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This guidance sets out the Care Inspectorate's expectations for services to plan for and assess the needs of children and young people before a placement begins, to consider how the needs of individual children and young people will be met.

The nature and impact of the circumstances that result in children and young people being looked after means their needs are often extremely complex. Young people should be placed in services where they can be assured of receiving the support they need to grow, thrive, achieve their potential, and experience placement stability and felt permanence. In order to do this, placing authorities, children's residential services, other professionals, and service providers must work together to share information and make sound decisions about the suitability of potential placements. In addition, service providers have a responsibility to consider how the introduction of the new placement might impact upon the safety and wellbeing of young people already living in the service.