ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the general principles that apply to placements; the different sorts of placement that are available for looked-after children, and the specific duties and powers that apply to the different types of placement. It looks in some detail at the duties in relation to returning children to parents, relatives or friends, and gives suggestions on good practice in such work. The chapter sets out the provisions relating to preparing young looked-after people for independent living, and the duties and powers in relation to after-care. The options for the placement of children under the Children Act 1989 are as wide as they were under previous legislation. Children looked after by a local authority can be placed with relatives or friends, in a residential setting, in an independent living arrangement. Children will find it easier to maintain contact with their families, and to return to them if the family they are placed with is similar to their own.
