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1.All Children

1.1Policy, Values and Principles

  1. 1.1.1Brighter Futures for Children Policies, Values and PrinciplesOctober 15, 2024
  2. 1.1.2Children's Consultation and ParticipationOctober 15, 2024
  3. 1.1.3Equality and DiversitySeptember 23, 2024

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

  1. 1.2.1Early Help Framework September 23, 2024
  2. 1.2.2Threshold CriteriaSeptember 23, 2024
  3. 1.2.3Family Information ServicesSeptember 23, 2024
  4. 1.2.4Capacity and ConsentJanuary 30, 2025

1.3Children's Social Care - Assessment and Planning

  1. 1.3.1Contacts and ReferralsSeptember 23, 2024
  2. 1.3.2AssessmentsJune 30, 2025
  3. 1.3.3Child Protection Enquiries (Section 47)October 15, 2024
  4. 1.3.4Disclosure of Information between Family and Criminal Agencies and Jurisdictions: 2024 Protocol
  5. 1.3.5Pan Berkshire Child Protection Procedures

1.4Child in Need

  1. 1.4.1Child in Need Plans and ReviewsOctober 15, 2024
  2. 1.4.2Aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983January 30, 2025
  3. 1.4.3Family Networks and Family Group Decision MakingMarch 18, 2024

1.5Complaints and Whistleblowing

  1. 1.5.1Complaints and RepresentationsSeptember 23, 2024
  2. 1.5.2WhistleblowingSeptember 23, 2024

1.6Notifications

  1. 1.6.1Death or Serious Injury to a Child (Looked After, Child in Need or Care Leaver Up to and Including the Age of 24)September 23, 2024

2.Children with Specific Needs

2.1Children with Disabilities

  1. 2.1.1Children and Young People Aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and DisabilitiesJanuary 30, 2025
  2. 2.1.2Personal Budgets and Direct PaymentsJanuary 30, 2025
  3. 2.1.3Short BreaksOctober 15, 2024
  4. 2.1.4Placing and Visiting Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or Health Conditions in Long-Term Residential SettingsJanuary 30, 2025
  5. 2.1.5Children and Young People’s Continuing Care National FrameworkJanuary 30, 2025

2.2Deprivation of Liberty and Mental Capacity

  1. 2.2.1Deprivation of Liberty
  2. 2.2.2Mental Capacity

2.3Children from Abroad

  1. 2.3.1Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Child Victims of Trafficking and Modern SlaveryJanuary 30, 2025
  2. 2.3.2Families with No Recourse to Public FundsJune 30, 2025

2.4Homelessness

  1. 2.4.1Prevention of Homelessness and Provision of Accommodation for 16 and 17 Year Olds who may be Homeless and/or Require Accommodation; and Duty to ReferOctober 15, 2024

2.5Family and Friends Care

  1. 2.5.1Kinship CareJanuary 30, 2025
  2. 2.5.2Private FosteringSeptember 23, 2024

2.6Young Carers

  1. 2.6.1Young CarersJanuary 30, 2025

2.7Relinquished Children

  1. 2.7.1Relinquished ChildrenSeptember 23, 2024

3.Court Proceedings and Legal Planning

  1. 3.0.1Applications for Emergency Protection OrdersSeptember 23, 2024
  2. 3.0.2Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law OutlineJune 23, 2022
  3. 3.0.3Legal Gateway/Planning MeetingsOctober 15, 2024
  4. 3.0.4Disclosure of Information between Family and Criminal Agencies and Jurisdictions: 2024 Protocol
  5. 3.0.5Cross-border child protection cases: the 1996 Hague Convention (DfE)
  6. 3.0.6Family Justice Resource Hub (ADCS)

4.Children Looked After

4.1Decision to Look After and Care Planning

  1. 4.1.1Local Authority's Sufficiency Duty - Accommodation for Looked After ChildrenJune 30, 2025
  2. 4.1.2Decision to Look AfterJanuary 30, 2025
  3. 4.1.3Care PlanningSeptember 23, 2024
  4. 4.1.4Ceasing to Look After a ChildSeptember 19, 2023
  5. 4.1.5Permanence Planning GuidanceOctober 15, 2024
  6. 4.1.6Placement Planning and Disruption MeetingsSeptember 23, 2024
  7. 4.1.7Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Claims for Looked After ChildrenFebruary 7, 2022
  8. 4.1.8Risk Assessment and PlanningMarch 23, 2022
  9. 4.1.9Providing Personalised CareMarch 23, 2022
  10. 4.1.10NICE Guideline: Looked After Children and Young People

4.2Placements

  1. 4.2.1Placements with ParentsOctober 15, 2024
  2. 4.2.2Placements with Connected PersonsJanuary 30, 2025
  3. 4.2.3Placements in Foster CareOctober 15, 2024
  4. 4.2.4Placements in Residential CareSeptember 19, 2023
  5. 4.2.5Placements in Secure Accommodation on Welfare GroundsSeptember 19, 2023
  6. 4.2.6Out of Area PlacementsOctober 15, 2024
  7. 4.2.7Placements Outside England and WalesOctober 15, 2024
  8. 4.2.8Placements in Other ArrangementsSeptember 19, 2023
  9. 4.2.9Health and SafetyJune 30, 2025
  10. 4.2.10Remands to Local Authority Accommodation or to Youth Detention AccommodationOctober 15, 2024
  11. 4.2.11Notifications from Other Local Authorities/Placement ProvidersSeptember 23, 2024
  12. 4.2.12Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential WorkersSeptember 23, 2024

4.3Monitoring and Reviews

  1. 4.3.1Social Worker Visits to Children Looked AfterOctober 13, 2024
  2. 4.3.2Advocacy and Independent VisitorsOctober 15, 2024
  3. 4.3.3Looked After ReviewsJanuary 30, 2025
  4. 4.3.4Appointment and Role of Independent Reviewing OfficersOctober 15, 2024
  5. 4.3.5Secure Accommodation (Criteria) ReviewsOctober 15, 2024
  6. 4.3.6Notifications of Significant EventsAugust 19, 2024

4.4Contact and Overnight Stays

  1. 4.4.1Family Time with Parents/Adults and SiblingsJune 30, 2025
  2. 4.4.2Social Visits (Including Overnight Stays)October 15, 2024

4.5Education, School Trips and Holidays

  1. 4.5.1Virtual SchoolSeptember 23, 2024
  2. 4.5.2Supporting the Education and Promoting the Achievement of Children with a Social Worker, Children Looked After and Children Previously Looked AfterJanuary 30, 2025
  3. 4.5.3Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UKOctober 15, 2024
  4. 4.5.4Leisure ActivitiesJune 30, 2025

4.6Health and Wellbeing

  1. 4.6.1Health Care Assessments and PlansMay 1, 2024
  2. 4.6.2Personal Care and RelationshipsSeptember 23, 2024
  3. 4.6.3Positive Relationships and Behaviour ManagementMarch 17, 2023
  4. 4.6.4Restrictive Physical Intervention and RestraintOctober 15, 2024

4.7Change of Name and Marriage/Civil Partnership

  1. 4.7.1Change of Name of a Looked After ChildFebruary 7, 2024
  2. 4.7.2Marriage/Civil Partnership of a Looked After ChildNovember 28, 2023

4.8Leaving Care and Transition

  1. 4.8.1Leaving Care and TransitionJune 30, 2025
  2. 4.8.2Staying PutOctober 15, 2024

4.9Youth Offending

  1. 4.9.1BFfC Youth Justice Service (YJS)September 23, 2024
  2. 4.9.2Children and Young People Looked After in Contact with Youth Justice ServicesOctober 15, 2024
  3. 4.9.3Responsibilities of the Local Authority to Former Looked After Children and Young People in CustodyOctober 14, 2024
  4. 4.9.4Children Involved in the Youth Justice System: Additional National GuidanceDecember 5, 2022

5.Fostering and Adoption

  1. 5.0.1 Foster Carers Handbook
  2. 5.0.2Fostering Website

5.1Fostering Services

  1. 5.1.1Fostering PanelJuly 26, 2022
  2. 5.1.2Persons Disqualified from FosteringJuly 26, 2022
  3. 5.1.3Assessment and Approvals of Foster CarersJanuary 30, 2025
  4. 5.1.4Exemptions and Extensions/Variations to Foster Carer ApprovalSeptember 23, 2024
  5. 5.1.5Supervision and Support of Foster CarersOctober 15, 2024
  6. 5.1.6Review and Termination of Approval of Foster CarersJuly 26, 2022
  7. 5.1.7Training and Development of Foster CarersJanuary 30, 2025

5.2Adoption and Permanence Services

  1. 5.2.1Placement for AdoptionJanuary 30, 2025
  2. 5.2.2Adoption SupportOctober 15, 2024
  3. 5.2.3Monitoring and Supervision of Adoptive PlacementsSeptember 23, 2024
  4. 5.2.4Adoption ReviewsOctober 15, 2024
  5. 5.2.5Disruption of Adoptive PlacementsSeptember 23, 2024
  6. 5.2.6Allegations Against Prospective Adopters and in Relation to Children Placed for Adoption or Already AdoptedJanuary 30, 2025
  7. 5.2.7Inter Country AdoptionMay 21, 2024
  8. 5.2.8Non Agency AdoptionMay 21, 2024
  9. 5.2.9Adoption Case RecordsSeptember 23, 2024
  10. 5.2.10Access to Birth Records and Adoption Case RecordsSeptember 23, 2024
  11. 5.2.11Intermediary ServicesJuly 26, 2022
  12. 5.2.12Life Story Books GuidanceMay 21, 2024
  13. 5.2.13Later Life LettersMay 21, 2024
  14. 5.2.14Early Permanence: Fostering for Adoption, Concurrent Planning and Temporary Approval as Foster Carers of Approved Prospective AdoptersSeptember 23, 2024
  15. 5.2.15Adopt Thames Valley

5.3Special Guardianship

  1. 5.3.1Applications for Special Guardianship OrdersJanuary 30, 2025
  2. 5.3.2Court Reports in Placement Order Applications and Adoption/Special Guardianship GuidanceSeptember 23, 2024

6.Case Management and Recording

  1. 6.0.1Recording Policy and GuidelinesSeptember 19, 2023
  2. 6.0.2Case Records and RetentionSeptember 23, 2024
  3. 6.0.3Access to Records/Subject Access RequestsJanuary 30, 2025
  4. 6.0.4Confidentiality PolicyMay 21, 2024
  5. 6.0.5Electronic Recording of Meetings and ConversationsJanuary 30, 2025
  6. 6.0.6Use of Social Media Sites by Social Care and Safeguarding StaffMarch 28, 2024
  7. 6.0.7Storage of Data on Mobile DevicesJanuary 30, 2025

7.Contacts, List of Agency Decision Makers and Appendices

  1. 7.0.1Local ContactsSeptember 23, 2024
  2. 7.0.2Ofsted Inspection FrameworkJanuary 30, 2025
  3. 7.0.3Berkshire Safeguarding Adults - Policies & Procedures
  4. 7.0.4Working Together to Safeguard Children
  5. 7.0.5Amendments

Last Updated: January 30, 2025

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