Child Protection Conferences
Last updated: October 7, 2008
Table of Contents
1. Initial child protection conference
1.i Purpose of initial conference
The initial child protection conference brings together family members [and the child where appropriate], supporters / advocates and those professionals most involved with the child and family following a section 47 enquiry. Its purpose is to:
- share and analyse in an inter-agency setting the information which has been obtained about the child’s developmental needs, and the parents’ capacity to respond to these needs to ensure the child’s safety and promote the child’s health and development within the context of their wider family and environment;
- consider the evidence presented to the conference, make judgements about the likelihood of a child suffering significant harm in future and decide whether the child is at continuing risk of significant harm;
- decide what future action is required e.g. whether a child protection plan is needed to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child, how that action will be taken forward, and with what intended outcomes;
- allocate a key worker from Children’s social care for each child who requires a child protection plan. The key worker is responsible for ensuring that the child protection plan is developed, co-ordinated and fully implemented to timescale;
- identify a multi-agency core group to develop and monitor implementation of the child protection plan.
1.ii Convening initial conference
An initial child protection conference must be convened when it is believed that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. The conference must consider all the children in the household, even if concerns are only being expressed about one child.
For all cases going to conference there should have been a strategy meeting/discussion and a referral to the police.
The Children’s social care team manager is responsible for making the decision to convene a child protection conference and the reasons for calling the conference or not calling a conference following completion of a section 47 enquiry must be recorded.
A conference should be convened if requested by a professional, supported by a senior manager / named or designated professional. If disagreement remains between agencies, the resolving professional disagreements procedures should be followed.
1.iii Timing of initial child protection conference
The initial child protection conference should take place within 15 working days of:
- the strategy meeting / discussion, or the last strategy meeting / discussion if more than one was held; or
- notification by another local authority that a child subject of a child protection plan has moved into the local authority area.
If there is an emergency protection order [EPO] and it is decided to hold a child protection conference, the conference should, whenever possible, be held before the EPO expires.
Where a child assessment order has been made, the conference should be held immediately on conclusion of examinations and assessments.
Where there is delay, this must be reported to the Children’s social care manager, including reasons for the delay, and Children’s social care must ensure risks of harm to the child are monitored and action taken to safeguard the child.
