Contents

1.All Children

1.1Policy, Values and Principles

1. 1.1.1Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles October 21, 2025
2. 1.1.2Children's Consultation and ParticipationOctober 21, 2025
3. 1.1.3Capacity and ConsentOctober 21, 2025
4. 1.1.4Equality and DiversityJuly 25, 2022

1.2Early Help and Thresholds for Children's Social Care Services

1. 1.2.1Early Help Framework November 21, 2024
2. 1.2.2Threshold Document - Continuum of Help and SupportOctober 21, 2025
3. 1.2.3Early Intervention: Policy and Provision (House of Commons Library)

1.3Children's Social Care - Assessment and Planning

1. 1.3.1Contacts and ReferralsOctober 21, 2025
2. 1.3.2AssessmentsOctober 21, 2025
3. 1.3.3Local Protocol for AssessmentApril 2, 2026
4. 1.3.4Child Protection Enquiries (Section 47)November 21, 2024
5. 1.3.5Allocation of Work and Transfer between TeamsNovember 21, 2024
6. 1.3.6 Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Children Partnership

1.4Child in Need

1. 1.4.1Child in Need Plans and ReviewsNovember 22, 2024

1.5Legal Proceedings

1. 1.5.1Applications for Emergency Protection OrdersDecember 17, 2024
2. 1.5.2Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline
   Updated
   April 2, 2026
3. 1.5.3Legal Gateway/Planning MeetingsDecember 17, 2024
4. 1.5.4Court ProceedingsNovember 21, 2024
5. 1.5.5Disclosure of Information between Family and Criminal Agencies and Jurisdictions: 2024 Protocol
6. 1.5.6Cross-border child protection cases: the 1996 Hague Convention (DfE)
7. 1.5.7Family Justice Resource Hub (ADCS) - This hosts a series of practical resources, such as templates, tools and practice guidance, which will be of interest to those working in the family justice system.

1.6Complaints and Whistleblowing

1. 1.6.1Complaints and RepresentationsNovember 22, 2024
2. 1.6.2WhistleblowingNovember 21, 2024

1.7Notifications

1. 1.7.1Death or Serious Injury to a Child, Looked After, Child in Need or Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24October 21, 2025

2.Case Management and Recording

1. 2.0.1Recording Policy and GuidelinesSeptember 19, 2023
2. 2.0.2Case Records and RetentionNovember 22, 2024
3. 2.0.3Access to Records/Subject Access RequestsApril 2, 2026
4. 2.0.4Confidentiality PolicyMay 21, 2024
5. 2.0.5Electronic Recording of Meetings and ConversationsDecember 20, 2024
6. 2.0.6Storage of Data on Mobile DevicesNovember 22, 2024
7. 2.0.7Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care and Safeguarding StaffNovember 22, 2024

3.Children in Particular Circumstances

3.1Children with Disabilities

1. 3.1.1Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and DisabilitiesAugust 20, 2024
2. 3.1.2Personal Budgets and Direct PaymentsMay 21, 2024
3. 3.1.3Short BreaksDecember 20, 2024
4. 3.1.4Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential SettingsOctober 21, 2025
5. 3.1.5Children and Young People’s Continuing Care National FrameworkMay 21, 2024

3.2Deprivation of Liberty and Mental Capacity

1. 3.2.1Deprivation of Liberty
2. 3.2.2Mental Capacity

3.3Children from Abroad

1. 3.3.1Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern SlaveryNovember 22, 2024
2. 3.3.2Families with No Recourse to Public Funds
   Updated
   April 2, 2026

3.4Homelessness

1. 3.4.1Prevention of Homelessness and Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 Year Olds who may be Homeless and/or Require Accommodation; and Duty to ReferOctober 21, 2025

3.5Family and Friends Care/Kinship Care

1. 3.5.1Kinship CareMay 29, 2025
2. 3.5.2Private FosteringNovember 22, 2024
3. 3.5.3Family Networks and Family Group Decision MakingMarch 18, 2024

3.6Young Carers

1. 3.6.1Young CarersOctober 21, 2025

3.7Relinquished Children

1. 3.7.1Relinquished ChildrenOctober 21, 2025

4.Looked After Children

4.1Decision to Look After and Care Planning

1. 4.1.1Local Authority's Sufficiency Duty - Accommodation for Looked After ChildrenOctober 21, 2025
2. 4.1.2Decision to Look AfterOctober 21, 2025
3. 4.1.3Care PlanningNovember 22, 2024
4. 4.1.4Risk Assessment and PlanningApril 2, 2026
5. 4.1.5Ceasing to Look After a ChildOctober 21, 2025
6. 4.1.6Permanence Planning GuidanceJuly 25, 2023
7. 4.1.7Placement Planning and Disruption MeetingsDecember 18, 2024
8. 4.1.8Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims for Looked After ChildrenOctober 21, 2025
9. 4.1.9NICE Guideline: Looked After Children and Young People

4.2Placements

1. 4.2.1Placements with ParentsDecember 18, 2024
2. 4.2.2Placements with Connected PersonsDecember 18, 2024
3. 4.2.3Placements in Foster CareDecember 18, 2024
4. 4.2.4Placements in Residential CareSeptember 19, 2023
5. 4.2.5Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare GroundsSeptember 19, 2023
6. 4.2.6Out of Area PlacementsDecember 20, 2024
7. 4.2.7Placements Outside England and WalesDecember 19, 2024
8. 4.2.8Placements in Other ArrangementsSeptember 19, 2023
9. 4.2.9Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation
   Updated
   April 2, 2026
10. 4.2.10Notifications from Other Local Authorities/Placement ProvidersSeptember 23, 2024
11. 4.2.11Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential WorkersNovember 22, 2024

4.3Monitoring and Reviews

1. 4.3.1Social Worker Visits to Looked After ChildrenDecember 19, 2024
2. 4.3.2Advocacy and Independent VisitorsNovember 22, 2024
3. 4.3.3Looked After ReviewsMay 29, 2025
4. 4.3.4Appointment and Role of Independent Reviewing OfficersSeptember 23, 2024
5. 4.3.5Secure Accommodation (Criteria) ReviewsDecember 19, 2024
6. 4.3.6Notifications of Significant EventsOctober 21, 2025

4.4Contact and Overnight Stays

1. 4.4.1Contact with Parents/Adults and SiblingsMay 29, 2025
2. 4.4.2Social Visits (Including Overnight Stays)September 23, 2024

4.5Education, School Trips and Holidays

1. 4.5.1Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After ChildrenJuly 25, 2023
2. 4.5.2Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UKOctober 21, 2025
3. 4.5.3Leisure ActivitiesMarch 23, 2022

4.6Health and Wellbeing

1. 4.6.1Health and SafetyMay 29, 2025
2. 4.6.2Health Care Assessments and PlansDecember 20, 2024
3. 4.6.3Personal Care and RelationshipsJuly 26, 2022
4. 4.6.4Providing Personalised CareMarch 23, 2022
5. 4.6.5Positive Relationships and Behaviour Support
   Updated
   April 2, 2026
6. 4.6.6Restrictive Physical Intervention and RestraintApril 2, 2026
7. 4.6.7Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983May 21, 2024

4.7Change of Name and Marriage/Civil Partnership

1. 4.7.1Change of Name of a Looked After ChildNovember 22, 2024
2. 4.7.2Marriage/Civil Partnership of a Looked After ChildNovember 28, 2023

4.8Leaving Care and Transition

1. 4.8.1Leaving Care and TransitionMay 29, 2025
2. 4.8.2Staying PutOctober 21, 2025
3. 4.8.3Financial Arrangements for Care LeaversNovember 21, 2024

4.9Children Involved in the Youth Justice System

1. 4.9.1Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services
   Updated
   April 2, 2026
2. 4.9.2Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in CustodyOctober 21, 2025
3. 4.9.3Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National GuidanceOctober 21, 2025

5.Fostering and Adoption

5.1Fostering Services

1. 5.1.1Fostering PanelJuly 26, 2022
2. 5.1.2Persons Disqualified from FosteringJuly 26, 2022
3. 5.1.3Assessment and Approvals of Foster CarersMay 29, 2025
4. 5.1.4Exemptions and Extensions/Variations to Foster Carer ApprovalNovember 22, 2024
5. 5.1.5Training and Development of Foster CarersMarch 23, 2022
6. 5.1.6Supervision and Support of Foster CarersMarch 24, 2022
7. 5.1.7Review and Termination of Approval of Foster CarersNovember 22, 2024
8. 5.1.8Allegations Against Foster CarersMay 29, 2025

5.2Adoption and Permanence Services

1. 5.2.1Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Prospective AdoptersMay 29, 2025
2. 5.2.2Adoption PanelNovember 22, 2024
3. 5.2.3Placement for AdoptionAugust 20, 2024
4. 5.2.4Adoption Support
   Updated
   April 2, 2026
5. 5.2.5Monitoring and Supervision of Adoptive PlacementsNovember 22, 2024
6. 5.2.6Adoption ReviewsJuly 26, 2022
7. 5.2.7Disruption of Adoptive PlacementsNovember 28, 2023
8. 5.2.8Allegations Against Prospective Adopters and in Relation to Children Placed for Adoption or Already AdoptedMay 29, 2025
9. 5.2.9Inter Country AdoptionMay 21, 2024
10. 5.2.10Non Agency AdoptionMay 21, 2024
11. 5.2.11Adoption Case RecordsNovember 22, 2024
12. 5.2.12Access to Birth Records and Adoption Case RecordsNovember 22, 2024
13. 5.2.13Intermediary ServicesNovember 22, 2024
14. 5.2.14Life Story Books GuidanceMay 21, 2024
15. 5.2.15Later Life LettersMay 21, 2024
16. 5.2.16Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective AdoptersNovember 22, 2024
17. 5.2.17Adoption Strategy: Achieving Excellence Everywhere

5.3Special Guardianship

1. 5.3.1Applications for Special Guardianship Orders
   Updated
   April 2, 2026
2. 5.3.2Court Reports in Placement Order Applications and Adoption/Special Guardianship GuidanceSeptember 23, 2024

6.Contacts, List of Agency Decision Makers and Appendices

1. 6.0.1CSC Scheme of DelegationNovember 21, 2024
2. 6.0.2List of Decision Makers in Children's ServicesApril 2, 2026
3. 6.0.3Ofsted Inspection FrameworkAugust 20, 2024
4. 6.0.4Working Together to Safeguard Children
5. 6.0.5Amendments