Local authority duties to children

Local authority duties towards children looked after by them

A child who is subject to a care order (including an interim care order), or provided with accommodation by the local authority, typically under section 20 of the Children Act 1989 (ChA 1989), is a ‘looked after’ child. A local authority has two main duties to any child who is looked after:

1. •

   to safeguard and promote the child’s welfare, and

2. •

   to make such use of services available for children cared for by their own parents as appears to the authority reasonable in the child’s case

If a child is going to become looked after, whether under a voluntary arrangement or otherwise (or if not practicable, within ten working days of becoming looked after), the local authority must prepare a care plan.

A local authority has to provide all children looked after by them with accommodation and maintain them as is necessary, and there is an order of precedence as to where a child should live.

See Practice Note: Local authority duties towards children looked after by them.

Local authority duties...