The Children and Social Work Act 2017 (c. 16) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
The act was passed by the Conservative Government in 2017, having been launched in 2016 in the House of Lords by Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for the School System Lord Nash, and guided through the House of Commons by Edward Timpson MP, who was then Minister for Children and Families.
Provisions Section 1 sets out the 'corporate parenting' principles which an English local authority must address in its relationship with the children whom it looks after. These principles were adopted as a means of driving change within local government so that all local authority staff and departments take ownership of their responsibilities for looked after children.
Section 34 introduced a statutory requirement for all primary schools to teach relationship education to children from September 2020 onwards. Parents cannot withdraw their children from this element of their education.Miller, E., "Relationships education in primary schools", in Families Leeds & West Yorkshire, July/August 2025, page 12
Provisions in Part Two of the act include the creation of Social Work England as the regulator for social workers. This non-departmental public body took up its role in December 2019.
The act allows for local authorities to set aside children's rights and checks on care, so that they can try out innovative ways of working.
Reception The bill which became the act was published with no prior public consultation.Children England, Children and Social Work Act 2017, published 17 January 2018, archived on 9 May 2019, accessed on 9 May 2019
The legislation was opposed by several organisations including the British Association of Social Workers, the Care Leavers' Association, Women's Aid, Liberty and the National Association of People Abused in Childhood.
Notes
References
External links