Amendments

October 2024

Caption: October 2024 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles	This chapter has been revised in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Confidentiality Policy	Links have been updated to guidance.
Contacts and Referrals	This chapter has been refreshed.
Assessments	This chapter has been refreshed.
Child Protection Enquiries (Section 47)	This chapter has been refreshed.
Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After, Child In Need or Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24)	This chapter has been updated in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children. A new Section 3, Death of a Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24 has been added.
Applications for Emergency Protection Orders	This chapter has had minor updates.
Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline	Information has been added in relation to family group decision-making in Section 1, Introduction and Time Limits and Section 5, Pre-Proceedings, and a link has been added to the Family Networks and Family Group Decision Making Procedure.
Electronic Recording of Meetings and Conversations	This chapter has been refreshed.
Use of Social Media Sites by Practitioners in Children's Services	This chapter has been refreshed.
Kinship Care	This chapter has been updated in October 2024 to reflect Championing Kinship Care: The National Kinship Care strategy.
Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities	Section 15, Resolving Disagreements has been updated to include information on Guidance: Carry Out an Order in Special Educational Needs Cases.
Personal Budgets and Direct Payments	This chapter has been refreshed throughout.
Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery	A link has been added in Section 4, Assessment to BASW Age Assessment Practice Guidance. In Further Information, a link has been added to Operation Innerste Process: Caseworker Guidance.
Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983	This chapter has been refreshed.
Health and Safety	Minor amendments have been made to Section 7, Online Safety.
Notifications of Significant Events	This chapter has been updated in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children, to note that notifications should also be made of the death of a care leaver up to and including the age of 24.
Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children	This chapter has been revised in response to Working Together to Safeguard Children (December 2023), and includes the ongoing development of the strategic leadership roles of Virtual School Heads (VSH) in promoting educational outcomes for children aged 0 to 18 who have, or previously had a social worker, and children in kinship care arrangements.
Staying Put	This chapter has been updated to note that if a young person in a Staying Put arrangement dies up to and including the age of 24, notifications should be made in accordance with the Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After, Child In Need or Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24) Procedure.
Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National Guidance	This chapter has been updated and new links were added.
Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers	Information on Ofsted checks has been added in to Section 5.1, Checks.
Applications for Special Guardianship Orders	This chapter has been updated. Information has been added into Section 17, Special Guardian Duty on the Death of the Child, that the relevant local authority should be notified if the child was previously a looked after child.
Life Story Books Guidance	This chapter has been refreshed.
Later Life Letters	This chapter has been refreshed.
Ofsted Inspection Framework	A link has been added to guidance on Supported Accommodation.
New Chapters and Features
Chapter Name	Details
Family Networks and Family Group Decision Making	This chapter has been added to the manual.
Children and Young People’s Continuing Care National Framework	This chapter has been added to the manual.
Removed Chapters
Recruitment, Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters; Adoption Panel; Placement for Adoption; Adoption Support; Monitoring and Supervision of Adoptive Placements; Disruption of Adoptive Placements; Allegations Against Prospective Adopters and in Relation to Children Placed for Adoption or Already Adopted; Inter Country Adoption; Non Agency Adoption; Adoption Case Records; Access to Birth Records and Adoption Case Records; Intermediary Services; Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters; Life Appreciation Days; Relinquished Children.

Next update: April 2025

2024 Amendments

March 2024

Caption: March 2024 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Family and Friends Care Policy	Section 4, Different Situations whereby Children may be Living with Family and Friend Carers has been updated to include information about Ukrainian children being cared for by family and friends in the UK.
Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline	Links have been added in the Relevant Guidance section.
Access to Records / Subject Access Requests	Links have been added in the Relevant Guidance section.
Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities	This chapter has been amended to include information from Special Educational Needs and Disability: Improving Local Authority Decision Making - Report of the Administrative Justice Council’s Working Group on Special Educational Needs and Disability.
Young Carers	This chapter has been refreshed.
Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983	Section 2, Ordinary Residence has been updated in line with case law.
Placements in Residential Care	This chapter has been updated to include information from Guidance - Placing Children: Deprivation of Liberty Orders - guidance for providers, social workers and placement commissioners on placing children, subject to a deprivation of liberty order (DoL), in unregistered settings.
Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds	Section 10, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty has been updated throughout in line with Revised Practice Guidance on the Court’s Approach to Unregistered Placements (October 2023); and Revised National Listing Protocol for Applications that Seek Deprivation of Liberty Orders Relating to Children under the Inherent Jurisdiction.
Health and Safety	Additional information has been added about online safety.
Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children	This chapter has been refreshed.
Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters	This chapter has been refreshed and a link added to National Early Permanence Practice Standards (Coram Centre for Early Permanence).

2023 Amendments

November 2023

Caption: November 2023 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Threshold Document - Continuum of Help and Support (Sheffield Children Safeguarding Partnership Child Protection and Safeguarding Procedures Manual, Local Resources)	This link has been updated.

October 2023

Caption: October 2023 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Capacity and Consent	Amendments have been made to reflect case-law in relation to assessing legal capacity.
Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline	Information has been added into Section 4, Care Orders and Supervisions Orders on a Care Plan of the Child Remaining at Home in relation to Supervision Orders, in line with Public Law Working Group (PLWG) Recommendations to Achieve Best Practice in the Child Protection and Family Justice Systems: Supervision Orders.
Access to Records / Subject Access Requests	Additional information has been added into the Related Guidance section.
Prevention of Homelessness and Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 year olds who may be Homeless and/or require Accommodation; and Duty to Refer	Additional information has been added into the Further Information section.
Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities	This chapter has been updated to include information from Guidance: Area SEND Inspections Framework and Handbook (November 2022). Information has been added into Section 15, Resolving Disagreements in relation to legal aid for foster carers and prospective adoptive parents in First Tier Tribunal appeals.
Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential Settings	This chapter has been updated to include information from the UK Social Work Practice in Safeguarding Disabled Children and Young People report.
Families with No Recourse to Public Funds	Section 5.2.5, Providing Support has been updated to reflect the Home Office increase in financial support to individuals waiting to find out if they will be given asylum in the UK.
Decision to Look After	Section 3, Section 20 Accommodation has been updated in line with case-law.
Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation	This chapter has been amended to include information from Annex to MOJ Circular 2022/03: Additional Information on Remand to Local Authority Accommodation (RLAA).
Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds	The Relevant Guidance section has been updated.
Placements in Other Arrangements	This chapter has been revised throughout in line with the Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023.
Providing Personalised Care	Additional information has been added into the Further Information section.
Health and Safety	Information has been added into Section 6, Diet, Nutrition and Allergies, in relation to allergies.
Health Care Assessments and Plans	Information has been added into Section 4, Health Plans in relation to allergies.
Leaving Care and Transition	This chapter has been amended to note that with effect from 1 April 2023, the leaving care allowance increased from £2,000 to £3,000 and to include information from the Revised Ofsted Inspection Framework.
Allegations Against Prospective Adopters and in Relation to Children Placed for Adoption or Already Adopted	This chapter has been amended in line with revised Keeping Children Safe in Education. New Section 2, The Difference Between an Allegation of Harm and a Concern has been added.
Applications for Special Guardianship Orders	This chapter has been updated. Information has been added into Section 6.2, Special Guardianship Applications in Care Proceedings in relation to timing of assessments.
New Chapters and Features
Chapter Name	Details
Ofsted Inspection Framework	This chapter has been added to the manual.

June 2023

Caption: June 2023 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline	This chapter has been amended throughout in line with Management Guidance in Public Law Children Cases: March 2022. Section 8, Court Hearings has been updated in line with A View From the President’s Chambers: Relaunching the PLO (November 2022), and that section should be re-read. In Relevant Guidance, a link has been added to Pre-proceedings and Family Justice Hub (Research in Practice).
Case Records and Retention	This chapter has been updated in relation to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery	This chapter has been updated. Information in relation to the National Age Assessment Board has been added into Section 4, Assessment.
Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983	This chapter has been amended to include a link to Self-harm: Assessment, Management and Preventing Recurrence NICE Guidance in Further Information.
Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation	This chapter has been amended in line with the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
Placements with Connected Persons	This chapter has been updated in line with local practice. Section 3, Approval of Immediate Placements of Looked After Children with Connected Persons and Section 5, Assessment and Approval of Connected Persons as Foster Carer have been updated throughout and those sections should be re-read. In Section 5, the timescale for arranging for a slot to be booked on the Fostering Panel was changed to within 16 weeks (previously 18 weeks).
Placements Outside England and Wales	Section 3, Placements in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and Guernsey has been updated to reflect the Cross-border Placements (Effect of Deprivation of Liberty Orders) (Scotland) Regulations 2022 and Cross-Border Placements (Effect of Deprivation of Liberty Orders) (Scotland) Regulations 2022: Practice Guidance, Notice and Undertaking Template.
Contact with Parents and Siblings	Section 3, Supervised Contact has been updated to reflect a finding by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that the supervisor's observations of the contact must be clearly recorded in the child's record and shared with the parents within 3 months of the visit.
Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management	This chapter has been amended to incorporate Ofsted feedback. Additional information has been added into Section 2, Positive Behaviour Support and Section 5.4, Recording of Sanctions.
Marriage/Civil Partnership of a Looked After Child	This chapter has been amended to reflect that the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 raised the age of marriage and civil partnership to 18 in England and Wales, with effect from 26 February 2023.
Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services	Section 2, Looked After Children who are Arrested has been updated in relation to appropriate adults.
Recruitment, Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters	This chapter has been refreshed.
Adoption Panel	This chapter has been refreshed.
Placement for Adoption	This chapter has been refreshed.
Adoption Support	This chapter has been refreshed.
Disruption of Adoptive Placements	This chapter has been refreshed.

2022 Amendments

October 2022

Caption: October 2022 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Assessments	This chapter has been amended to update references to guidance documents.
Pre-Birth Assessment	This chapter has been updated in line with local practice. Information has been added in to Section 4, Pre Birth Assessment, Family Structure / Background.
Recording Policy and Guidelines	This chapter has been refreshed.
Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities	Section 15, Resolving Disagreements has been updated in line with the First Tier Tribunal’s extended powers to hear appeals and make non-binding recommendations about health and social care aspects of Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, provided those appeals also include education elements.
Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery	This chapter has been updated to reflect the national transfer scheme being mandated.
Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983	This chapter has been amended to refer to Guidance issued by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
Decision to Look After	This chapter has been refreshed throughout.
Care Planning	This chapter has been refreshed throughout.
Placements in Foster Care	This chapter has been refreshed.
Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds	Section 10, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty has been updated in line with case-law.
Education of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children	This chapter has been refreshed throughout.
Health Care Assessments and Plans	This chapter has been refreshed.
Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management	This chapter has been refreshed throughout.
Restrictive Physical Intervention and Restraint	This chapter has been refreshed throughout.
Leaving Care and Transition	This chapter has been refreshed.
Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers	This chapter has been refreshed.
Supervision and Support of Foster Carers	This chapter has been refreshed.
Allegations Against Prospective Adopters and in Relation to Children Placed for Adoption or Already Adopted	This chapter has been refreshed.
New Chapters and Features
Chapter Name	Details
Equality and Diversity	This chapter has been added to the procedures manual.
Risk Assessment and Planning	This chapter has been added to the procedures manual.
Providing Personalised Care	This chapter has been added to the procedures manual.
Health and Safety	This chapter has been added to the procedures manual.
Leisure Activities	This chapter has been added to the procedures manual.
Training and Development of Foster Carers	This chapter has been added to the procedures manual.

March 2022

Caption: March 2022 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline	This chapter has been revised throughout.
Legal Gateway and Legal Planning Meeting	This chapter has been revised throughout.
Electronic Recording of Meetings and Conversations	This chapter has been revised throughout.
Use of Social Media Sites by Practitioners in Children's Services	Links to further information have been updated.
Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities	This chapter has been refreshed and updated to include links to related reports from the House of Commons Library (see Section 16, Further Information and Statutory Guidance).
Short Breaks	Information has been added in to Section 7, Short Break Settings, in relation to the prohibition on looked after children under the age of 16 being placed in 'other arrangements' placements for the purposes of a short break.
Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery	This chapter has been updated. A link added to the Independent Child Trafficking Guardians Referral Form. In areas where the ICTG service has been implemented, if the social worker considers a child to be a potential victim of modern slavery, they should refer them to the ICTG service by completing the online referral form. Section 6.1, Placement Options has been updated in relation to placements in 'other arrangements'. Section 4, Assessment has been updated in relation to Age Assessments.
Decision to Look After a Child and Care Planning	Section 1.3, Section 20 Accommodation has been revised in line with the Public Law Working Group (PLWG) Recommendations to Achieve Best Practice in the Child Protection and Family Justice Systems.
Placement Planning and Disruption Meetings	Section 2, Disruption Meetings has been updated throughout in line with local practice.
Placements in Residential Care	This chapter has been updated to note that from September 2021, looked after children under 16 years of age cannot be accommodated in unregulated independent or semi-independent placements.
Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation	Information in relation to children under the age of 16 being placed in 'other arrangements' placements has been added into Section 3, Local Authority Accommodation.
Out of Area Placements	Section 5, Placements in Wales has been added in line with updated Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review.
Placements with Parents	Section 1, Planned Placements has been updated to add information on placements in 'other arrangements'.
Placements Outside England and Wales	Section 3, Placements in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and Guernsey has been updated in line with case-law and updated Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review.
Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims for Looked After Children	This chapter has been refreshed and a link added to House of Commons Library Briefing Paper: Criminal Injuries Compensation for Victims of Child Abuse.
Education of Children with a Social Worker, Looked After and Previously Looked After Children	This chapter has been revised to reflect the 'Review of Sexual Abuse in Schools and Colleges (Ofsted)'; updated 'Keeping Children Safe in Education' (see Scope of This Chapter) and Sexual Harassment in Education – Briefing (House of Parliament Library) (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 guidance itself will be reviewed in March 2022 as to whether it will continue to be implemented. Please keep this in mind when reading this chapter. Information on the School Admission Code has been added in Section 6, When a Child Needs or Joins a New School.
Restrictive Physical Intervention	A link has been added to Guidance: Positive Environments Where Children Can Flourish (Ofsted)
Applications for Special Guardianship Orders	Information on the School Admission Code has been added in Section 12, The Special Guardianship Support Plan.
New Chapters and Features
Chapter Name	Details
Placements in Other Arrangements	This chapter has been added to the procedures manual.

2021 Amendments

October 2021

Caption: October 2021 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Capacity and Consent	A new Section 5.4, Consent to Life-ending Withdrawal of Medical Support has been added to reflect High Court judgments. Section 2.1, Consent to Information Sharing has been updated to reflect revisions contained in the statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children. A new Section 6, NICE Quality Standard: Decision-Making and Mental Capacity has also been added.
Initial Contacts and Referrals	This chapter has been reviewed and updated to reflect guidance from the refreshed Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Assessments	This chapter has been amended to add a new section on 16 and 17 year olds who may be Homeless and/or require Accommodation and reflects the issue of Homelessness and the vulnerability of young people identified in Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation	This chapter has been revised throughout.
Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline	This chapter has been updated to reflect Practice Guidance on Special Guardianship (Family Justice Council). See Section 9, Expectations of the Local Authority by the Court in particular.
Prevention of Homelessness and Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 year olds who may be Homeless and/or require Accommodation; and Duty to Refer	This chapter has been refreshed throughout.
Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities	Section 15, Resolving Disagreements has been updated to reference recent case-law holding that, as part of the mediation process, a parent/child/young person is entitled to bring along any supporter they wish, including a lawyer.
Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery	Minor amendments have been made to this chapter in line with the UK's exit from the EEA.
Families with No Recourse to Public Funds	This chapter has been refreshed throughout.
Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds	A new Section 10, Use of Inherent Jurisdiction to Authorise a Placement Involving a Deprivation of Liberty has been added.
Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers	A new Section 7.4, Consent to Life-ending Withdrawal of Medical Support has been added to reflect a High Court judgment.
Advocacy and Independent Visitors	This chapter has been refreshed throughout.
Leaving Care and Transition	This chapter has been updated when a link to the publication Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers: good practice advice (DfE and MHCLG) was added. This publication seeks 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.
Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody	This chapter has been updated to reflect the Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers: good practice advice, Section 2.6 Care leavers leaving custody (DfE and MHCLG) (see Section 3.9, Planning for Release).
Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters	This chapter has been updated to reference One Adoption South Yorkshire Regional Adoption Agency.
Adoption Panel	This chapter has been updated to reference One Adoption South Yorkshire Regional Adoption Agency.
Adoption Support	This chapter has been updated to reference One Adoption South Yorkshire Regional Adoption Agency.
Inter Country Adoption	This chapter has been updated to reference One Adoption South Yorkshire Regional Adoption Agency.
Access to Birth Records and Adoption Case Records	This chapter has been updated to reference updated local practice/terminology.
Intermediary Services	This chapter has been updated to reference One Adoption South Yorkshire Regional Adoption Agency.
Applications for Special Guardianship Orders	This chapter has been updated to reflect Practice Guidance on Special Guardianship published by the Family Justice Council. See Section 6.2, Special Guardianship Applications in Care Proceedings and new Section 16, Special Guardianship Orders in International Cases.
Court Reports in Adoption/Special Guardianship Guidance	A link has been added to updated Family Justice Council guidance - see Section 3, Special Guardianship - Matters to be Dealt with in Report for the Court.
Life Story Books Guidance	Links have been added into Section 8, Resources.
Scheme of Delegation	This information has been updated.
New Chapters and Features
Chapter Name	Details
Local Practice Guide: The Use of Section 20 of The Children Act 1989 in the Context of Child Protection	This guide has been added to the procedures manual.
Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983	This chapter has been added to the procedures manual.
Life Story Work for Children Looked After	This chapter has been added to the procedures manual.

March 2021

Caption: March 2021 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Use of Social Media Sites by Practitioners in Children's Services	This chapter has been updated to add links to additional guidance.
Families with No Recourse to Public Funds	This chapter has been refreshed throughout.
Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds	This chapter has been updated to reflect updated guidance. See Section 6, Placements of Children under the age of 13 Years.
Notifications of Significant Events	This chapter has been revised throughout.
Holidays and School Trips Outside the UK	This guidance has been reviewed and updated throughout. Section 5, Insurance 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 6, 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.
Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children	This chapter has been updated to reflect changes from the revised Working Together to Safeguard Children (minor amendments to the bullet points in Section 8.1, Child Protection Policy and Procedures).
Leaving Care and Transition	The link has been updated in Section 9.3, The 16-19 Bursary Fund and Higher Education Bursary.
New Chapters and Features
Chapter Name	Details
Working with Sexually Active Young People	This link to the Sheffield Children Safeguarding Partnership Child Protection and Safeguarding Procedures has been added.
South Yorkshire Missing from Home and Care Protocol	This link to the Sheffield Children Safeguarding Partnership Child Protection and Safeguarding Procedures has been added.

2020 Amendments

December 2020

Caption: December 2020 amendments

New Chapters and Features
Chapter Name	Details
Child Arrangements Order Policy	This chapter has been added to the procedures manual.

October 2020

Caption: October 2020 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Initial Contacts and Referrals	This chapter has been updated throughout in line with local practice.
Assessments	This chapter has been updated throughout in line with the new digital referral system for reporting potential victims of Modern Slavery, and with local practice.
Sheffield Single Assessment: Guidance for Practitioners and Managers	This updated local document has been added. It replaces the previous Sheffield Social Care Assessment Policy and Guidance.
Transfer Policy: Guidance for Practitioners and Managers	This updated local document has been added. It replaces the previous Social Care Fieldwork Services - Transfer Protocol.
Person Posing a Risk to Children (PPR) Guidance	Information has been added in to Section 3, Recording the PPR Assessment in line with local practice.
Guidance on Completing a Closure Record	This chapter has been updated throughout in line with local practice.
Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery	This chapter has been updated to take account of the new NRM digital referral form to report Modern Slavery. Section 11, Further Information has been updated to include a link to Statutory Guidance Modern Slavery: How to Identify and Support Victims.
Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims for Looked After Children	Minor amendments have been made. The address for the First Tier Tribunal has been updated in Section 7, Appealing Decisions.
Pre Birth Planning for Care Leavers and Looked After Young People	This chapter has been updated throughout in line with local practice.
Looked After Reviews	This chapter has been updated throughout in line with local practice.
Allegations Against Foster Carers	This chapter has been updated throughout in line with local practice.
Local Contacts	The following details have been added: Multi Agency Psychological Services (MAPS); Children with Disabilities Team; Preparation for Adulthood Team; Fostering Duty; Fostering Recruitment; Fostering Placement Finding; Private Fostering.
New Chapters and Features
Chapter Name	Details
Capacity and Consent	This chapter has been added to the procedures manual.
Supplementary Guidance for the Assessment Framework for Parental Drug and Alcohol Misuse	This local guidance has been added.
Pre-Birth Assessment	This chapter has been added to the procedures manual.
Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care and Safeguarding Staff	This chapter has been added to the procedures manual.
Storage of Data on Mobile Devices	This chapter has been added to the procedures manual.

March 2020

Caption: March 2020 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles	Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice and terminology.
Confidentiality Policy	Links have been updated to local guidance.
Consultation Policy	Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice and terminology.
Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline	This chapter has been updated to reference and note the Family Court Justice Interim Guidance on Special Guardianship, Courts and Tribunals Judiciary (May 2019). Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice.
Recording Policy and Guidelines	This chapter has been amended to reflect the Ofsted Twitter Blog of 24/7/19 by Yvette Stanley, Ofsted's National Director for Social Care. The Blog highlights feedback from a number of inspections and explores what good recording should look like. (Ofsted: developments in children's social care – What makes an effective case record?) Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice.
Access to Records / Subject Access Requests	Links have been updated to local guidance.
Homeless Prevention 16/17 Year Olds	Homeless Prevention 16/17 year olds – this sets out the national arrangements; Homeless Prevention for 16/17 year olds Presenting as Homeless: Guidance for Practitioners and Managers - this sets out the Sheffield-specific arrangements. These replace the previous Joint Protocol for the Joint Assessment of Homeless 16 and 17 Year Olds.
Families with No Recourse to Public Funds	New local guidance documents have been added: No Recourse to Public Funds Guidance; No Recourse to Public Funds Panel Terms of Reference.
Out of Area Placements	Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice.
Placements with Parents	Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice.
Advocacy and Independent Visitors	Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice.
Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews	This chapter has been reviewed to clarify arrangements relating to Looked After reviews and secure accommodation reviews.
Notifications of Significant Events	This chapter has been revised throughout.
Social Visits (Including Overnight Stays)	Minor amendments have been made in line with local practice.
Leaving Care and Transition	Minor amendments have been made in line with local practice.
Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers	A link has been added to Attending an IRM Panel: Information Sheets.
Supervision and Support of Foster Carers	This chapter has been updated to reflect in more detail the foster carer's role and responsibilities with respect to Fostering National Minimum Standards – Notification of Significant Events and relevant aspects of Schedule 6 The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011. Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice.
Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers	A link has been added to Attending an IRM Panel: Information Sheets.
Allegations Against Foster Carers	This chapter has been reviewed and refreshed in line with local practice, and terminology has been updated where required.
Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters	A link has been added to Attending an IRM Panel: Information Sheets.
Access to Birth Records and Adoption Case Records	A link has been added to Attending an IRM Panel: Information Sheets.
Applications for Special Guardianship Orders	This chapter has been updated to reference and note the Family Court Justice Interim Guidance on Special Guardianship, Courts and Tribunals Judiciary (May 2019).
Court Reports in Adoption/Special Guardianship Guidance	This chapter has been updated to reference and note the Family Court Justice Interim Guidance on Special Guardianship, Courts and Tribunals Judiciary (May 2019). Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice.
Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters	Links have been added to local guidance: Appendix 1: Fostering for Adoption – Quick Guide for Adopters; Appendix 2: FFA leaflet – Information for Birth Parents; Appendix 3: Foster for Adoption – Child's Flowchart.
Local Contacts	This chapter has been updated throughout.
New Chapters and Features
Chapter Name	Details
Joint Working Protocol between Sheffield Children and Families, People Services Portfolio (CYPF) and Sheffield Health and Social Care Service (SHSC)	This protocol provides a clear framework outlining to staff what is expected from them as individual practitioners, what is expected from their practice when they are working jointly and what is expected from their organisation.
Complaints and Representations	A link has been added to this local guidance.
Whistleblowing Policy	A link has been added to this local guidance.
Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential Settings	This chapter reflects statutory guidance in relation to children who are placed by health authorities or local authorities for more than 3 months in residential establishments for educational purposes and children placed in care homes or independent hospitals (including hospices) by health authorities or local authorities (Sections 85 and 86 of the Children Act 1989).
Scheme of Delegation	This chapter has been added to the manual.

2019 Amendments

October 2019

Caption: October 2019 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Person Posing a Risk to Children (PPR) Guidance	Added into Section 1, When to Carry out a Person Posing a Risk to Children Assessment: 'A single assessment should therefore be used where the Police are investigating allegations, but the individual has not yet been charged'.
Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After and Child In Need)	This chapter has been revised throughout to reflect revised arrangements for reporting a serious incident to the Panel via the Child Safeguarding Incident Notification System.
Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline	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.
Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery	A new Section 6, Suitable Placements has been added. Details of the National Transfer Scheme Protocol for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children Version 2.0 March 2018 have been added into Section 1, Introduction and Definitions.
Families with No Recourse to Public Funds	This chapter has been updated throughout in line with local practice.
Decision to Look After a Child and Care Planning	This chapter has been amended to reflect Section 3 of the Care Planning and Care Leavers (Amendment) Regulations 2014. The Care Plan must identify whether there is reason to believe the child has been trafficked or is an unaccompanied asylum seeker.
Permanence Planning Guidance	This chapter has been updated in line with local practice. Amendments have been made in Section 3.7, Permanence in Foster Care and Section 4, Permanence and Local Placement.
Placements in Foster Care	This chapter has been updated throughout in line with local practice.
Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children	This chapter has been amended to include a link to the Leaving Care and Transition Procedure in relation to Personal Adviser visits to 'Relevant' or 'Former Relevant' young people.
Leaving Care and Transition	This chapter has been updated. Amendments have been made in: Section 5, Leaving Care Assessment of Needs - 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.
Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers	Additional information have been added in to Section 4.1, Checks in relation to the application process for criminal records checks or 'Certificates of Good Character' for someone from overseas. Minor amendments have been made in line with local practice, including in relation to the electronic recording system.
Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers	Minor amendments have been made in line with local practice, in Section 3, Formal Annual Review and Section 4, Presentation to the Fostering Panel or Agency Decision Maker.
Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters	This chapter has been amended to remove references to the Adoption Register.
Placement for Adoption	This chapter has been amended to remove references to the Adoption Register.
Local Contacts	The Children and Families Service Map has been renamed Local Contact Information for Social Care. Contact information has been added to the MAST.
New Chapters and Features
Chapter Name	Details
Effective Accommodation Planning for Resettlement: Ensuring Timely Knowledge of Address on Release for All Young People	Effective Accommodation Planning for Resettlement: Ensuring Timely Knowledge of Address on Release for All Young People.
Removed Chapters
Complaints and Representations; List of Agency Decision Makers, Designated Managers and Nominated Officers.

July 2019

Caption: July 2019 Amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Private Fostering	This chapter has been amended to reflect updated local practice, structure and terminology.

April 2019

Caption: April 2019 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Family and Friends Care Policy	A link has been added to Looking After Someone Else's Child – GOV.UK.
Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline	This chapter has been amended to reflect HHJ Greensmith's comments regarding M and N (Children: Local authority gathering, preserving and disclosing evidence).
Recording Policy and Guidelines	This guidance has been reviewed and updated to reflect recent case-law.
Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities	This chapter has been updated in line with the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and revised statutory guidance.
Permanence Planning Guidance	This chapter has been updated in line with the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and revised statutory guidance.
Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation	This chapter has been updated in relation to placing young people in custody.
Ceasing to Look After a Child	This chapter has been updated in line with the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and revised statutory guidance.
Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children	This chapter has been revised throughout in line with the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and with local practice.
Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services	This chapter has been updated in relation to placing young people in custody.
Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody	This chapter has been updated in relation to placing young people in custody.
Adoption Support	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.
Adoption Reviews	Section 5, The Conduct of Adoption Reviews (bullet point 1.f) 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.
Applications for Special Guardianship Orders	This chapter has been updated to reflect the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman good practice points to follow when working with Special Guardians. A link to the full report 'Firm Foundations: Complaints about Council Support and Advice for Special Guardians (Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman) (May 2018)' has been added into the Relevant National Guidance section of this chapter. The chapter has also 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.
Life Story Books Guidance	This chapter has been given a general refresh throughout.
Later Life Letters	This chapter has been given a general refresh throughout.

2018 Amendments

October 2018

Caption: October 2018 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles	A new Section 3, Corporate Parenting has been added in response to the DfE Applying Corporate Parenting Principles to Looked-after Children and Care Leavers – Statutory Guidance (Feb 2018). It includes the seven corporate parenting principles set out in the guidance.
Confidentiality Policy	This chapter has been reviewed and updated in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018.
Assessments	Section 4, Communication has been updated to include reference to parents with learning disabilities. The chapter has also been updated in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After and Child In Need)	This chapter has been updated. From 29 June 2018 local authorities in England must notify the national Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel within 5 working days of becoming aware of a serious incident.
Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline	This chapter has been updated to provide some emphasis on parents who lack capacity and added links to the President of the Family Division, Family Proceedings: Parents with a Learning Disability note, and a relevant link to working with parents who have a learning disability (see Section 2, Pre-proceedings). Section 4.2, Case Analysis has been updated to reflect the 'permanence provisions' of the Care Plan added by Section 8 Children and Social Work Act 2017 which a court is required to consider when deciding whether to make a Care Order.
Recording Policy and Guidelines	This chapter has been reviewed and updated in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018.
Case Records and Retention	Section 1, The Case Record has been updated in line with the Adoption and Care Planning (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2018, which permit the transfer of a copy of the child's case record (or part of that record) to another adoption agency when the local authority considers this to be in the interests of the child.
Access to Records / Subject Access Requests	This chapter has been revised throughout in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018.
Electronic Recording of Meetings and Conversations	This chapter has been reviewed and updated in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018.
Child in Need Plans and Reviews	This chapter has been updated by adding a new Section 4, Children in Need Moving to Another Local Authority - Principals. Information and communication is important between the respective local authorities to ensure appropriate services continue for the child and family and, where relevant, any risk of harm is recognised and identified with the receiving local authority. It should be noted that the responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child lies with the local authority where the child is to be found.
Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern Slavery	This chapter has been refreshed throughout, and additional information added in relation to trafficking and modern slavery.
Decision to Look After a Child and Care Planning	Additional information has been added in to Section 1.3, Section 20 Accommodation, in line with recent case-law. Section 2.1.1, The Care Plan – Contents has been amended to reflect the additional 'permanence provisions' of the Care Plan (Section 8 Children and Social Work Act 2017) which a court is required to consider when deciding whether to make a Care Order.
Permanence Planning Guidance	Section 5, Assessing and Planning for Permanence, has been updated to reflect the additional 'permanence provisions' of the Care Plan (under Section 8 Children and Social Work Act 2017) which a court is required to consider when deciding whether to make a Care Order.
Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds	This chapter has been updated to fully reflect the updated guidance 'Secure Children's Homes: How to Place a Child aged under 13 (July 2018)'. (See Placements of Children under the age of 13 Years).
Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children	Section 2, Exceptions, has been revised to set out more clearly the circumstances where visiting requirements differ from those set out in Section 1, Normal Frequency.
Looked After Reviews	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.
Contact with Parents and Siblings	Section 2, Different Types of Contact, has been updated to take account of the use of mobile communication with regards to contact.
Holidays and School Trips Outside the UK	In Section 5, Insurance, the link has been updated to the European Health Insurance Card.
Health Care Assessments and Plans	A new Section 3.5, Consent to Health Care Assessments has been added.
Leaving Care and Transition	This chapter has been revised throughout in line with Children and Social Work Act 2017, the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018.
Adoption Panel	This chapter has been reviewed and updated following the introduction of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018.
Placement for Adoption	Section 1, Planning for Permanence has been updated to reflect Section 9 Children and Social Work Act 2017. Whenever a court or adoption agency is coming to a decision relating to the adoption of a child, an additional consideration is added of the relationship which the child has with any person who is a prospective adopter with whom the child is placed.
Adoption Case Records	Section 3, Security Retention and Sharing of Records has been updated in line with the Adoption and Care Planning (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2018, which provide 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.
Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters	Section 4.1, Duty to Consider Fostering for Adoption Placement has been updated to reflect the additional consideration (added by Section 9 Children and Social Work Act 2017 into the list of considerations whenever a court or adoption agency is coming to a decision relating to the adoption of a child), of the relationship which the child has with relatives, with any person who is a prospective adopter with whom the child is placed and with any other person in relation to whom the court or agency considers the relationship to be relevant.
Relinquished Children	Section 5, Consent and Competency has been updated to include additional information on parental capacity to consent, in line with High Court case-law.
New Chapters and Features
Chapters	Details
Mental Capacity	This resource will support practitioners working in statutory social care and provider services to understand the Mental Capacity Act and practice confidently when supporting young people to make decisions, assessing mental capacity and applying the Best Interests principle.
Deprivation of Liberty	This resource will support practitioners in deciding whether a child or young person is subject to a deprivation of liberty and the necessary authorisation process.
Whistleblowing Helpline - Speak Up	A link has been added to this manual.
Raising Concerns at Work	A link has been added to this manual.
Public Concern at Work	A link has been added to this manual.

May 2018

Caption: May 2018 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles	A new Section 2, The Vision, has been added.
Confidentiality Policy	This chapter has been reviewed and minor amendments have been made in line with local practice.
Consultation Policy	This chapter has been reviewed and minor amendments have been made in line with local practice.
Family and Friends Care	Section 2, Values and Principles has been updated and information added in relation to Family Group Conferences. A link has been added to new chapter Child Arrangements Order Policy.
Initial Contacts and Referrals	This chapter has been revised to set out in more detail the timetable and partnership requirements associated with effectively managing contacts and referrals. This document also advises social workers of the procedure to follow, which has been revised, when another child living in the household needs to be screened in. This includes the procedure for screening in pre-birth assessments.
Assessments	This chapter has been updated throughout in line with revised local practice, and should be re-read.
Sheffield Social Care Assessment Policy and Guidance	An updated version has been added.
Section 47 Enquiries	In Section 4.1, Concerns not Substantiated, amendments have been made in relation to Child in Need Planning Meetings. Minor amendments have been made throughout the chapter to reflect local terminology.
Social Care Fieldwork Services - Transfer Protocol	An updated version has been added.
Person Posing a Risk to Children (PPR) Guidance	This chapter has been updated in line with local practice.
Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation	Links to related national guidance have been updated. In Section 1, the definition has been updated to take account of the change of definition in : Child Sexual Exploitation: Definition and Guide for Practitioners (DfE February 2017). Section 4, Referring Cases of Concern has been amended in line with local practice.
Recording Policy and Guidelines	Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice/terminology.
Case Records and Retention	Additional information has been added in to section 2 Retention and Confidentiality of Records.
Child in Need Plans and Reviews	Amendments have been made throughout this chapter in line with local practice, and the chapter should be re-read. In Section 3, Reviews of Child in Need Plans - Reviews will be conducted at intervals as specified in the Practice Guidance for practitioners. Child in need meetings should be held within 10 days of allocation, if the case is to remain open longer than 10 working days, and thereafter every 40 working days.
Homeless Prevention 16/17 Year Olds	An updated version has been added.
Direct Payments	This chapter has been updated throughout in line with revised local practice, and should be re-read.
Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children	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. A link has been added to Securing British Citizenship for looked After Children - NRPF Network. Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice/terminology.
Families with No Recourse to Public Funds	A link has been added to Securing British Citizenship for Looked After Children (NRPF).
Decision to Look After a Child and Care Planning	Minor amendments have been made throughout to reflect local practice/terminology.
Local Authority's Sufficiency Duty - Accommodation for Looked After Children (including Guidance in Respect of the Use of Unregulated Placements Out of Hours)	A new Section 4, Guidance in Respect of the use of Unregulated Placements Out of Hours has been added.
Placements in Residential Care	This chapter has been reviewed and minor amendments have been made in line with local practice and terminology.
Placements with Connected Persons	Additional information has been added in to Section 3, Approval of Immediate Placements of Looked After Children with Connected Persons, in relation to what matters that should be considered when placing a child with a Connected Person. An initial assessment needs to be undertaken and signed off by the Senior Fieldwork Manager and Service Manager. Appendix 1: Viability Template has also been added to this chapter due to changes in the ICS system.
Placements Outside England and Wales	Section 3, Placements in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and Guernsey has been updated.
Pre Birth Planning for Care Leavers and Looked After Young People	This chapter has been reviewed, and minor amendments have been made in line with local practice and terminology.
Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children	This chapter has been reviewed and updated in line with local practice. Section 1, Normal Frequency has been amended.
Looked After Reviews	Section 14, Monitoring of Review Decisions in relation to Children who are Looked After and Children Subject to Child Protection Plans has been updated, and that section should be re-read.
Change of Name of a Looked After Child	This chapter has been refreshed throughout.
Leaving Care and Transition	These procedures have been updated in line with the Children and Social Work Act 2017.
Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers	Section 8, After the Panel Recommendation has been updated to clarify the decision as to the suitability of the applicant must be made within 7 working days of receipt of the panel's recommendation and final set of panel minutes.
Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters	This chapter has been reviewed and minor amendments have been made in line with local practice.
Placement for Adoption	This chapter has been amended to emphasise 'procedural fairness' as a key aspect of the adoption planning process in respect of ensuring parents are provided with information throughout, including the dates of placement/proposed changes of a child's status, etc. This follows the outcome of a judicial review.
Inter Country Adoption	This chapter has been updated throughout in line with revised local practice, and should be re-read.
Non Agency Adoption	Minor amendments have been made in line with local practice.
Adoption Case Records	This chapter has been checked and reviewed locally.
Applications for Special Guardianship Orders	Section 14, Financial Support has been updated.
Later Life Letters	Minor amendments have been made in line with local practice.
New Chapters and Features
Chapters	Details
Child Arrangements Order Policy	A Child Arrangements Order (CAO) is a Court Order which sets out the arrangements as to when and with whom a child is to live, spend time or otherwise have contact. These orders replace the previous Contact Orders and Residence Orders.
Guidance on Completing a Closure Record	A closure record should be completed in all cases which extend beyond the 10 day assessment period. This sets out guidance.
Section 7 and Section 37 Reports	This policy applies when a court directs the local authority to produce a report under section 7 or section 37 of the Children Act 1989.

2017 Amendments

December 2017

Caption: December 2017 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Placements with Parents	This chapter has been updated in line with local practice. Minor amendments have been made throughout.

November 2017

Caption: November 2017 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Section 47 Enquiries	In Section 4.2, Concerns of Significant Harm are Substantiated and the Child is Judged to be Suffering, or Likely to Suffer, Significant Harm (first bullet point), additional information has been added in line with local practice.
Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline	Additional information has been added in to Section 2.2, Legal Planning Meetings / Case Review Panel and Section 2.4, Pre-Proceedings Meeting in line with local practice.
Looked After Reviews	Section 15, Dispute Resolution has been updated throughout in line with local practice, and that section should be re-read.

September 2017

Caption: September 2017 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Confidentiality Policy	Minor amendments have been made in line with local practice.
Family and Friends Care	A link has been added to FRG Initial Family and Friends Care.
Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After and Child In Need)	This chapter has been updated in line with the requirement to notify Ofsted of any serious childcare incident using the Ofsted online notification form.
Private Fostering	This chapter has been amended to clarify that children under 16 who spend more than 2 weeks in residence during holiday time in a school, become privately fostered children for the purposes of the legislation during that holiday period.
Eligibility for Free Early Learning	An updated version has been added.
Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities	This chapter has been updated to reflect the outcome of a court judgement on Ordinary Residence that was included in DoH, Care and Support Statutory Guidance (December 2016). (See Section 12, Funding Issues - Ordinary Residence). A link has been added into Section 16, Further Information and Statutory guidance to Guidance on SEND: 19- to 25-year-olds' Entitlement to EHC Plans (DfE 2017).
Short Breaks	A link has been added to Friendship For All (The Children's Society).
Young Carers	This chapter has been updated throughout.
Decision to Look After and Care Planning	This chapter has been amended to reflect the outcome of an Appeal Court hearing (2017) with respect to 'consent'. The court recognised that the term 'consent' itself was not used in Section 20. However, it described previous court observations as 'good practice guidance', emphasising that its judgment should not alter the content or effect of these. (See Section 1.3.1, Obtaining Parental Consent).
Placements with Connected Persons	Section 3, Approval of Immediate Placements of Looked After Children Connected Persons, has been updated to include, in matters that should be considered when placing a child with a Connected Person, an initial risk assessment of any pets, together with the environment in which the pet is kept. A has been added to FRG Initial Family and Friends Care.
Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare Grounds	This chapter has been updated throughout.
Placements with Parents	Section 1.2, Assessment and Checks Before Placement, has been updated. Consideration should be given as to whether the home environment is safe for the child including where relevant, the need for a risk assessment of any pets and the environment in which they are kept.
Advocacy and Independent Visitors	This chapter has been updated to add a link to the Children's Society 'Advocacy Services for Children and Young People – A Guide for Commissioners'. This guide outlines the legislative requirements of local authorities in the provision of advocacy support to children in need and looked after children.
Appointment and Role of Independent Reviewing Officers	This chapter has been updated in relation to the role of the Independent Reviewing Officer in line with the Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review. In particular, the IRO being sensitive to the close and active involvement of parents of a child looked after in a series of Short Breaks and problem-solving where there might be difficulties or issues.
Contact with Parents and Siblings	Information has been added in to Section 3, Supervised Contact that: Swimming is an activity which is deemed to be unsuitable for any supervised or observational contact session.
Social Visits (Including Overnight Stays)	This chapter has been updated throughout.
Health Care Assessments and Plans	A link has been added to Children's Attachment: Attachment in Children and Young People who are Adopted from Care, in Care or at High Risk of Going into Care - NICE Guidelines (NG26).
Fostering Panel	This chapter has been updated. Amendments have been made in line with local practice in Section 1, Purpose and Function, and Section 3, Meeting.
Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers	A minor amendment has been made in Section 13.1, Foster Carer's Partners, in line with local practice.
Exemptions and Extensions/Variations to Foster Carer Approval	This chapter has been amended in line with local practice. Amendments have been made in Section 5, Extension/Variation to the Foster Carer's Terms of Approval, and that section should be re-read.
Supervision and Support of Foster Carers	Section 5, Support Provided by the Supervising Social Worker has been updated. Additional information has been added in relation to the Safer Caring Plan and any health and safety issues including the addition of any new pets and the environment in which they are kept.
Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers	This chapter has been updated. Minor amendments have been made in line with local practice.
Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters	Section 5.3, Assessment has been updated to provide that where the applicants have pets, a risk assessment should be conducted and any associated risks should be taken into account with regard to the pet itself and where the pet is kept. Where necessary, an independent assessment should be undertaken by a vet to establish whether the dog falls within the scope of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
Placement for Adoption	A link has been added to Contact After Adoption.
Inter Country Adoption	This chapter has been updated to take account of DfE 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. In Section 12, After Approval information has been added on the Intercountry Adoption Forms: Checklist for Adoption which details the paperwork adoption agencies must include in the intercountry adoption applications they submit to DfE.
Applications for Special Guardianship Orders	This chapter has been updated throughout.

February 2017

Caption: February 2017 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Confidentiality Policy	This chapter has been amended. Updated links have been added to local guidance.
Consultation Policy	This chapter has been updated. Minor amendments have been made in line with local practice.
Family and Friends Care	This chapter has been updated. Additional information has been added in to Section 2, Values and Principles, in relation to the Intensive Family Support Team.
Assessments	This chapter has been updated to reflect the outcome of a judgement following an application to remove a child at birth. The judge highlighted 'good practice steps' to undertaking assessments and issuing care proceedings in respect to the removal of a child at birth. A new Section 11.1, Pre-birth 'Good Practice Steps' has been added.
Section 47 Enquiries	In Section 3, Conducting Section 47 Enquiries, a link has been added to a leaflet explaining what we do when we have child protection concerns, which should be provided to all parents/carers at the start of the enquiry - see Information for parents and carers where there are child protection concerns (also known as Section 47 Investigations) in the Documents Library.
Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation	In Section 4, Referring Cases of Concern, contact details have been updated (Children's Social Care screening team).
Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline	This chapter has been updated to reflect the outcome of a judgment following an application to remove a child at birth. The judge highlighted what were thought to be 'good practice steps' to issuing care proceedings in respect of the removal of a child at birth (see Section 4, Pre-birth Planning and Proceedings). Added in to Section 2.2, Legal Planning Meetings / Case Review Panel, 'In an emergency the decision can be taken by 2 Service Managers'.
Case Review Panel and Legal Planning Meetings	This chapter has been updated to reflect the outcome of a judgment following an application to remove a child at birth. The judge set out what were thought to be 'basic and good practice steps' (see Section 2, Considerations).
Whistleblowing Policy	An updated version has been added to the manual.
Case Records and Retention	A note has been added that, in accordance with the Guidance Note: Retention Instructions and Data Protection Requirements issued by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (09.07.15), NO RECORDS are to be destroyed and ALL records must be retained, for the duration of that Inquiry.
Decision to Look After and Care Planning	A link has been added to the flowchart Accommodating a Child Guidance for Health and Business Support in the Document Library.
Placements in Secure Accommodation	This chapter has been amended to acknowledge the President of the High Court's judgement regarding applications in English courts for Secure Accommodation placements in Scotland (see Section 4.1, Placement Request, Identification and Approval).
Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children	This chapter has been updated. Added in to in Section 1, Normal Frequency, 'Where a child is in a designated long-term foster placement, visits after the first year may take place at intervals of not more than six months where the child, being of sufficient age and understanding, has agreed to be visited at this minimum frequency and this has been agreed by the Looked After Review and by the Executive Director of Children, Young People and Families'.
Looked After Reviews	This chapter has been updated. In Section 7, Supporters and Interpreters, a link has been added to Law Society guidance in relation to the attendance of legal representatives.
Education of Looked After Children	The link to Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions (2015): Statutory Guidance for Governing Bodies of Maintained Schools and Proprietors of Academies in England (DfE) has been updated.
Staying Put	This chapter has been updated. Additional information has been added in to the following sections: Section 2, Planning (Expectations about drinking alcohol and smoking); Section 3, Legal Status and Safeguarding (In addition, the carer may also become, and be deemed, the young person's landlord/landlady); and Section 5, Financial Implications.
Supervision and Support of Foster Carers	Added in to Section 3, Frequency of Supervision: Additional visits may be made for the purposes of support (to the foster carer or any member of the foster family) with telephone contact at least every four weeks, unless otherwise agreed with the foster carer and line manager.
Allegations Against Foster Carers	This chapter has been updated. Minor amendments have been made in Section 2, Introduction, Section 3.3, Investigation and Action and Section 3.4, Concluding the Investigation, in line with local practice, and those sections should be re-read.
Relinquished Children	This chapter deals with the first stages of the adoption process for relinquished children, whilst signposting other key processes that should be progressed and which are expected for any child who is Accommodated or where the plan is for adoption. It also summarises the counselling and support that will be made available to the birth family in these circumstances.
List of Agency Decision Makers, Designated Managers and Nominated Officers	Updated: Agency Decision Maker (Fostering); Agency Decision Maker (Adoption).
New Chapters and Features
Chapters	Details
Practice Guidance: Supporting Young People with HIV Testing and Prevention	A link has been added to this guidance. This practice guidance is for professionals who do not provide HIV testing, treatment or advice as part of their day-to-day work. It is primarily intended for those working outside health settings, such as social workers or voluntary sector practitioners.
Removed Chapters
Staying Put Policy.

2016 Amendments

October 2016

Caption: October 2016 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Family and Friends Care	The 'Financial Assistance to Children Placed on Alternative Court Orders – SGOs; CAOs; Family and Friends Carers and Former Foster Carers Policy' has been updated.

September 2016

Caption: September 2016 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Consultation Policy	Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice.
Family and Friends Care	This chapter has been updated in line with local practice. References to Family Group Conferences have been removed.
Assessments	In Section 2, The Purpose of Assessment, information has been added in relation to the Modern Slavery Act 2015. In Section 3, Process of Assessments, information has been added in relation to domestic or sexual abuse, including links to the Young People's Domestic Abuse Traffic Light Tool and the Domestic Abuse section of the Sheffield Safeguarding Children Procedures.
Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline	Added in to Section 4.1, Local Authority Documentation.
Case Review Panel and Legal Planning Meetings	Additional information has been added in to Section 1, Purpose of Legal Planning Meetings in relation to children Accommodated under Section 20 Children Act 1989.
Complaints and Representations	A link has been added to the intranet page giving details of how to complain.
Recording Policy and Guidelines	Amendments have been made throughout this chapter in line with local practice, and the chapter should be re-read.
Access to Records	This chapter has been given a general refresh throughout, and should be re-read. A link has been added to the Information Commissioners Office – Guide to Data Protection.
Extract from Free Early Learning Code of Practice 2014 - Section 2, Eligibility for Free Early Learning	An updated version has been added.
Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities	Links to government guidance documents have been added/updated.
Direct Payments	A new Section 7, Hospital Stays has been added.
Short Breaks	This chapter has been fully updated in line with the Children and Families Act 2014, DfE, Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0-25 years Statutory Guidance for Organisations who work with Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (2015) and DfE, The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review.
Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children	In Section 3, Assessment, information has been added in relation to the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Families with No Recourse to Public Funds	In Section 2, Role of the Local Authority information has been added in relation to the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Decision to Look After and Care Planning	Information has been added in relation to Accommodation of children under Section 20 Children Act 1989, and a link has been added to the ADCS/Cafcass Practice Guidance for the Use of Section 20.
Placements in Residential Care	This chapter has been refreshed throughout, and should be re-read.
Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention Accommodation	This chapter has been updated throughout.
Placements with Connected Persons	This chapter has been given a general refresh.
Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers	A link has been added to the Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice. An updated link has been added to the Fostering Network's tool-kit for supporting good practice around delegation of authority to foster carers.
Ceasing to Look After a Child	Additional information has been added in to Section 2.3, Circumstances Around Ceasing to Look After a Child, in relation to children Accommodated under Section 20 Children Act 1989.
Advocacy and Independent Visitors	This chapter has been given a general refresh.
Looked After Reviews	Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice. A link has been added to Translation & Interpretation Guidance held under Miscellaneous in the Documents Library.
Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews	Minor amendments have been made in line with local practice, in Section 3, Chairing of Secure Accommodation Reviews and Section 4, Secure Accommodation Review Panel (independent person).
Contact with Parents and Siblings	This chapter has been given a general refresh. Additional information has been added throughout, and the chapter should be re-read.
Education of Looked After Children	Links to government guidance documents have been added/updated.
Staying Put	A minor amendment has been made in Section 5, Financial Implications, to reflect the fact that CoramBAAF do not provide public liability insurance.
Staying Put Policy	A minor amendment has been made in Section 5, Financial Implications, to reflect the fact that CoramBAAF do not provide public liability insurance.
Youth Justice Board National Standards and Case Management Guidelines	The link has been updated.
Looked After Children and Young People in Contact with Youth Justice Services	This chapter has been updated throughout and amended to reflect changes to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) which defines, 'arrested juvenile' for the purpose of Part 4 of the Act (detention). The effect of the change is that 17 year olds are included in the definition of 'arrested juvenile'.
Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in Custody	This chapter has been refreshed throughout, and amended to reflect changes to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) which defines 'arrested juvenile' for the purpose of Part 4 of that Act (detention). The effect of the change is that 17 year olds are included in the definition of 'arrested juvenile'.
Supervision and Support of Foster Carers	Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice.
Placement for Adoption	Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice.
Adoption Support	A link has been added to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund.
Adoption Reviews	A minor amendment has been made in line with local practice in Section 5, The Conduct of Adoption Reviews, in relation to situations where a child has been approved for adoption but not placed within 6 months,
Inter Country Adoption	Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice.
Adoption Case Records	Minor amendments have been made in line with local practice, in Section 2.2, Applicants to Adopt and Section 3, Security and Retention of Records.
Access to Birth Records and Adoption Case Records	Amendments have been made throughout this chapter in line with local practice, and the chapter should be re-read.
Applications for Special Guardianship Orders	A link has been added to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund. Additional information has been added in to, Section 9, Special Guardianship Support, in relation to financial support, and access to therapeutic support. Section 13, Review of Special Guardianship Support Plans, in relation to the circumstances in which plans must be reviewed. Section 14, Financial Support, in relation to access to therapeutic support.
Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective Adopters	In Section 4.2, Considering Adoption for a Child, a link has been added to the Documents Library which contains additional local documentation.
New Chapters and Features
Chapters	Details
Person Posing a Risk to Children (PPR) Guidance	Where a person who may pose an ongoing risk to a child due to having an offence against a child is identified this should lead to an assessment of that individual. This chapter gives guidance and includes links to the Sheffield Safeguarding Children Procedures.
Electronic Recording of Meetings and Conversations	This chapter deals with recording of meetings/conversations by individual service-users, in their capacity as private individuals.
Pre Birth Planning for Care Leavers and Looked After Young People	This protocol applies to all workers that are working with looked after and care leaver young women who are pregnant. It also relates to prospective fathers who are looked after or a care leaver.
Sexual Health Policy	Policy and Procedures Concerning Relationships and Sexual Health in Respect of Looked After Children and Young People. This policy aims to provide guidance for staff around personal relationships and sexual health for children and young people who are looked after by the Local Authority. It sets out the legal position regarding sex and relationship education and sexual activity, and includes best practice in relation to supporting children and young people's personal and sexual health and development.

March 2016

Caption: March 2016 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Children's Services Policies, Values and Principles	Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice.
Confidentiality Policy	An updated intranet link has been added to local working from home guidance.
Consultation Policy	This chapter has been updated in line with local practice.
Family and Friends Care	This chapter has been updated in line with local practice.
Initial Contacts and Referrals	This chapter has been updated throughout in line with local practice, and should be re-read.
Section 47 Enquiries	The chapter has been refreshed throughout, and should be re-read.
Applications for Emergency Protection Orders	In Section 3, Preparation of the Application, additional information has been added in relation to the involvement of Legal Services.
Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline	Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice, including references to the Case Review Panel, and the chapter should be re-read.
Case Review Panel and Legal Planning Meetings	The chapter has been updated throughout to include reference to the Case Review Panel, and the chapter should be re-read.
Recording Policy and Guidelines	Additional information has been added in to Section 9, Records Must be Legible, Signed and Dated.
Private Fostering	Amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice, and the chapter should be re-read.
Families with No Recourse to Public Funds	Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice, and the chapter should be re-read.
Decision to Look After and Care Planning	Minor amendments have been made in line with local practice/terminology.
Local Authority's Sufficiency Duty - Accommodation for Looked After Children	The following information has been added in to Section 2, The Most Appropriate Placement: 'Plans are available on the Corporate Parenting section of the council's Internet pages'.
Placements in Foster Care	Minor amendments have been made in line with local practice, in relation to systems recording.
Placements with Connected Persons	Section 3, Approval of Immediate Placements of Looked After Children with Connected Persons has been amended in line with local practice, and that section should be re-read.
Placements in Secure Accommodation	Section 3, Placements of Children under the age of 13, has been updated in line with DfE guidance Secure Children's Homes: How to Place a Child Aged under 13.
Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children	In Section 1, Normal Frequency, minor amendments have been made in line with local practice and that section should be re-read.
Advocacy and Independent Visitors	Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice and the chapter should be re-read.
Looked After Reviews	Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice and the chapter should be re-read.
Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews	Minor amendments have been made throughout.
Personal Care and Relationships	Additional information has been added in to Section 2, Intimate Care.
Restrictive Physical Intervention	This chapter has been given a general refresh, and should be re-read.
Fostering Panel	The following information has been added in to: Section 2, Membership - in relation to the Agency Panel Adviser; Section 3, Meetings - 'The Agency Decision maker will make a decision within seven working days of receipt of the final set of panel minutes'.
Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers	In Section 4.2, References, an amendment has been made to the number of referees.
Supervision and Support of Foster Carers	Minor amendments have been made throughout in line with local practice, and the chapter should be re-read.
Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers	This chapter has been updated throughout in line with local practice, and should be re-read.
Allegations Against Foster Carers	Minor amendments have been made in Section 3.1, Initial Action and Section 3.3, Investigation and Action in line with local practice, and those sections should be re-read.
Assessment and Approvals of Prospective Adopters	This chapter has been given a general refresh and minor amendments have been made throughout.
Adoption Panel	This chapter has been updated throughout in line with local practice, and should be re-read.
Placement for Adoption	This chapter has been updated throughout in line with local practice, and should be re-read.
Adoption Support	Additional information has been added in to Section 6, Which Local Authority Should Provide Support?
Monitoring and Supervision of Adoptive Placements	The following information has been added: The visits up to the first review may be shared with the adoption social worker; Visits made by the adoption social worker to the adopters must be recorded on the adopters case record.
Adoption Case Records	A minor amendment has been made in Section 2.2, Applicants to Adopt.
Access to Birth Records and Adoption Case Records	Minor amendments have been made throughout this chapter in line with local practice.
Applications for Special Guardianship Orders	The following information has been added in: Section 12, The Special Guardianship Support Plan - 'In Sheffield, the named person to monitor the provision of services in accordance with the Plan is the Team Manager, Families, Adopters and Carers Team'; Section 13, Review of Special Guardianship Support Plans - 'The Special Guardianship Carer can approach the Families, Adopters and Carers Team at any point to request a review of their support needs. Telephone: 0114 273 4998.'; Section 5, Planning Meeting, has been revised and updated to reflect the enhanced assessment and reporting requirements (for all applications made from 29 February 2016) as set out in the Special Guardianship (Amendment) Regulations 2016.
Court Reports in Adoption/Special Guardianship Guidance	Section 3, Special Guardianship – Matters to be Dealt with in Report to Court, has been revised and updated to reflect the enhanced assessment and reporting requirements (for all applications made from 29 February 2016) as set out in the Special Guardianship (Amendment) Regulations 2016. This chapter has been updated throughout in line with local practice, and should be re-read.
List of Agency Decision Makers, Designated Managers and Nominated Officers	The details for the Designated Manager - Decision Not to Look After (Ceasing to Look After) have been added.
New Chapters and Features
Chapter Name	Details
Ceasing to Look After a Child	This chapter reflects the statutory guidance 'Ceasing to look after a child' in 'Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations' as amended by the 'Care Planning and Fostering (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations' together with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015.

2015 Amendments

October 2015

Caption: October 2015 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
List of Agency Decision Makers, Designated Managers and Nominated Officers	Contact details have been updated.

September 2015

Caption: September 2015 amendments

Updated Chapters
Chapter Name	Details
Confidentiality Policy	Links to national guidance have been updated; updated intranet links have been added to local policies.
Sheffield Social Care Assessment Policy and Guidance	An updated version has been added.
Case Records and Retention	Legislative references have been updated.
Access to Records	This chapter has been updated. Section 4, Handling Formal Requests for Access - If the service user is requesting information from Children and Families it is sent to the Children's Access & Transactions Team (previously Central HUB Team).
Child in Need Plans and Reviews	Amendments have been made throughout this chapter, and the chapter should be re-read. In Section 3, Reviews of Child in Need Plans - Reviews will be conducted at intervals agreed with the Lead Professional's line manager, which will be at least every eight weeks (previously three months).
Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities	This chapter has been updated throughout in line with the Care Act 2014.
Short Breaks	In Section 7, Short Break Settings, revised links have been added to new Quality Standards for Children's Homes and Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children	Information has been added in relation to Age Assessment Information Sharing for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children.
Decision to Look After and Care Planning	Minor amendments have been made throughout this chapter in line with local practice.
Local Authority's Sufficiency Duty - Accommodation for Looked After Children	The following information has been added in: Section 1, What is the Sufficiency Duty? - The sufficiency duty, therefore, applies in respect of all children who are Looked After including accommodation for Care Leavers; Section 3, How can 'Reasonably Practicable' be Assessed? - An annual Sufficiency Report will be published, collating all the sufficiency assessments undertaken and this will be reported to the Corporate Parenting Board through the Corporate Parenting Strategy Group.
Permanence Planning Guidance	This chapter has been updated to reflect the 2015 Statutory guidance The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review.
Placement Planning and Disruption Meetings	This chapter has been updated. Added in to Section 2, Disruption Meetings: A disruption meeting will always be held where a permanent in-house fostering placement disrupts. This will be chaired by the Service Manager – Independent Reviewing Service.
Placements in Foster Care	This chapter has been updated to reflect the 2015 Statutory guidance The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review. A new Section 9, Long-Term Foster Placements has been added.
Placements in Residential Care	Minor amendments have been made throughout this chapter in line with local practice.
Out of Area Placements	A link has been added to additional local information in the Documents Library.
Placements with Connected Persons	Minor amendments have been made throughout this chapter in line with local practice.
Placements with Parents	In Section 1.6, Social Work Visits During the Placement, the timescale has been amended; in Section 3, Notifications of Placement, information has been added in relation to the Change in Circumstances form.
Social Worker Visits to Looked After Children	This chapter has been updated to reflect the Statutory guidance The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review. Additional information has been added in to Section 1, Normal Frequency.
Looked After Reviews	This chapter has been updated to reflect the Statutory guidance The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review. A new Section 10, Looked After Reviews Concerning Children in Long Term Foster Placements has been added. Minor amendments have also been made throughout the chapter, and it should be re-read.
Appointment and Role of Independent Reviewing Officers	A link has been added to the local Dispute Notification and Resolution Guidance and Flowchart in the Documents Library.
Secure Accommodation (Criteria) Reviews	This chapter has been updated. Section 4, Secure Accommodation Review Panel, has been updated.
Education of Looked After Children	Added in to Section 2, The Personal Education Plan (PEP): In Sheffield the PEP is to be completed on the 'Welfare Call' system and upon completion be uploaded on to Wisdom (CareFirst) by the Social Worker's Business Support team.
Health Care Assessments and Plans	This chapter has been updated in line with updated Statutory Guidance on Promoting the Health and Well-being of Looked After Children. (March 2015). The chapter has been updated throughout and should be re-read.
Restrictive Physical Intervention	In Section 5, Locking or Bolting of Doors, information has been added in relation to Deprivation of Liberty.
New Chapters and Features
Chapter Name	Details
Young Carers	This chapter sets out the requirements under the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Young Carers (Needs Assessments) Regulations 2015.