Changes to children’s social care regulations in response to COVID-19

From the Department for Education:

We recognise it is proving challenging for local authorities and providers to meet the full range of statutory duties relating to child protection, safeguarding and care during the coronavirus (COVID-19).

I am therefore pleased to
announce that the Department for Education is making temporary changes to ten
sets of children’s social care regulations to introduce greater flexibility for
local authorities and providers operating under these challenging circumstances.

The Adoption and Children
(Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 will enable you to maintain a strong
focus on core responsibilities and duties relating to child protection and
safeguarding and promoting the welfare of ­children, without compromising
statutory obligations.

They will:

–       
ease administrative
burdens

–       
enable visits and
contact to take place remotely

–       
relax strict timescales,
where possible

–       
enable fostering
services to identify new emergency placements and bring in new carers to
support the capacity in the sector

Please note, these changes will come into force on 24 April and will be kept under review and remain in force until the Coronavirus Act renewal date on 25 September 2020. A full breakdown of these changes can be viewed on legislation.gov.uk.

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