Children’s social care national framework
The purpose, principles and outcomes local authorities should achieve for children and families, and the enablers of good practice.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
The national framework is statutory guidance for those who work in local authority children’s social care. It includes relevant information for all safeguarding partners and agencies that work with children’s social care.
Statutory guidance sets out what you must do to comply with the law. You must follow it unless there’s a good reason not to.
Alternative formats
The national framework is available in several formats to support different access needs. You can choose the version that works best for you:
- the full statutory guidance
- a British Sign Language video summary with audio and captions
- an animated child, young person and family-friendly video
- an illustrated guide for children and young people
- an Easy Read version
Supporting information for local authorities and safeguarding partners
There is separate information for local authorities and safeguarding partners on how to embed the guidance to improve practice.
The national framework is also supported by the children’s social care dashboard. This brings children’s social care data together in one place to support learning and help everyone understand the progress made towards the outcomes and enablers set out in the framework.
Foundations practice guides
The Department for Education has commissioned Foundations to develop a series of evidence-based practice guides that local authorities can use to help them achieve the outcomes set out in the framework.
The practice guides published so far are:
- Kinship care
- Parenting through adversity (children aged 0–10)
- Parenting through adversity (children and young people aged 11 to 18)
- Parenting disabled children and young people
- Mentoring and befriending
Local authorities and leaders can share and use the practice guides along with the reflective tool that accompanies each one.
Guides are topical and more will be published as systematic reviews on each evidence base are completed.
Supporting information for children and young people
If you are a child or young person, the illustrated guide and animated video will show you what the national framework means for you. If you have any questions or concerns, you can speak to your social worker, personal adviser or family support worker, or another member of social care staff. There are also charities that can provide more information, advice and support. These are listed in the ‘What to do next’ section of the illustrated guide for children and young people.
Updates to this page
-
Updated the 'Children’s social care framework statutory guidance', 'Children’s social care framework statutory guidance: Easy Read version', 'Children’s social care national framework: illustrated guide for children and young people', the British Sign Language summary video, and the animated video for children and young people. Added an accessible version of the guide for children and young people.
-
Added a link to 'Parenting through adversity (children and young people aged 11 to 18)' Foundations practice guide.
-
Added a link to parenting disabled children and young people practice guide.
-
Added a link to the 'Mentoring and befriending' Foundations practice guide.
-
We have updated the page to include a link to the recently published Foundations 'Parenting through adversity (children aged 0–10)' practice guide.
-
Added an easy read version of the framework, and a link to a summary version in British Sign Language. The British Sign Language version is on YouTube.
-
Added a link to an animated guide to the framework. The animated guide is on YouTube.
-
First published.