Local authority duties to children

Local authorities (LAs) have various statutory duties to keep children in their area safe and identify any concerns.

LAs must investigate any child protection concerns and put in place measures to protect children from harm. These duties are wide-ranging and will be important to various LA departments.

Section 10 of the Children Act 2004 (CA 2004) specifically requires each LA to make arrangements with relevant partners and other organisations working with children in their area, to promote interagency co-operation to improve the well-being of children in that area. This includes identifying children and families who need early help and identifying universal and targeted services to provide that assistance. ‘Statutory guidance: Working together to safeguard children’ has been produced, which should be followed.

CA 2004, s 10(4) specifies who the relevant partners are. This includes:

  1. local councils including district councils

  2. local police

  3. local probation board and services

  4. youth offending team

  5. National Health Service England (NHS) and integrated care board (ICB)

  6. schools, colleges and further education providers

Each relevant partner must co-operate with the

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

Powered by Lexis+®
Latest Local Government News

Local Government weekly highlights—3 July 2025

This week's edition of Local Government weekly highlights includes: case analysis of Norton v London Borough of Haringey, in which the court considers whether an LHA can determine the suitability of offered accommodation if it has not prepared a lawful assessment under HA 1996, s 189A(1) and Surrey CC v R (BC), in which the Court of Appeal provides an overview of the time frames involved for bringing a claim for judicial review, confirmation of when an LA is duty-bound to accommodate a child under ChA 1989, s 20 and clarity on the alternative methods that can be employed to children not deemed a ‘child in need’ and not requiring accommodation. Case reports include Mother v LA (ALC and CoramBAAF intervening), in which the court ruled that it was not in the child’s best interest for the court to make sibling contact order while granting a placement for adoption order for the younger child as it might deter potential adopters; X and Y v BBC, in which the court found BBC’s application for access to documents from care proceedings to be aimed at issues outside scope of court’s functioning and should be pursued through other mechanisms; Anwar v Ealing LBC, in which the court affirmed that construction of a crossover outside the appellant property under HA 1980, s 184(11) was lawful as statutory provisions do not require consent of adjacent affected property owners; Smith v Great Yarmouth Magistrates Court, in which the court dismissed an appeal against obstruction of a highway under HA 1980, s 137 with the central issue being whether land adjacent to Vauxhall Bridge constituted a public highway under HA 1980, s 31; and North Warwickshire BC v The Defendants, in which the court allowed the application for a final injunction brought by the LA to restrict protest activities at Kingsbury Oil Terminal. It also includes latest coverage on the implementation of Awaab’s Law including the government’s consultation response and draft guidance. It includes further updates on Social housing, Public procurement, Education, Local government finance, Social care, Licensing and Planning.

View Local Government by content type :

Popular documents