Selected Social Work Law Source Materials
This page is intended to draw together in one place links to commonly used statutory resources for social work. It includes links to primary legislation, secondary legislation and statutory guidance (scroll down for the latter).

This page is NOT constantly maintained. You should always check for yourself whether it links to a current/latest version of any document. However, we are happy to correct any errors, including repairing any broken hyperlinks. Please contact us to let us know.

See also Regulatory Law Resources including HCPC Rules and Standards and GSCC conduct decision search facility
See also legislation.gov.uk search facility

Primary Legislation

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Note: The page at www.legislation.gov.uk/changes can be used to track changes to legislation. The website at www.legislation.gov.uk generally holds primary legislation in both original and revised forms.

Adoption and Children Act 2002
Care Act 2014
Care Standards Act 2000
Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000
Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004
Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995
Children Act 1989
Children Act 2004
Children and Families Act 2014
Children and Young Persons Act 2008
Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000
Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970
Community Care (Delayed Discharges) Act 2003
Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996
Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986
Health Act 1999
Health and Social Care Act 2001
Health and Social Care Act 2008
Health and Social Care Act 2012
Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003
Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Act 1983
Human Rights Act 1998
Local Authority Social Services Act 1970
Local Government Act 2000
Mental Capacity Act 2005
Mental Health Act 1983
Mental Health Act 2007
National Assistance Act 1948
National Health Service Act 1977
National Health Service Act 2006
Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, Schedule 3
NHS and Community Care Act 1990
Protection of Children Act 1999
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

Secondary Legislation
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Note: The page at www.legislation.gov.uk/changes can be used to track changes to legislation. The website at www.legislation.gov.uk generally holds secondary legislation in its original form.
Note: The list is not yet updated for Care Act Regulations. A list of the Regulations is [here]. A list of the repeals is [here].

Advocacy Services and Representations Procedure (Children) Regulations 2004
Arrangements for Placement of Children (General) Regulations 1991
Care Homes Regulations 2001
Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010
Care Standards Act 2000 (Extension of Protection of Vulnerable Adults Scheme) Regulations 2004
Children Act 1989 Representations Procedure (England) Regulations 2006
Children (Leaving Care) (England) Regulations 2001
Children (Private Arrangements for Fostering) Regulations 2005
Children (Secure Accommodation) Regulations 1991
Children's Homes Regulations 2001
Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc) Act (Qualifying Services) (England) Regulations 2003
Community Care, Services for Carers and Children's Services (Direct Payments) (England) Regulations 2003
Data Protection (Subject Access Modification) (Social Work) Order 2000
Day Care and Child Minding (Disqualification) (England) Regulations 2005
Day Care and Child Minding (Disqualification) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2007
Disqualification from Caring for Children (England) Regulations 2002
Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011
The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009
National Assistance Act 1948 (Choice of Accommodation) Directions 1992
National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Regulations 1992
Special Guardianship Regulations 2005
Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) (Health, Education and Social Care Chamber) Rules 2008 (consolidated as at April 2014)
Withholding and Withdrawal of Support (Travel Assistance and Temporary Accommodation) Regulations 2002

Statutory Guidance
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Note: I have listed year of publication below. There is no central database to check the currency of statutory guidance. The Department for Education have provided this list under Freedom of Information. See my page The Statutory Guidance Project for more information.
Note: Some statutory guidance is cancelled by the Care and Support Act Statutory Guidance, as listed [here]. Links are retained at present as they may still be useful.

Care and Support Statutory Guidance
Care and support for deafblind children and adults policy guidance
Carers and People with Responsibility for Disabled Children: Policy Guidance (2005 edition)
Charging for Residential Accommodation Guide (2014 edition)
Children Act 1989 Guidance & Regulations  - Volume 1 (now entitled Court Orders and Pre-proceedings) (2014 edition)
Children Act 1989 Guidance & Regulations  - Volume 2 Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (2015 edition)
Children Act 1989 Guidance & Regulations  - Volume 3 Planning Transition to Adulthood for Care Leavers (2015 edition)
Children Act 1989 Guidance & Regulations  - Volume 4 Fostering Services (2011 edition)
Children Act 1989 Guidance & Regulations  - Volume 5 Childrens Homes (2013 edition)
Controlling or Coercive Behaviour in an Intimate or Family Relationship (2015 edition)
Court Orders and Pre-proceedings (formerly Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Volume 1) (2014 edition)
Fairer Charging Policies for Home Care and other Non-Residential Social Services (2012 edition)
Family and Friends Care (2011 edition)
Getting the Best from Complaints - Social Care Complaints and Representations for Children, Young People and Others (2006 edition)
Guidance on direct payments for community care, services for carers and children’s services (2009 edition)
Guidance on the National Assistance Act 1948 (Choice of Accommodation) Directions 1992 (2004 edition)
Guidance on the Single Assessment Process for Older People (2002 edition)
Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice (2007 edition)
Mental Capacity Act 2005 Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Code of Practice (2008 edition)
Mental Health Act 1983 Code of Practice (2008 edition)
No Secrets (2000 edition)
Permanence, Long Term Foster Placements and Ceasing to Look After a Child (2015 edition)
Prioritising need in the context of Putting People First (2010 edition)
Promoting the Education of Looked After Children (2014 edition)
Promoting the Health and Well-being of Looked After Children (2015 edition)
Replacement Children Act 1989 Guidance on Private Fostering (2005 edition)
Short Breaks (2010 edition)
Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice (2015 edition)
Statutory Guidance on Adoption (2013 edition)
Sufficiency  - statutory guidance on securing sufficient accommodation for looked after children (2010 edition)
Valuing People: Implementation policy guidance (2001 edition)
Working Together to Safeguard Children (2010 edition)
Working Together to Safeguard Children (2013 edition)

Allan Norman is a Social Worker registered with Social Work England  Celtic Knot aims to be a sustainable virtual business