Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Children's Services Procedures Manual

Holidays and School Trips In and Outside the UK

Scope of this chapter

This procedure applies to holidays and school/organisational trips within and outside the UK for all Looked After Children

Related guidance

Amendment

This chapter was updated in October 2025 to reflect Granting Leaves of Absence in Working Together to Improve School Attendance statutory guidance, which states that generally, the DfE does not consider a need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation to be an exceptional circumstance for leave of absence.

October 9, 2025

1. Holidays for Looked After Children in the UK

Where there is a proposal for a Looked After Child to go on holiday in the UK, the child's social worker must obtain full information about the holiday.

This will include:

Proposed dates and duration of the holiday;
Address(es)/contact details of the holiday location/what type of holiday;
Insurance details;
Who will be present on the holiday e.g. names of other children and other adults;
If the holiday involves staying with friends or relatives, their names and addresses;
Emergency contacts;
Any risk assessments that may be required, which should include any health or behaviour issues of the child as well as the holiday environment itself.

The child's social worker should seek the views of the child and parent/persons who have Parental Responsibility as soon as practicable.

If the parents’ consent, their consent must be obtained in writing.

Where the social worker, parent and staff/carer agree to the proposed holiday, the holiday can be approved and should be included in the child's Placement Plan.

For children who are in a long term placement and there is agreement with the Children's Services that the carers have Delegated Authority, (see Delegation of Authority to Foster Carers and Residential Workers Procedure), depending upon the nature of the delegation agreed, it may be the case that the carers are able to make such decisions themselves. However, good practice should ensure that decisions by the carers are shared in a timely way with their Supervising Social Worker and/or child's allocated practitioner. The parent/s should be advised as appropriate – especially if the holiday affects contact arrangements.

Children must not be taken on holiday during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances that would be approved by the Service Manager, The Virtual School Head and the Head of School. This will be kept under review following a recent high court judgement.

Requests must be made in writing. (Note that under the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013, the previous ability of headteachers to grant leave of absence for the purpose of a holiday during term time in 'special circumstances' of up to ten school days leave per year has been removed. The 2013 Regulations make clear that headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are 'exceptional circumstances').

Where the social worker considers that the holiday should go ahead despite the parents' opposition and legal advice supports this, the approval of the social worker's manager to the holiday should be sought. The request for such approval should include the legal advice given.

Written confirmation of the manager's decision, together with the reasons, should be provided to the parent.

Where the holiday will involve additional costs, the social worker should obtain approval for the costs from the relevant manager before the holiday can be agreed.

If approved, the holiday should be included in the child's Placement Plan.

Where the holiday will interrupt contact arrangements between the child and parents, consideration should also be given to arranging additional contacts before and after the holiday.

In the section, Granting Leaves of Absence in Working Together to Improve School Attendance statutory guidance; it states that generally, the Department for Education does not consider a need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation to be an exceptional circumstance.

The School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024 regulation 11 Leave of Absence sets out the circumstances under which an authorised person may grant a pupil leave of absence. Schools maintained by a local authority and special schools not maintained by a local authority can only grant leave of absence in the circumstances laid out in regulation 11.

In the exceptional circumstance that a holiday had been agreed by the authorised person at a school not maintained by a local authority and which is not a special school, the Social Worker’s Manager must also give their approval.

See Types of School (GOV.UK).

2. Holidays for Looked After Children Outside the UK

2.1 Holidays for Accommodated Children

Arrangements for notifying and consulting the social worker about holiday plans should be agreed in the Placement Plan.

The consent of the parent(s) or person with Parental Responsibility must be obtained and consent form signed.

The child's social worker must obtain full information about the holiday/trip. This will include:

Address(es)/contact details of the holiday location/type of holiday;
Responsible adult(s) accompanying the child including adult/child ratio if group holiday;
If the child is going with a family or person who is not known to Children's Services, whether the appropriate checks have been made;
Dates of holiday;
Emergency contacts;
Views of the child;
If any cost to the authority, including insurance;
Any additional information.

NOTE: If there are any issues such as the holiday destination experiencing political unrest, concern that the child may not return as planned or other circumstances which may place the child at risk, these should be highlighted to the social worker's Manager. A check should be undertaken through Foreign Office - Foreign Travel Advice and a balanced decision regarding the outcome made.

If it is a group day trip or holiday, the social worker must be satisfied that adequate health and safety precautions including appropriate risk assessments are taken and in place.

In the section Granting Leaves of Absence in Working Together to Improve School Attendance statutory guidance; it states that generally, the Department for Education does not consider a need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation to be an exceptional circumstance.

See Types of School (GOV.UK).

2.2 Holidays for Children on Care Orders

Holidays of Less Than One Month

The procedure is the same as for those for Accommodated Children (see Section 2.1, Holidays for Accommodated Children) except that the consent of the parents or person having Parental Responsibility is not required but should be sought and obtained wherever practicable or possible. Any objections by the parent(s) should be recorded on the child's electronic records.

The social worker should ensure that arrangements are in place through the Placement Plan to be notified well in advance of any plans for holidays abroad in order to obtain required consent wherever practicable or possible.

Holidays of One Month or More

This requires either the written consent of every person who has parental responsibility for the child, or the leave of the court.

Where a Court Order is required, the social worker should contact Legal Services as soon as possible for the necessary application to be made and advise the parents of the intended application.

It is usual for the court to require evidence of the views of those with Parental Responsibility, or the efforts made to obtain them.

If the holiday is authorised by the Court, the holiday should be included in the Placement Plan and a copy of the court order giving leave for the holiday should also be given to the foster carer.

2.3 Insurance Cover

Healthcare for UK Nationals in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland

The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) provides access to state healthcare in Europe at a reduced cost, or sometimes for free.

If the child already has a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) this remains valid until the expiry date on the card;
If the child does not have a European Health Insurance Card or it has expired, they will need a Global Health Insurance Card. Cards can be ordered online from the NHS (see the NHS.UK website). For children under 16, the application should be completed by their carers;
The GHIC and EHIC do not replace travel insurance which should be in place for all holidays outside the UK. For the latest advice on the GHIC, see the GOV.UK website.

Travel Insurance Cover for Holidays

Carers should obtain travel insurance for all holidays overseas, this will cover a range of eventualities, including medical expenses, a trip being cut short or cancelled, and loss or theft of possessions. For more advice on travel insurance, see the GOV.UK website.

2.4 Obtaining a Passport

The United Kingdom Passport Agency provides Guidance for Social Workers seeking to obtain a passport for a Looked After Child;
If Children's Services have previously applied for a passport on the child's behalf and are applying for a renewal or extension, a letter outlining the circumstances mentioned above stating that these have not changed is sufficient. In these circumstances there is no need to complete the application form. This should be signed by the Designated Manager (Passports);
Where there is a proposal for a child to go on holiday abroad and the child does not currently hold a valid passport, the request to the Designated Manager (Passports) in relation to the holiday should include a written request for the authority to obtain a passport for the child;
If it is an urgent application where an application is made in person, the social worker must provide evidence of their identity and a signed letter of authorisation from the Designated Manager (Passports);
Where the child requires a passport for any other reason, the approval of the Designated Manager (Passports) should be sought. The written request for such approval should include the reason for the request, the wishes of the child; the views of the parent; the views of the Staff/Carer where applicable. Where the Designated Manager (Passports) gives authority for a passport to be obtained for a child, this must be confirmed in writing. The social worker must inform the parent of the decision;
The social worker will obtain and complete the necessary application for the child or assist the child to complete the necessary application form.

3. School / Organisational Trips of up to 4 days Away

The United Kingdom Passport Agency provides Guidance for Social Workers seeking to obtain a passport for a Looked After Child;
If Children's Services have previously applied for a passport on the child's behalf and are applying for a renewal or extension, a letter outlining the circumstances mentioned above stating that these have not changed is sufficient. In these circumstances there is no need to complete the application form. This should be signed by the Designated Manager (Passports);
Where there is a proposal for a child to go on holiday abroad and the child does not currently hold a valid passport, the request to the Designated Manager (Passports) in relation to the holiday should include a written request for the authority to obtain a passport for the child;
If it is an urgent application where an application is made in person, the social worker must provide evidence of their identity and a signed letter of authorisation from the Designated Manager (Passports);
Where the child requires a passport for any other reason, the approval of the Designated Manager (Passports) should be sought. The written request for such approval should include the reason for the request, the wishes of the child; the views of the parent; the views of the Staff/Carer where applicable. Where the Designated Manager (Passports) gives authority for a passport to be obtained for a child, this must be confirmed in writing. The social worker must inform the parent of the decision;
The social worker will obtain and complete the necessary application for the child or assist the child to complete the necessary application form.

Last Updated: October 9, 2025

v23