Amendments

In April 2026, this chapter was updated to include the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.

In April 2026, information was added as the government has extended health services and other entitlements to care leavers.

In April 2026, this chapter was updated to contain additional information on recruiting people who have lived overseas and on the DBS update service.

In April 2026, information was added as the government has extended free NHS services to care leavers with free prescriptions, dental and eye care services up to the age of 25.

In April 2026, 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 April 2026, this chapter was updated to contain information from the Mental Health Foundation 2003, NICE guidance for Self-harm: assessment, management and preventing recurrence, and the NHS England Staying safe from suicide guidance. Additional website links were also added.  

In April 2026, a link was added in Section 9, Further Information, to the Children’s Commissioners’ guidance “What I wish my parents or carers knew…’: A guide for parents and carers on managing children’s digital lives.

In April 2026, this chapter was updated to reflect the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 and additional further information links.

This chapter was refreshed in April 2026.

In April 2026, this chapter was updated to provide a link to the Information Commissioners Office ‘Better Records Together’.

In April 2026, information has been added into Section 2, What is County Lines Offending? And additional guidance was added in Further Information.

In April 2026, this chapter was updated to provide links to RIDDOR.

In October 2025, this chapter was refreshed following a full tri.x review.

This chapter was updated in October 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.

In October 2025, this chapter was refreshed 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 October 2025, this chapter was refreshed following a full tri.x review.

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

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