reflect its (original) content and purpose (that of applications for children on 'welfare grounds'), thereby distinguishing it from the 'Remands to Local Authority Accommodation, etc' (LASPO Act 2012).

This chapter has been significantly updated to reflect GOV.UK Child adoption – Adopting a child from overseas. In Section 3, Initial Meeting, the DfE have published Intercountry Adoption and Resident Status Requirements which set out the minimum requirements. However, entry clearance requirements vary depending upon the circumstances of each case and prospective adopters will need to obtain their own independent legal advice to establish the requirements that apply to their individual circumstances.

In Section 4, Formal Approval, a link has been added to Intercountry adoption: means test form which contains information on how to apply for a fee reduction for people who wish to adopt a child from overseas and who earn £45,000 per year or less.

This chapter fully explores the issues around children who go missing or are absent and describes in some details the process and protocols across this essentially multi-agency area of concern. The chapter recognises that there will be situations when absence is a part of 'testing boundaries' and adolescent behaviour generally, but in others, it represents a serious concern. In some instances, children can be sexually abused or trafficked – including exposure to Modern Slavery. It is key, therefore, that the full circumstances are known and that evaluated and carefully balanced decisions are made in each circumstance.

The chapter contains relevant tools to support the practitioner in undertaking their safeguarding role and includes a return home interview template.

This chapter is replicated at 3.7.1 in the contents list.

This chapter is based on and summarises the document 'Prevent and Safeguarding Guidance: Supporting Individuals Vulnerable to Violent Extremism', which has been issued by the National Police Chief's Council.

The guidance provides advice on how to manage and respond to concerns of children and young people identified as being vulnerable to and affected by the radicalisation of others.

This chapter details the process and procedure for placing children in long-term fostering placements - recognising that placements providing permanence for children is a key policy and long-term foster placements remain important for a number of children for whom the traditional permanent placements may not be appropriate.

This chapter has been fully reviewed and revised and provides a more focussed guidance with regard to the Dispute Resolution process.

The term 'relinquished baby' is used to describe a baby, or at pre-birth stage, whose parents are making the choice of adoption for the child.

Working Together states clearly that one of the key principles underpinning safeguarding should be: "a child-centred approach: for services to be effective they should be based on a clear understanding of the needs and views of children."

• Statutory Guidance on Children who Run Away and Go Missing from Home or Care (DfE).