Skip to content

Working Together To Safeguard Children 2026 Update.

The Mental Health Act 2025 Reforms.

Company Logo

Contents

Quick Links:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

1.All Children

1.1Policy, Values and Principles

  1. 1.1.1Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles November 29, 2024
  2. 1.1.2Children's Consultation and ParticipationMay 6, 2026
  3. 1.1.3Equality and DiversityJuly 25, 2022

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

  1. 1.2.1Early Help for Children and FamiliesNovember 29, 2024
  2. 1.2.2Thresholds Criteria for Children's Services in CamdenNovember 29, 2024
  3. 1.2.3Capacity and ConsentNovember 11, 2025

1.3Children's Social Care - Assessment and Planning

  1. 1.3.1Contacts and ReferralsNovember 11, 2025
  2. 1.3.2AssessmentsNovember 11, 2025
  3. 1.3.3Child Protection Enquiries (Section 47)November 29, 2024
  4. 1.3.4London Safeguarding Children Procedures
  5. 1.3.5Working Together to Safeguard Children

1.4Child in Need

  1. 1.4.1Child in Need Plans and ReviewsNovember 29, 2024

1.5Legal Proceedings

  1. 1.5.1Applications for Emergency Protection OrdersNovember 29, 2024
  2. 1.5.2Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline
    Updated
    May 6, 2026
  3. 1.5.3Legal Gateway/Planning MeetingsMarch 18, 2024
  4. 1.5.4Disclosure of Information between Family and Criminal Agencies and Jurisdictions: 2024 Protocol
  5. 1.5.5Cross-border child protection cases: the 1996 Hague Convention (DfE)
  6. 1.5.6Family Justice Resource Hub (ADCS)

1.6Complaints and Whistleblowing

  1. 1.6.1Complaints and RepresentationsMay 6, 2026
  2. 1.6.2WhistleblowingNovember 29, 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 24November 11, 2025

2.Case Management and Recording

  1. 2.0.1Recording Policy and Guidelines
    Updated
    May 6, 2026
  2. 2.0.2Case Records and Retention
    Updated
    May 6, 2026
  3. 2.0.3Access to Records/Subject Access Requests
    Updated
    May 6, 2026
  4. 2.0.4Confidentiality PolicyNovember 29, 2024
  5. 2.0.5Electronic Recording of Meetings and ConversationsFebruary 7, 2024
  6. 2.0.6Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care and Safeguarding StaffNovember 29, 2024
  7. 2.0.7Storage of Data on Mobile DevicesMay 6, 2025

3.Children in Particular Circumstances

3.1Children with Disabilities and Complex Health Needs

  1. 3.1.1Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and DisabilitiesMay 6, 2025
  2. 3.1.2Personal Budgets and Direct PaymentsNovember 11, 2025
  3. 3.1.3Short BreaksNovember 11, 2025
  4. 3.1.4Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential SettingsNovember 11, 2025
  5. 3.1.5Children and Young People’s Continuing Care National FrameworkNovember 29, 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 SlaveryMay 6, 2025
  2. 3.3.2Families with No Recourse to Public Funds
    Updated
    May 6, 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 ReferNovember 11, 2025

3.5Family and Friends / Kinship Care

  1. 3.5.1Kinship CareMay 6, 2026
  2. 3.5.2Private FosteringNovember 29, 2024
  3. 3.5.3Family Networks and Family Group Decision MakingNovember 29, 2024

3.6Young Carers

  1. 3.6.1Young CarersNovember 11, 2025

3.7Relinquished Children

  1. 3.7.1Relinquished ChildrenMay 6, 2026

3.8Mental Health

  1. 3.8.1Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983May 6, 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 ChildrenNovember 11, 2025
  2. 4.1.2Decision to Look AfterNovember 11, 2025
  3. 4.1.3Care PlanningNovember 29, 2024
  4. 4.1.4Ceasing to Look After a ChildNovember 29, 2024
  5. 4.1.5Permanence Planning GuidanceNovember 29, 2024
  6. 4.1.6Placement Planning and Disruption MeetingsNovember 29, 2024
  7. 4.1.7Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims for Looked After ChildrenNovember 11, 2025
  8. 4.1.8Risk Assessment and PlanningNovember 11, 2025
  9. 4.1.9Providing Personalised CareMarch 23, 2022
  10. 4.1.10NICE Guideline: Looked After Children and Young People

4.2Placements

  1. 4.2.1Placements with ParentsNovember 29, 2024
  2. 4.2.2Placements with Connected PersonsMay 6, 2026
  3. 4.2.3Placements in Foster CareNovember 29, 2024
  4. 4.2.4Placements in Residential CareNovember 29, 2024
  5. 4.2.5Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare GroundsNovember 29, 2024
  6. 4.2.6Out of Area PlacementsNovember 11, 2025
  7. 4.2.7Placements Outside England and WalesNovember 29, 2024
  8. 4.2.8Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation
    Updated
    May 6, 2026
  9. 4.2.9Notifications from Other Local Authorities/Placement ProvidersNovember 29, 2024
  10. 4.2.10Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential WorkersNovember 11, 2025
  11. 4.2.11Placements in Other ArrangementsSeptember 19, 2023
  12. 4.2.12Health and Safety
    Updated
    May 6, 2026

4.3Monitoring and Reviews

  1. 4.3.1Social Worker Visits to Looked After ChildrenNovember 29, 2024
  2. 4.3.2Advocacy and Independent VisitorsNovember 29, 2024
  3. 4.3.3Looked After ReviewsMay 6, 2025
  4. 4.3.4Appointment and Role of Independent Reviewing OfficersNovember 29, 2024
  5. 4.3.5Secure Accommodation (Criteria) ReviewsNovember 29, 2024
  6. 4.3.6Notifications of Significant EventsNovember 11, 2025

4.4Contact and Overnight Stays

  1. 4.4.1Family Time with Parents/Adults and SiblingsMay 6, 2025
  2. 4.4.2Social Visits (Including Overnight Stays)November 11, 2025

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 ChildrenMay 6, 2025
  2. 4.5.2Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UKNovember 11, 2025
  3. 4.5.3Leisure ActivitiesMarch 23, 2022

4.6Health and Wellbeing

  1. 4.6.1Health Care Assessments and Plans
    Updated
    May 6, 2026
  2. 4.6.2Personal Care and RelationshipsNovember 29, 2024
  3. 4.6.3Positive Relationships and Behaviour SupportMay 6, 2026
  4. 4.6.4Restrictive Physical Intervention and RestraintNovember 11, 2025

4.7Change of Name and Marriage/Civil Partnership

  1. 4.7.1Change of Name of a Looked After ChildFebruary 7, 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 Transition
    Updated
    May 6, 2026
  2. 4.8.2Staying PutNovember 11, 2025

4.9Children Involved in the Youth Justice System

  1. 4.9.1Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services
    Updated
    May 6, 2026
  2. 4.9.2Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in CustodyNovember 11, 2025
  3. 4.9.3Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National GuidanceNovember 11, 2025

5.Fostering and Adoption

5.1Fostering Services

  1. 5.1.1Fostering and Permanence PanelNovember 29, 2024
  2. 5.1.2Persons Disqualified from FosteringJuly 26, 2022
  3. 5.1.3Assessment and Approvals of Foster CarersMay 6, 2025
  4. 5.1.4Exemptions and Extensions/Variations to Foster Carer ApprovalNovember 29, 2024
  5. 5.1.5Supervision and Support of Foster CarersNovember 11, 2025
  6. 5.1.6Review and Termination of Approval of Foster CarersNovember 29, 2024
  7. 5.1.7Allegations Against Foster CarersMay 6, 2026
  8. 5.1.8Training and Development of Foster CarersMay 6, 2025
  9. 5.1.9Camden Fostering Website

5.2Adoption and Permanence Services

  1. 5.2.1Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Prospective AdoptersNovember 11, 2025
  2. 5.2.2Adoption PanelNovember 29, 2024
  3. 5.2.3Placement for Adoption
    Updated
    May 6, 2026
  4. 5.2.4Adoption SupportNovember 11, 2025
  5. 5.2.5Monitoring and Supervision of Adoptive PlacementsOctober 31, 2023
  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 6, 2026
  9. 5.2.9Inter Country AdoptionNovember 29, 2024
  10. 5.2.10Non Agency AdoptionJuly 26, 2022
  11. 5.2.11Adoption Case Records
    Updated
    May 6, 2026
  12. 5.2.12Access to Birth Records and Adoption Case Records
    Updated
    May 6, 2026
  13. 5.2.13Intermediary ServicesJuly 26, 2022
  14. 5.2.14Life Story Books GuidanceNovember 29, 2024
  15. 5.2.15Later Life LettersNovember 15, 2021
  16. 5.2.16Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective AdoptersNovember 29, 2024
  17. 5.2.17Adopt London North Website

5.3Special Guardianship

  1. 5.3.1Applications for Special Guardianship OrdersNovember 11, 2025
  2. 5.3.2Court Reports in Placement Order Applications and Adoption/Special Guardianship GuidanceMarch 28, 2024

6.Appendices

  1. 6.0.1Scheme of DelegationNovember 29, 2024
  2. 6.0.2Ofsted Inspection FrameworkMay 6, 2025
  3. 6.0.3Amendments
  4. 6.0.4Register for Updates

Last Updated: May 6, 2026

v72