Hertfordshire Children’s Social Care Policies and Procedures Manual

Amendments

2026

June 2026

Section 17 and Financial Support for Children and Families	This chapter was added in June 2026.

May 2026

Managing Children's Electronic Records	This chapter was updated in May 2026.
Hertfordshire Joint Housing Needs Protocol	This chapter was updated in May 2026.
Professional Supervision	This chapter was refreshed in May 2026.
Managing Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) Information and Minutes	This chapter was refreshed in May 2026.
Adoption Records	In May 2026, Section 3. Security, Retention and Sharing of Records was updated in the light of the Records of Adopted and Care-experienced People – Good Practice Guidance for Record-keepers and Care Professionals (England and Wales) Guidance - published February 2024 which recommends that Adoption records where an Adoption Order is made should now have for "good practice" minimum retention of 125 years (date of birth + 125 years this was previously 100 years) or for "exemplary practice" for 150 years, or best practice would be permanent preservation/retention.
Life Story Work with Children and Young People	This chapter was updated in May 2026.
Diversity and Inclusion	This chapter was updated in May 2026.
Kinship Foster Care	This chapter was updated in May 2026.
Support and Supervision of Foster Carers	This chapter was updated in May 2026.
Overnight Stays Away from the Foster/Residential home or Other Staying Family time or Care Arrangements	This chapter was updated in May 2026.
Review of Prospective Adopter(s) Approval	This chapter was refreshed in May 2026.
Court Proceedings	In May 2026, Section 3.1, Where the Independent Advice from the Guardian and the assessment by the Local Authority are fundamentally different in relation to the safety and best interests of a child was added to the chapter in line with practice guidance issued jointly by Cafcass and the ADCS.
Long Term Fostering	This chapter was reviewed in May 2026.
Placement of Children Looked After in Supported Lodgings	This chapter was refreshed in May 2026.
Mobile Phones for Children in Care	This chapter was added to the manual in May 2026.
NEST Fostering Scheme	This chapter was added to the manual in May 2026.
Emergency Foster Carers Policy	This chapter was added to the manual in May 2026.
Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation	This chapter was updated in May 2026, to include information from the Ministry of Justice Youth Remand Concordat and updated with information from the Youth Justice Charter - know your rights in the youth justice system. The Youth Justice Charter sets out what children can expect at each stage of the youth justice system - helping them understand who does what, what their rights are, and what to do if the standards are not met.
Adoption Support	In May 2026, information was added in Section 3, Examples of Adoption Support to highlight that the DfE has extended the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund initially until March 2027, with a new fair access limit of £3000.
Transition to Adulthood (Leaving Care) Finance Policy and Guidance	This chapter was reviewed in May 2026.
Public Law Outline	This chapter was updated in May 2026.
Criminal Injuries Compensation	This chapter was reviewed in May 2026.
Care Planning Guidance	This chapter was refreshed in May 2026.
Foster Carer Recording	This chapter was updated in May 2026.
Death or Serious Injury to a Child	This chapter was reviewed in May 2026.
Family Time with Parents, Family and Friends	This chapter was updated in May 2026.
Marriage/Civil Partnership of a Looked After Child	This chapter was reviewed in May 2026.
Foster/Residential Home Endings	This chapter was updated in May 2026.
Health and Safety	This chapter was refreshed in May 2026.
Placement for Adoption	This chapter was refreshed in May 2026.
Children Looked After in Contact with Youth Justice Services	In May 2026, this chapter was updated with guidance from the Youth Remand Concordat which gives guidance and principles for Local Authorities and key agencies in working with children through the remand process.
Child and Family Assessments	This chapter was updated in May 2026.
Responding to Marks and Bruises	In May 2026, this chapter was added to the manual.
Children Placed with Parents for Assessment	This chapter was refreshed in May 2026.
Placement with Parents or Person who has, or has held Parental Responsibility Immediately Prior to Making of a Care Order or Interim Care Order	This chapter was updated in May 2026.

2025

November 2025

Direct Payments for Disabled Children	This chapter was added in November 2025.
Parents Travel Costs Relating to Court Proceedings	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Weekend Family Time Visits	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Family Assistance Order	This chapter was reviewed in November 2025.
Blood Borne Viruses - Guidance for the Protection of Looked After Children	This chapter was refreshed in November 2025.
Financial Allowances Policy for Children Looked After Placed in Residential (Special) Schools	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Personal Safety and Lone Working Guidance	This chapter was reviewed in November 2025.
Case Escalation Process	This chapter was reviewed in November 2025.
Transition to Adulthood (Leaving Care) Finance Policy and Guidance	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Independent Visitors	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Death or Serious Injury to a Child	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Short Breaks	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Age Assessment	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Hertfordshire Special Educational Needs Guidance for Social Care Practitioners	This new chapter was added to the manual in November 2025.
Former Children Looked After in Detention	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Family Network and Family Group Decision Making Procedure (including Family Group Conferences)	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Summary of Court Orders	This chapter was reviewed in November 2025 but there are no changes.
Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National Guidance	In November 2025, links were added to Youth Remand Concordat - Guidance and principles to follow a joint approach throughout the youth remand process for local and national partners and Delivering the best for girls in custody - an independent review into placements and care for girls in the Children and Young People Secure Estate.
GPs, Dentists and Opticians	This chapter was reviewed in November 2025 and no updates were required.
'Capacity' and Financial Arrangements for Children Looked After and Care Leavers Aged 16 & 17	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Private Law Applications (including Section 7 and Section 37 Reports)	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Police Protection Guidance	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Looked After Reviews	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
The Hertfordshire Policy Statement on the Education of Children Looked After	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Criminal Injuries Compensation	This chapter was amended in November 2025, to include a link to the Criminal Injuries Compensation: A Guide.
Consent to Medical Examination and Treatment	This chapter was reviewed in November 2025 and no updates were required.
0-25 Together Service	In November 2025, this chapter was updated with minor changes.
Child Looked After - Remands and Custodial Sentences up to age of 16	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Young Carers	In November 2025, information was added from How Local Authorities Can Help Young Carers (Ofsted Blog) and additional resources were added to Further Information.
Children Placed in Hertfordshire - Notifications by Other Local Authorities/Placement Providers	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Access to Records	This chapter was reviewed in November 2025.
Placement for Adoption	This chapter was refreshed in November 2025.
The Sufficiency Duty in Relation to Accommodation for Children/Young People	In November 2025, in Section 2.1, Additional Considerations Where a Child Has Multiple Needs information was added about how to access pre-application advice on caring for children with complex needs (Ofsted) if you are thinking about opening a children's social care service for children with complex needs.
Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UK	This chapter was updated and refreshed in November 2025, including additions to reflect Granting Leaves of Absence in Working Together to Improve School Attendance statutory guidance, which states that generally, the DfE does not consider a need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation to be an exceptional circumstance for leave of absence.
Permanence Planning, Placement Strategy and Guidance	This chapter was refreshed in November 2025.
Court Proceedings	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Transporting Children	This chapter was reviewed and updated in November 2025.
Advocacy for Children and Young People Making a Complaint	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Public Law Outline	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Support and Supervision of Foster Carers	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Private Fostering	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Kinship Foster Care	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Police Information Checks When Making Care Arrangements for Children with Friends/Family in an Emergency	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Criteria for Foster Carers	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Parent and Child Foster Home	This chapter was refreshed in November 2025.
Birth Certificates	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Allegations Against Prospective Adopters and in Relation to Children Placed for Adoption or Already Adopted	This chapter was added to the manual in November 2025.
Foster Carer Reviews	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Diversity and Inclusion	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Exemptions and Variations of Approval	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Supervised Family Time and the Hertfordshire Family Time Service	This chapter was updated in November 2025.
Fostering - Introduction, Purpose and Overview	This chapter was updated in November 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 Network and Family Group Decision Making Procedure (including 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.
Managing Children's Electronic Records	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.