Statutory guidance

Children's social care: national framework

Statutory guidance on the principles behind children’s social care, its purpose, factors enabling good practice and what it should achieve.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

The national framework document is for those who work in local authority children’s social care.

Statutory guidance shows what you must do to comply with the law. You must follow it unless there’s a good reason not to.

It includes relevant information for all safeguarding partners and agencies who work with children’s social care.

We have published advice for local authorities and safeguarding partners on how to embed the guidance.

Practitioners can also share and use use:

In early 2024, 2 more versions will be available:

  • a British Sign Language captioned and audio summary version
  • an easy read version
Published 15 December 2023
Last updated 25 January 2024 + show all updates
  1. Added a link to an animated guide to the framework. The animated guide is on YouTube.

  2. First published.