Retention and disposal schedules Children's social care retention schedule

Published: 14 January 2025

Children looked after (CLA)

CLA case files

  • Description: Records of children not looked after but subject to a legal order to the authority requiring supervision such as Family Assistance Orders or Supervision Orders and records of children where a report to the court under Section 7 or Section 37 has been provided
  • Retention period: 75 years from date of birth (or 15 years from date of death if die before 18)
  • Trigger date: Date of birth (date of death)
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning:
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Children looked after by other local authorities placed in Bracknell

  • Description: Children looked after by other local authorities placed in Bracknell but remaining the responsibility for the other authority
  • Retention period: 25 years from date of birth
  • Trigger date: Date of birth
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Arrangements for the Placement of Children (General) Regulations 1991, Regulations 10 (S1 1991/890)
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Meetings

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Complaints

Events 

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Monitoring and tracking

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Processes and procedures

  • Retention period: Retain until superseded
  • Trigger date: Date superseded 
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Information and training

  • Retention period: Retain until superseded
  • Trigger date: Date superseded 
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Children's specialist support team

  • Description: Occupational Health records
  • Retention period: 6 years after case closed
  • Action: Delete
  • Reasoning: Business use
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Life chances management

Adoption case files

Uncompleted adoptions

Post adoption support

Fostering

Fostering - unsuccessful applicants

Privately fostered children

Records of children on special guardianship, residence orders or any other order predating special guardianship who have never been looked after

Records of special guardians

Meetings

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Projects

  • Retention period: 10 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Life chances services

Meetings

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Monitoring and tracking

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Procedures and processes

  • Retention period: Retain until superseded
  • Trigger date: Date superseded 
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Leaving care

Leaving care case files

Meetings

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Monitoring and tracking

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Processes and procedures

  • Retention period: Retain until superseded
  • Trigger date: Date superseded
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Staff information and training

  • Retention period: Retain until superseded
  • Trigger date: Date superseded
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Family safeguarding

Records of children where council involvement doesn’t progress beyond referral

  • Retention period: 25 years from date of birth
  • Trigger date: Date of birth
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Children Act 1989
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Register of people posing a risk to children or people cautioned or convicted of offences against children

  • Retention period: 75 years from date of birth
  • Trigger date: Date of birth
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Children and Young Persons Act 1933 
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Adult information requests

  • Description: Request from OFSTED, probation or CAFCASS
  • Retention period: 2 years from date case closed
  • Trigger date: Date case closed
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Assessment - single assessment

  • Retention period: 25 years from date of birth
  • Trigger date: Date of birth
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Children Act 1989
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Assessment - S47 recording

  • Retention period: 40 years from date of birth
  • Trigger date: Date of birth
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Children Act 1989
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Child in need

  • Retention period: 25 years from date of birth
  • Trigger date: Date of birth
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Children Act 1989
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Initial child protection conference but no child protection plan

  • Retention period: 40 years from date of birth
  • Trigger date: Date of birth
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Children Act 1989
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Child protection records of children subject of a child protection plan

  • Retention period: 75 years from date of birth
  • Trigger date: Date of birth
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Children Act 1989
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Family group conference

  • Retention period: Life of record (refer to child protection record retention)
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: 
    • Children Act 1989
    • Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (Department of Health 2000)
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Access to records

  • Retention period: 5 years after date request completed
  • Trigger date: Date request completed
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Domestic abuse files

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Family centre

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Family safeguarding model

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Meetings

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Performance

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Procedures and processes

  • Retention period: Retain until superseded
  • Trigger date: Last superseded
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Resource information and training

  • Retention period: Retain until superseded
  • Trigger date: Last superseded
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Substance misuse

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified 
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Financial support

Grants

  • Retention period: 7 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Returns

  • Retention period: 7 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Support

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

MASH and assessment

First contact client records

  • Retention period: 10 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Guidance

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Integrated working

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Meetings

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Procedures and processes

  • Retention period: Retain until superseded
  • Trigger date: Date superseded
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Quality assurance

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Training

  • Retention period: Retain until superseded
  • Trigger date: Date superseded
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Research information

  • Retention period: Retain until superseded
  • Trigger date: Date superseded
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: No
  • Special category data: No

Social work academy 

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: No

Youth justice

Governance

  • Retention period: 6 years
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Review
  • Reasoning: Business use
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

People

  • Retention period: 7 years
  • Trigger date: Date employee leaves
  • Action: Review
  • Reasoning: Business use or review in line with HR retention
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Pre-court case management

  • Retention period: 16 years
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Review
  • Reasoning: Covers period of time in which a child or young person could come into the service
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Pre-court case management (Sexual Offences)

  • Retention period: 28 years
  • Action: Review
  • Reasoning: Covers period of time up to 18th birthday plus an additional 10 years
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Statutory case management

  • Retention period: 16 years
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Review
  • Reasoning: Covers period of time in which a child or young person could come into the service
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Statutory case management (Sexual Offences)

  • Retention period: 28 years
  •  
  • Action: Review
  • Reasoning: Covers period of time up to 18th birthday plus an additional 10 years
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Restorative justice

  • Retention period: 16 years
  • Action: Review
  • Reasoning: Covers period of time in which a child or young person could come into the service
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Focused Diversion Project

  • Retention period: 16 years
  • Action: Review
  • Reasoning: Covers period of time in which a child or young person could come into the service
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Act Now Programme

  • Retention period: 18 years
  • Action: Review
  • Reasoning: Covers period of time in which a child or young person could come into the service
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Victims

  • Retention period: 5 years
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Review
  • Reasoning: Code of Practice for Victims of Crime (2025)
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Volunteers

  • Retention period: 5 years
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Review
  • Reasoning: Business use
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Administration

  • Retention period: 7 years
  • Action: Review
  • Reasoning: Business use
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Family placement

Foster panel

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Employees

  • Retention period: 25 years from date employee leaves
  • Trigger date: Date employee leaves
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Inspections

  • Retention period: 10 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Meetings

  • Retention period: 6 years after last modified
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: Delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Business use 
  • Personal data: Yes
  • Special category data: Yes

Larchwood

Building inspection records

Equipment inspection records

  • Retention period: 6 years
  • Trigger date: Date equipment destroyed
  • Action: delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Limitation Act 1980 (section 2)
  • Personal data: no
  • Special category data: no

Signing in sheets and visitors books

  • Retention period: 6 years
  • Trigger date: Date of visit
  • Action: delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Limitation Act 1980 (section 2)
  • Personal data: yes
  • Special category data: no

Minutes and reports of meetings

Unit planners

  • Retention period: 1 year (plus current year)
  • Trigger date: Date created
  • Action: delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: none
  • Personal data: no
  • Special category data: no

Shift logs and staff rotas

Fridge and food temperature checks

  • Retention period: 6 months
  • Trigger date: Date of check
  • Action: delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: food hygiene policy and procedures
  • Personal data: no
  • Special category data: no

Fire drills

  • Retention period: 6 years
  • Trigger date: Date of fire drill
  • Action: delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Limitation Act 1980 (section 2)
  • Personal data: no
  • Special category data: no

Ofsted inspections

Independent visitor forms

Medication room paperwork (non CYP)

  • Retention period: 6 years
  • Trigger date: Date created
  • Action: delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Limitation Act 1980 (section 2)
  • Personal data: no
  • Special category data: no

Records relating to children and young people

  • Retention period: 75 years (or 15 years from date of death if die before 18)
  • Trigger date: Date service ends
  • Action: delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015
  • Personal data: yes
  • Special category data: yes

Yearly diaries

Medication administration forms

  • Retention period: 25 years
  • Trigger date: Date of birth of child
  • Action: delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Limitation Act 1980 (section 2)
  • Personal data: yes
  • Special category data: yes

Incident books

  • Retention period: 25 years
  • Trigger date: Date of birth of child
  • Action: delete or destroy
  • Reasoning: Limitation Act 1980 (section 2)
  • Personal data: yes
  • Special category data: yes

Logbooks (information such as behaviour and restraint)

Registers

Training records relating to children

Training tracker

Staff records - personnel records relating to employees working in children's homes

Allegations against staff

Early help

Business support

  • Retention period: 6 years
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: delete
  • Reasoning: business use
  • Personal data: no
  • Special category data: no

Family work - family group interventions recorded in mosaic and sharepoint

Individual casework - youth, young carers, one-to-ones

  • Retention period: 25 years
  • Trigger date: Date of birth of child or young person
  • Action: delete
  • Reasoning: Limitation Act 1980 (section 2)
  • Personal data: yes
  • Special category data: yes

Data and reporting

  • Retention period: 6 years
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: delete
  • Reasoning: business use
  • Personal data: yes
  • Special category data: no

Licensing

  • Retention period: 6 years
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: delete
  • Reasoning: business use
  • Personal data: yes
  • Special category data: no

Management

  • Retention period: 6 years
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: delete
  • Reasoning: business use
  • Personal data: no
  • Special category data: no

Parenting programmes and records

  • Retention period: 6 years
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: delete
  • Reasoning: business use
  • Personal data: yes
  • Special category data: no

Quality assurance

  • Retention period: 6 years
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: delete
  • Reasoning: business use
  • Personal data: yes
  • Special category data: no

Supporting families

  • Retention period: 2 years
  • Trigger date: Project closure
  • Action: delete
  • Reasoning: business use
  • Personal data: yes
  • Special category data: no
  • Retention period: permanent
  • Action: retain
  • Reasoning: business use
  • Personal data: no
  • Special category data: no

Youth council

  • Retention period: 6 years
  • Trigger date: Last modified
  • Action: delete
  • Reasoning: business use
  • Personal data: yes
  • Special category data: no

Migration service files

  • Retention period: 6 years
  • Trigger date: Closure of case
  • Action: delete
  • Reasoning: business use
  • Personal data: yes
  • Special category data: yes