On Friday 24 April 2020, the Government passed a statutory instrument, the Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, making potentially significant changes to the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations 2010. These regulations make significant temporary changes to the rights and entitlements of children and young people living in care. They apply to England only.
Most of the amendments relax the statutory timescales, rights and safeguards in council’s social care duties for children and young people in and around the care system during COVID-19 in 10.
The amendments include significant, potentially far reaching changes to statutory reviews for our looked after children. Other major amendments are the relaxation of statutory visits, the removal of the obligation to refer cases to adoption or fostering panels, the removal of the definition of connected persons from the temporary approval of foster carers, and the extension of emergency placements of children with foster carers outside of their terms of approval from six days to 24 weeks. The changes are temporary and will be subject to review. The renewal date is 25th September 2020 and leaves open the possibility for the Government to extend them.
A full breakdown of these changes can be viewed HERE.
Summary of the changes to regulation: HERE
Please note: We are in the process of revising our Standards for IRO Challenge & Dispute Resolution . Revised standards will be added to the IRO resources page and HERE
related reading
Ian Dickson: HERE
Anne Longfield: HERE
Article 39: Defend Children’s Care
The Transparency Project: The Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, and a little bit of history.
niromp.org 