Amendments

2025

May 2025

Children’s Services Safeguarding Out of Hours Service (CS SOOHS) Involvement	This chapter was added to the manual in May 2025.
Children’s Services Panels	This chapter was added to the manual in May 2025.
Child Arrangements Orders	This chapter was updated in May 2025.
Gender Identity	This chapter was refreshed in May 2025.
Family Group Conferences	This chapter was revised and updated throughout in May 2025 and should be re-read in full.
Managing Incoming Correspondence for Client Files (Open and Closed)	This chapter was reviewed in May 2025 and no changes were made.
Whistleblowing	This chapter was updated in May 2025.
0-25 Together Service	In May 2025, Section 8, Resolving Disagreements was updated in line with case law.
Health and Safety	This chapter was added to the manual in May 2025.
Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National Guidance	In May 2025, links were added to additional sources of guidance.
Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential Settings	In May 2025, information was added in relation to Ofsted and CQC Joint Registration Guidance: Children’s Homes and Health Care.
Looked After Reviews	This chapter was updated in May 2025.
Allowances and Payments in Fostering – Monitoring and Auditing	This chapter was updated in May 2025.
Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers	This chapter was updated in May 2025 to include a link to the Disclosure and Barring Service Guidance Leaflets (GOV.UK) in the Related Guidance Section.
Support and Supervision of Foster Carers	This chapter was refreshed in May 2025.
Long Term Fostering	This chapter was refreshed in May 2025.
Exemptions and Variations of Approval	This chapter was updated in May 2025.
Managing Allegations and Quality of Care Concerns in Fostering	This chapter was updated in May 2025 to include a link to the Disclosure and Barring Service Guidance Leaflets (GOV.UK).
The Sufficiency Duty in Relation to Accommodation for Children/Young People	This chapter was refreshed in May 2025 in line with How Local Authorities and Children’s Homes Can Achieve Stability and Permanence for Children with Complex Needs (Ofsted).
Education of Children Looked After	This chapter was updated in May 2025.
Permanence Planning, Placement Strategy and Guidance	This chapter was refreshed in May 2025.
Hertfordshire mockingbird procedure	This chapter was added to the manual in May 2025.
Training and Development of Foster Carers	This chapter was added to the manual in May 2025.
Care Leavers and Transition to Adulthood	In May 2025, this chapter was refreshed and amended to include a new section, Section 11, Joint Housing Protocols for Care.
Foster Carer Recording	This chapter was reviewed and updated in May 2025.
Staying Put Policy	This chapter was updated in May 2025.
Separated Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery	In May 2025, links to sources of further information were updated.
Recruitment, Assessment and Approval of Prospective Adopters	This chapter was updated in May 2025 with a link to DBS guidance leaflets (GOV.UK) in the Related Guidance Section.
Support, Training and Payment to Kinship Foster Carers	This chapter was reviewed and updated in May 2025.
Kinship Foster Care	This chapter was updated in May 2025.
Children/Young People and Families Record-Keeping	This chapter was updated in May 2025 to include Section 5.1, Suicide.
Placements with Kinship Foster Carers	This chapter was refreshed in May 2025.