Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations

Any good parent wants to make sure their children enjoy good emotional and physical health, an excellent education and a wide range of opportunities to enjoy their childhood so that they have every chance to grow up into successful, well rounded and mature adults. Local authorities are responsible for making this happen for the children they look after. This guidance contains the requirements set out by Government to support local authorities who are responsible for working with children’s homes providers so that the children they look after are given the best possible care and support.

These requirements support the local authority in its primary duty, provided for in section 22(3) of the Children Act 1989, to safeguard and promote the welfare of looked after children. This includes a particular duty to promote the child’s educational achievement and in acting as good corporate parents to enable each looked after child to achieve their full potential. Under section 22, local authorities should ensure that in commissioning services from providers of children’s homes they comply with their responsibilities under that Act.