Amendments & Archives

• Recognising Abuse and Neglect - this chapter replaced one previously entitled 'Responding to Abuse and Neglect'. It contains additional information about domestic abuse, technology -assisted abuse and child on child sexual abuse and harassment.
• Child Protection Enquiries - Section 47 Children Act 1989 - This chapter has been updated when the timescale between the Strategy Meeting/Discussion and a subsequent Initial Child Protection Conference was confirmed as: within 15 days.
• Organised and Complex Abuse - links have been added into a new Further Information section.
• Roles and Responsibilities - information has been added in relation to Serious Violence Reduction Orders.
• Bullying - links to additional information have been updated and expanded to include different forms of bullying.
• Disabilities - this chapter has been updated in line with the UK Social Work Practice in Safeguarding Disabled Children and Young People report.
• Domestic Abuse - the definition of domestic abuse has been updated to the current statutory definition. Further information has been added about coercive control.
• Extremist Ideology - the links in Further Information have been revised and updated.
• Safeguarding Trafficked and Exploited Children - links have been added into Further Information to the statutory guidance modern slavery: how to identify and support victims. This guidance replaces previous Home Office guidance.

• Sexual Abuse - This chapter has been added to the manual.

• Responding to Abuse and Neglect - a link to the Prevent National Referral form has been added.
• Referral and Assessment - additional information has been added regarding pre-birth referral and assessment and a link to the Prevent National Referral form has been added.
• Child Protection Enquiries - Section 47 Children Act 1989 - a link to the Prevent National Referral form has been added.
• Allegations Against Staff or Volunteers (People in Positions of Trust), who Work with Children - this chapter has been amended to clarify decision-making where cases across local authority boundaries.
• Roles and Responsibilities - information on multi-agency Public protection arrangements has been updated to include information on the extension of the duty to cooperate under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts act 2022. In the section on the secure estate the children a link has been added to Matters of Concern, Safeguarding Concerns, Allegations and Complaints for Children in Custody – Youth Custody Service. A new Section 2, Serious Violence Duty has been added.
• Complaints in Relation to Child Protection Conference - additional information on the grounds for challenging the decision of the child protection conference has been added.
• Disabilities - this chapter has been updated to include information from the UK Social Work Practice in Safeguarding Disabled Children and Young People report.
• Extremist Ideology - a link to the Prevent National Referral form has been added.
• Forced Marriage of a 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.
• Gang Activity/Serious Youth Violence - This chapter has been revised, the Further Information section has been updated.
• Missing from Care, Home or Education - a link to the Prevent National Referral form has been added.
• Self Harm and Suicidal Behaviour - This chapter has been updated to include information from Self-harm: Assessment, Management and Preventing Recurrence NICE Guidance.

• Referral and Assessment - This chapter has been revised to include the risk of sudden unexpected deaths in infancy (SUDI) and how professionals should address these risks with parents.
• Child Protection Enquiries - Section 47 Children Act 1989 – This chapter has been updated to clarify the responsibilities in conducting section 47 enquiries where there are cross boundary issues. Information on the risk of sudden unexpected deaths in infancy (SUDI) and how professionals should address these risks with parents has also been included.
• Child Protection Conferences - This chapter has been revised to include the risk of sudden unexpected deaths in infancy (SUDI) and how professionals should address these risks with parents.
• Children and Families Moving Across Local Authority Boundaries - This chapter has been revised to clarify responsibilities where cases involve agencies from more than one borough.
• Allegations Against Staff or Volunteers (People in Positions of Trust), who Work with Children - This chapter has been updated as the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 has extended the definition of Position of Trust within the Sexual Offences Act 2003 section 22A.
• Information Sharing Guidance - a presentation to assist with training staff on information sharing has been added to the further information section.
• Roles and Responsibilities - This chapter has been updated as the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 has extended the definition of Position of Trust within the Sexual Offences Act 2003 section to include anyone who coaches, teaches, trains, supervises or instructs a child under 18, on a regular basis, in a sport or a religion. Links were also added to the HMPP Child Safeguarding Policy.
• Safe Recruitment and Selection, and the Management of Adults who Work with Children - The guidance on additional checks for schools has been amended in accordance with KCSIE 2022 to include the need for an online search as part of their due diligence.
• Sexual Exploitation - This chapter has been updated as the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 has extended the definition of Position of Trust within the Sexual Offences Act 2003 section to include anyone who coaches, teaches, trains, supervises or instructs a child under 18, on a regular basis, in a sport or a religion. Links to the latest version of The London Child Exploitation Operating Protocol 2021 have also been added.
• Sexually Active Children - A link has been added to the Harmful Sexual Behaviour Support Service – an online support service for professionals who are working with children and young people who are displaying harmful sexual behaviours.

• Learning and Improvement Framework - This is a new chapter in the procedures and combines/replaces the “Principles for Learning and Development” and the “Safeguarding Training Competency Framework” chapters.
• Quality Assurance - Information about Unallocated Child Protection Cases has been removed.
• Parents who Misuse Substances - Additional information about statutory guidance was added to Section 4, Importance of Working in Partnership for parents with drug and alcohol problems.
• Spiritual, Cultural and Religious Beliefs - A link to the Child Abuse Linked to Faith or Belief: National Action Plan has been added.

• Safeguarding Partnership Arrangements (Roles and Responsibilities) - This section combines some of the relevant chapters previously included in the General Practice Guidance and Organisational Guidance sections and some additional chapters.
• Practice Guidance - The index has been revised and shorter Chapter titles have been arranged in alphabetical order.
• Risk Management of Known Offenders - This chapter has been moved into the Core Procedures section.

• Information Sharing Guidance - This is a new chapter in the procedures. It sets out the legal bases for sharing information to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
• Child Death Reviews - This resource outlines the framework set out in the Child Death Review: Statutory and Operational Guidance in England and the statutory guidance in Working Together to Safeguard Children.
• Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews - This chapter sets out the responsibilities of the Safeguarding Partners in the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Process including the Rapid Review.
• Complaints in Relation to Child Protection Conference - This chapter has been added to the manual and relates to the rights of parents/carers and children (if of sufficient age and understanding) to complain about the process of Child Protection Conferences or appeal against a Conference decision.

• Referral and Assessment - The Pre-birth referral and assessment section of this chapter has been entirely re-written in the light of the publication of the “Myth of Invisible Men” by the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel; it emphasises the importance of early identification and assessment and the need to ensure that information is obtained about fathers at every stage of anti-natal care.
• Allegations Against Staff or Volunteers (People in Positions of Trust), who Work with Children - A new paragraph 2.8 encourages agencies to ensure that they have a code of conduct in place which clearly includes references to behaviours/relationships between people in a position of trust and those for whom they are responsible that are over the age of 18.
  
  Paragraphs 2.12 and 2.13 underlines the need for “low level” concerns to be discussed with the LADO and for them to be recorded.

• Safe Recruitment and Selection, and the Management of Adults who Work with Children - Changes to paragraphs 1.11 and 1.40 concerning the statutory disclosure guidance for DBS checks.
  
  Paragraphs 1.50 and 1.51 have been updated to include a recommendation that agencies retain copies of DBS certificates, ensure that their staff are registered with the DBS update service and provides the UK GDPR bases for the retention of DBS certificates.
  
  A new paragraph, 2.6 includes reference to the information that fostering and adoption services are required to keep about their staff in addition to that which would be kept for other social workers.

• Responding to Abuse and Neglect - This chapter has been amended with regard to information sharing and extrafamilial abuse.
• Referral and Assessment - This chapter has been amended in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018.
• Child Protection S 47 Enquiries - This chapter has been updated in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 specifically around an extrafamilial abuse.
• Child Protection Conferences - This chapter has been updated in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 specifically around an extrafamilial abuse.
• Implementation of Child Protection Plans - This chapter has been amended.
• Allegations Against Staff or Volunteers (People in Positions of Trust), who Work with Children - This chapter has been revised to also consider low-level concerns, additional criteria have been added and reference to the DBS regional outreach service.

• Roles and responsibilities - The allegations criteria have been updated, also references to SCR's changed to LSCPR (Local Safeguarding Children's Practice Review). The criteria for pre-birth assessments has been updated.
• Resolving Professional Differences - This chapter replaces the one previously entitled Conflict Resolution.
• Safe Recruitment and Selection, and the Management of Adults who Work with Children - This chapter updates and replaces the previous chapter entitled Safe Recruitment. The chapter has been amended to include declarations when applicants apply for jobs, the duty to disclose spent and protected convictions, referrals to the DBS scheme and the retention of DBS certificates.
• Fabricated or Induced Illness/Perplexing Presentations - The definition of fabricated or induced illness has been revised to include Perplexing Presentations.
• Sexual Exploitation - This chapter has been revised to reflect the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.
• Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based forms of abuse - This chapter has been updated.
• Trafficked and Exploited Children - A link has been added to the NSPCC Report Removal Tool. The process for referring a potential victim of modern slavery to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) has also been revised. This section also includes information about Independent Child Trafficking Guardians.
• Gang Activity / Serious Youth Violence - Information has been added about gang injunctions and Knife Crime Prevention Orders.
• Domestic Abuse - This chapter has been revised to reflect the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

• Responding to Concerns of Abuse and Neglect - This chapter has been amended to include the clause that the definition of safeguarding includes mental and physical health or development.
• Referral and Assessment - This chapter has been amended to reflect the language used in Working Together to Safeguard Children which refers to "practitioners" rather than "professionals".
• Unexpected Death of a Child has been removed.

• Safer Recruitment - This chapter has been updated as a result of the U.K.'s exit from the European Union. Information has been added on how employers can now check that an individual has the right to work in the UK during the recruitment process.
• Safeguarding Children affected by Gang Activity / Serious Youth Violence - Further Information links have been updated.

• Responding to Concerns of Abuse and Neglect. A link to GMC Guidance Protecting children and young people: The responsibilities of all doctors has been added to Section 10.

• Responding to Concerns of Abuse and Neglect. A link to the National Referral Mechanism Digital Referral System has been added.
• Child Protection Conferences. References to HCPC have been updated to Social Work England.
• Allegations Against Staff or Volunteers, who work with Children. References to HCPC have been updated to Social Work England.

• Roles and Responsibilities. The link to the Ofsted guidance Inspecting safeguarding in early years, education and skills settings has been updated and a link to Keeping Children Safe in Education 2019 has been added.
• Children Missing from Care, Home and Education. A link to the National Crime Agency has been added to Section 3.4, and a link to Modern Slavery Human Trafficking Centre added to Section 3.10.
• Safeguarding Children from Sexual Exploitation. A link to the National Referral Mechanism Digital Referral System for reporting Modern Slavery has been added.
• Safeguarding Trafficked and Exploited Children. A link to the National Referral Mechanism Digital Referral System for reporting Modern Slavery has been added.
• Safeguarding Children affected by Gang Activity / Serious Youth Violence. The link to further information regarding Gangs and Girls has been updated.
• Bullying. Information about cyberbullying and Upskirting has been added.
• Safeguarding children at risk of abuse through female genital mutilation (FGM). Further information about mandatory reporting has been added.

• The terminology used in Part A has been updated to reflect the replacement of Local Safeguarding Children Boards with Safeguarding Children Partnerships.
• Referral and Assessment - this chapter has been slightly amended to acknowledge the responsibility to consider whether or not checks should be undertaken on social media.
• Child Protection s47 Enquiries - this chapter has a new section on accessing open source information about children and adults for safeguarding purposes which provides guidance on which type of information may be accessed legally for safeguarding purposes.

• Safeguarding Children from Child Sexual Exploitation - revisions have been made to the section concerning strategy meetings for Looked After Children.

• Responding to Concerns of Abuse and Neglect - This chapter has been updated to reflect the updated Keeping Children Safe in Education 2018 (KCSIE), also information about Contextual Safeguarding has been added.
• Referral and Assessment - Clarification regarding the responsibility for undertaking a pre-birth assessment where the mother is homeless or in custody has been added.
• Child Protection s47 Enquiries - This chapter has been updated to reflect 'Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018'.
• Child Protection Conferences - The section on Children with child protection plans who become looked after has been amended to clarify the review arrangements.
• Children and Families moving across Local Authority boundaries - This chapter has been amended to clarify which authority has responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of a child where the child and family move between local authority areas. Also clarification regarding the responsibility for undertaking a pre-birth assessment where the mother is homeless or in custody.
• Allegations against staff or volunteers, who work with children - This chapter has been updated to reflect 'Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018'.

• Roles and Responsibilities - This chapter has been revised to reflect updated guidance for organisations, agencies and individuals to ensure that their functions, and any services that they contract out to others, are carried out with regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children as set out in Chapter 2: Organisations Responsibilities in Working Together to Safeguard Children.
• Serious Case Reviews - This chapter has been updated to reflect the UK General Data Protection Regulations (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018.The criteria for Notifiable incidents has been added and reference made to the transitional arrangements for the shift for LSCB's to Safeguarding Partnerships.
• Children Visiting Prisons - This chapter has been reviewed and updated to reflect the latest Prison Service publications covering the provision of visits, including visits to prisoners who are identified as posing a risk to children.
• Honour based violence - The definition of Honour Based Violence has been amended to clarify that the term does not refer solely to murder, but has a wider definition to include crimes of violence which has, or may have been committed to protect or defend the honour of the family and/or community.

• Self-harming and Suicidal Behaviour - the links to additional guidance and information have been updated.
• Safeguarding Children Affected by Domestic Abuse - this chapter was previously titled "Safeguarding children affected by domestic abuse and violence" and has been re-named. References to domestic violence have been amended throughout the manual to reflect this (except where "violence" is integral to the meaning of a phrase such as "independent domestic violence advisors (IDVA).

• Child Protection Conferences - the text at 4.1.21/4.1.22 has been amended to clarify the timing of Review Conferences.

• Safeguarding Training Competency Framework - this chapter is designed to assist all employers, voluntary organisations and Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs)/multi-agency safeguarding partnerships, to meet the minimum requirements for the provision of multi-agency safeguarding children training.
• Safeguarding children at risk of abuse through female genital mutilation (FGM) - links to current DoHSC have been added to the guidance section. This now links directly to 'Safeguarding women and girls at risk of FGM', which includes the guidance for professionals plus additional resources including a safeguarding pathway and risk assessment tools.
• Parenting Capacity and Learning Disabilities - the linked information on Good practice guidance on working with parents with a learning disability has been updated.

• Child Protection Conferences - the purpose of the change in Section 4.1.22, is to encourage good practice in holding pre-birth Child Protection Conferences at an early stage in a pregnancy, thereby allowing Public Law Outline proceedings to start if necessary.
• Allegations against staff or volunteers, who work with children - this chapter has been significantly updated and replaces the previous version.

• Safeguarding Children from Sexual Exploitation - London Operating Protocol for CSE (MPS) 2015 links have been updated to the June 2017 version.
• Safeguarding Children affected by Gang Activity / Serious Youth Violence - a new, brief section about 'Organised criminal groups' (12.4.1) has been included.

• Responding to Concerns of Abuse and Neglect - a brief paragraph has been added to Section 1.1, 'Concept of significant harm' as paragraph 1.1.6 and briefly references 'peer on peer' abuse.
  
  A new section has been added as 1.9, Non-recent (Historical) Abuse.
• Child Protection Conferences - the previous timescale of '3 months' in paragraph 4.1.17 as defining 'permanently' has been removed.
  
  A bullet point has been added in paragraph 4.9.8 about hospital admissions.
  
  In the previous update, Section 4.2 dealing with 'Children Looked After and Children subject of Child Protection Plans' the review process, was amended to clarify the importance of keeping the two planning processes aligned and in the best interest of the child as set out in a range of statutory guidance linked in the chapter.
• Implementation of Child Protection Plans - a new paragraph has been added as 5.2.3 relating to hospital admissions.
• Allegations against staff or volunteers, who work with children - in Section 7.1 the first paragraph has been reworded for clarification. In paragraph 7.2.11, text was added at the end of paragraph 1 and new paragraph at the end. A sentence has been added to paragraph 7.2.19 at the end and 'Historical abuse is now referred to as Non-recent (Historical) abuse'. In paragraph 7.7.6 a bullet point was added: 'Education and Library Boards'.

• Roles and Responsibilities - paragraph 3.10.7, Early Years Service was amended.
• Risk Management of Known Offenders - minor amendments to the text have been made as some agencies and legal orders have been updated. Similarly links have been updated. Some new sections have been added such as paragraph 12.3.5, and Section 3 has been updated throughout. Paragraphs 12.4.7 and 12.4.17 have been amended and added to. The text in paragraphs 12.7.34 and 12.7.39 has been updated.
• Children with Disabilities - a link to the Equality Act 2010 has been added in Section 1.1 but the definition of disability remains the same.
• Safeguarding Children from Sexual Exploitation - the definition of Child Sexual Exploitation has been updated in Section 7.2 as the DfE definition was updated in February 2017. See Child sexual exploitation Definition and a guide for practitioners, local leaders and decision makers working to protect children from child sexual exploitation February 2017.
• Safeguarding Trafficked and Exploited Children - a new link has been added in paragraph 9.13.2 in relation to the Duty to notify in the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
• Children Visiting Prisons - this has been replaced by a new chapter as the national guidance has been updated.
• Safeguarding children at risk of abuse through female genital mutilation (FGM) - this chapter has been updated in the following sections:
  • Section 25.2, Definitions - where the WHO most recent definitions have been applied;
  • Section 25.6 and Section 25.9 - where the text under the heading 'Mandatory reporting' has been expanded to clarify the current legislation.
  • Appendix 2: Guidance - The following documents were added:
    • National FGM Centre: an evaluation (Research report) January 2017;
    • The Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime Female Genital Mutilation Early Intervention Model: An Evaluation (Research report) January 2017.
• Dangerous Dogs and Safeguarding Children - this is a new chapter.

• Historical abuse - this is now referred to as Non-recent (Historical) abuse.

• Responding to Concerns of Abuse and Neglect - an additional quote which defines Abuse has been included in Section 1.3. 'Definitions of child abuse and neglect'. Links have been updated in Section 1.7.1 Keeping Children Safe in Education September 2016 and Section 1.9.1 Safeguarding Vulnerable People in the NHS. Updated version;
• Referral and Assessment - a reminder about arrangements in LAs such as MASH in Section 2.1.3 has been added. A new paragraph has been added in Section 2.1.14 referring to social workers in other work settings such as voluntary/charitable /private organisations;
• Child Protection s47 Enquiries - links to 'Keeping Children Safe in Education September 2016' have been updated. A link to' the Electronic and Digital recording' guidance in the Conference chapter has been added in Section 3.7.1. and in Section 3.10.1, a link has been added to the 'Code of practice for victims of crime';
• Child Protection Conferences - significant changes have been made to the text in Section 4.2 from 4.2.1 to 4.2.3 and 4.3 where a new Section has been added as 4.3.8 'Electronic and digital recording';
• Children and Families moving across Local Authority boundaries - The text has been updated;
• Allegations against staff or volunteers, who work with children - links to 'Keeping Children Safe in Education' have been updated. Section 7.2.11 relating to reporting restrictions has been updated. In Section 7.3.10 the third bullet point has been updated. Section 7.3.19 has been updated. Section 7.7 'Substantiated allegations and referral to the DBS' has been amended;
• Unexpected Death of a Child - the text has been updated.

• Part B 3. Chapters 19.1 to 19.10 - an Introduction has been added to Section 19. The whole Section 19 has been edited, amended and updated and should be read in full to consider the guidance;
• Safeguarding children at risk of abuse through female genital mutilation (FGM) - the chapter has been updated in relation to the multi-agency statutory guidance issued April 2016. Links have been updated. Section 25.6 'Legislation and Statutory Guidance' the text has been updated under 'Mandatory reporting';
• Safeguarding children affected by domestic abuse and violence - in Section 28.11.1 'Police response'. The text has been updated. The links in this chapter have been updated.

• Responding to Concerns of Abuse and Neglect updated in Section 1.7 with a link to Keeping Children Safe in Education; statutory guidance for schools and colleges (July 2015);
• Referral and Assessment updated in Section 2.1.12  in relation to the Care Act 2014 and the Children and Families Act 2014 which also includes duties for the assessment of young carers and parent carers of children under 18;
• Child Protection s47 Enquiries updated in Section 3.1.4 in relation to the statutory guidance 'Keeping Children Safe in Education 2015';
• Children and Families moving across Local Authority boundaries - this is a new chapter;
• Allegations against staff or volunteers, who work with children - minor corrections to the text.

• B3 6. Safeguarding children exposed to extremist ideology: practice guidance - this is a new chapter;
• B3 7. Safeguarding Children from Sexual Exploitation: Practice Guidance - this is a new chapter;
• B3 9. Safeguarding Trafficked and exploited children - the chapter has been updated with references and links to the Modern Slavery Act and the National Referral Mechanism;
• B3 25. Safeguarding girls at risk of abuse though FGM: Practice guidance - this is a new chapter.

• The Responding to Concerns of Abuse and Neglect chapter has been updated and text from WT 2015 has been added in Section 1.2.1 Early help; in Section 1.2.4, a note about the purpose of the document has been added and in 1.9.2, a comment about email use has been added arising from the findings in a Serious Case Review 2015.
• The following additions to the previous text have been made in Referral and Assessment:
  
  Related assessments:
  
  2.1.12 Where a local authority is assessing the needs of a disabled child, a carer of that child may also require the local authority to undertake an assessment of their ability to provide, or to continue to provide, care for the child, under section 1 of the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995. The local authority must take account of the results of any such assessment when deciding whether to provide services to the disabled child.
  
  2.1.13 Under provisions in the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, local authorities have established Channel panels,which will assess the extent to which identified individuals are vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism or extremism and arrange for support to be provided to those individuals. Local authorities and their partners should consider how best to ensure that these assessments align with assessments under the Children Act 1989.
  
  2.6.9 The following sentence has been added to the penultimate bullet point: "These actions should be set out in a clear plan to be provided to the relevant professionals in good time prior to birth."
  
  Minor changes in the terminology have been made in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015.
• The following additions to the previous text have been made in Child Protection s47 Enquiries:
  
  3.9.4  "Particular attention to assessments of infants under the age of one, who can be divided into two groups: non-mobile and  mobile or partially mobile are needed as there are certain injuries that do not usually occur as a result of an accident in non-mobile infants." 
  
  3.8.5  "Consideration of the use of video recorded evidence should take in to account situations where the child has been subject to abuse using recording equipment."
  
  Minor updates to terminology have been made in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015.
• The Unexpected Death of a Child chapter has been updated throughout in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015 and should be read in full.

• A new paragraph has been added to the end of chapter A Child Focussed Approach to Safeguarding;
• The Neglect chapter has been reviewed and some additional links have been inserted into Section 2.6 Further information;
• Sharing Information - All references to the government 'Information sharing guidance and leaflet for practitioners' have been updated to reflect current national guidance;
• Accessing information from abroad - a new paragraph has been added as 5.3 with a link to Working with Foreign Authorities: Child Protection Cases and Care Orders Departmental advice for local authorities, social workers, service managers and children's services lawyers July 2014;
• Local Safeguarding Children Boards - has been updated in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015;
• Serious Case Reviews - Section 1.1.4 and Section 1.2.2 have been updated. In Section 1.4.1 NHS Serious Incident Investigations - a paragraph has been added at the end of the section. Section 1.10.1 has been updated;
• Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based Forms of Abuse - this chapter has been updated in Section 7.8;
• Safeguarding Children Policy for Licensed Premises - Section 12.1.5 has been updated to include a reference to 'sexual exploitation'.
• Young Carers - please note that the chapter has been significantly changed and needs to be read again;
• Children Visiting Psychiatric Wards and Facilities - this chapter has been updated to reflect changes in national guidance. The changes are throughout the chapter, which should be read in full;
• Parents who Misuse Substances - links and references have been updated.

• In Section 2.1.9 in Chapter 2. Referral and Assessment a link has been added to: Working with Foreign Authorities: Child Protection Cases and Care Orders Departmental advice for local authorities, social workers, service managers and children's services lawyers July 2014;
• Text has been added in Section 2.6.3 relating to the timescales for pre-birth assessments;
• Links to websites and documents have been updated.

• The ordering, numbering and headings in Part B have been rearranged and some chapters have been removed.

New chapters have been added or have replaced previous chapters:

• In Roles and Responsibilities; Section 3.11 The NHS and independent and third sector health services in London is new;
• Children Missing from Care, Home and Education - this is a new chapter.