Amendments

In December 2025, this chapter was updated with information from the Youth Justice Charter - Know Your Rights in the Youth Justice System. The Youth Justice Charter sets out what children can expect at each stage of the youth justice system - helping them understand who does what, what their rights are, and what to do if the standards are not met.

In December 2025, information was added in Section 6.5, Moving and Handling and Postural Care on the importance for some children of good postural care to reduce their health risks and improve their quality of life.

This chapter was updated in December 2025 to include information for the Restraint and restrictive practices: positive environments for children - Ofsted: social care.

Section 3, Home Remedies was amended in December 2025 to include the increasing advisory role pharmacists play regarding over-the-counter medication.

In June 2025, this chapter was revised and a link added to Guidance: Being an Appropriate Adult - guidance for those who perform the role of ‘appropriate adult’ and for the person benefiting from the appropriate adult's support.

In June 2025, information about Pre-application advice on caring for children with complex needs (Ofsted) was added in Section 6.1, Who the Children’s Home Needs to be Registered With.

In June 2025, a new Section 3, Child Financial Exploitation was added.

This chapter was updated in June 2025 to reflect Granting Leaves of Absence in Working Together to Improve School Attendance statutory guidance, which states that generally, the Department for Education does not consider a need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation to be an exceptional circumstance for leave of absence.