| Adoption records for a child who is not a Looked After Child where adoption order is not granted | Destroy when no further action is necessary | Birth of child | Professional decision |
| Adoption records for looked after children where adoption order is not granted | Until 75 anniversary of childs birth | Birth of child | Records to be transferred to the Looked After Child case records and retained in accordance with Section 50 of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 |
| Looked after child records | Until 75 anniversary of childs birth | Birth of child | Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 |
| Prospective adopters – withdrawn from process | 2 years | Date of last contact | Professional decision |
| Foster care – private with disabilities | Eighteen years | Date of birth | Professional decision |
| Employees working with vulnerable groups | Seventy five years | Date of birth | Business need |
| Adoption order not made – prospective adopter | Destroy when no further action is necessary | Date adoption order refused | Professional decision |
| Adoption order not granted – child record | Seventy five years or fifteen years if deceased before the age of fifteen | Date of birth or date of death | Adoption Agencies Regulations 2005 Children Act 1989 |
| Adoption order granted and case remains in Devon | One hundred years | Date of adoption order | Disclosure of Adoption Information (Post Commencement Adoptions) Regulations 2005 Adoption and Children Act 2002 |
| Care leavers | Seventy five years or fifteen years after death | Date of birth | Children Act 1989 Children’s Homes Regulations 2001 |
| Residential homes – non child | Fifteen years | Creation | Children’s Homes Regulations 2001 |
| Residential homes – children | Seventy five years or fifteen years if deceased before the age of eighteen | Date of birth or date of death | Children’s Homes Regulations 2001 |
| Fostering employees | Fifteen years | Creation | Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2013 |
| Fostering – home adaptations | Current year plus six | Creation | Financial Regulations |
| Fostering – unapproved assessments | Five years | Closure | Professional decision |
| Fostering – initial enquiries | Two years | Closure | Professional decision |
| Foster child | Fifteen years | Creation | Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2013 |
| Foster care – private with disabilities | Age eighteen years | Date of birth | Professional decision |
| Children in care subject to supervision orders | Age eighteen plus three years inactivity | Date of birth | Professional decision |
| Safeguarding conferences draft minutes | Until approved at next review | Creation | Professional decision |
| Missing children | Seventy five years | Date of birth | Children Act 1989 |
| Independent reviewing conferences | Age eighteen plus three years inactivity (youngest sibling must be over eighteen) | Date of birth | Professional decision |
| Independent reviewing 16 – 18 | Age eighteen plus three years inactivity (youngest sibling must be eighteen) | Date of birth | Children Act 1989 Arrangements for Placement of Children Regulations 1991 |
| Independent reviewing 0 -16 | Age eighteen plus three years inactivity (youngest sibling 18) | Date of birth | Professional decision |
| Child sexual exploitation | Seventy five years | Date of birth | Children Act 1989 |
| Child protection case summaries – home registers, orders | Permanent | Creation | Professional decision |
| Child protection (section 47) | Seventy five years | Date of birth | Children Act 1989 |
| Social work diaries | Current year plus six | Creation | Financial Regulations |
| Complaints – Stage 3 – Review | Five years | Final response from head of service deemed resolution - no further action required | Professional decision |
| Complaints – Stage 2 Formal | Five years | Closure, resolution and final responses - no further action | Professional decision |
| Complaints – Stage 1 – informal, single, multiple, persistent | Same as relevant case record | No contact for two years from date of last complaint - no further action | Professional decision |
| Children in need | Until child reaches the age of eighteen plus three years case inactivity | Date of birth | Professional decision |
