Child Protection Conferences and Core Groups

Child Protection Conference

A child protection conference brings together family members (and the child where appropriate), with the supporters, advocates and practitioners most involved with the child and family, to make decisions about the child’s future safety, health and development. If concerns relate to an unborn child, consideration should be given as to whether to hold a Child Protection Conference prior to the child’s birth.

Types of Conference:

Initial Child Protection Conference

The Initial Child Protection Conference (ICPC) brings together family members, the child where appropriate and those practitioners most involved with the child and family. Its purpose is:

to bring together and analyse, in an inter-agency setting, the information which has been obtained about the child's developmental needs, and the parents' or carers' 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
to 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 and
to decide what future action is required to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child, including the child becoming the subject of a Child Protection Plan, what the best developmental outcomes are for the child and how best to intervene to achieve these.

The conference must consider all the children in the household, even if concerns are only being expressed about one child.

In some cases, it may be appropriate to develop a Child Protection Plan (CPP) for only one (or more) of the children within a household. If significant concerns arise subsequently about a sibling (or others in the household), a further ICPC must be held. It should be combined with the Child Protection Review Conference (CPRC) concerning the child who is already subject to a Child Protection Plan.

The ICPC should take place within 15 working days of the strategy discussion or, where more than one strategy discussion took place, of the strategy discussion at which the section 47 enquiry was initiated.

Any delay must have written agreement from the Children’s Social Care team manager (including reasons for the delay) and Children's Social Care must ensure risks to the child are monitored and action taken to safeguard the child.

Unborn Child Protection Conference

An unborn Child Protection Conference should be conducted as if it were an ICPC concerning an unborn child.

An unborn Child Protection Conference should be held where a:

pre- birth assessment gives rise to concerns that an unborn child may be at risk of significant harm
previous child has died or been removed from parent(s) as a result of significant harm
a child is to be born into a family or household which already have children subject to a Child Protection Plan
a person identified as a presenting a risk, or potential risk, to children resides in the household or is known to be a regular visitor.

Other risk factors to be considered are:

the impact of parental risk factors such as mental ill-health, learning disabilities, substance misuse and domestic violence
a mother under 16 for whom there are concerns regarding her ability to self-care and/or to care for the child.

All agencies involved with pregnant women who have concerns should consider the need for an early referral to Children's Social Care, so that assessments are undertaken, and family support services provided, as early as possible in the pregnancy.

The unborn Child Protection Conference should take place ideally at least 3 months before the due date of delivery, so as to allow as much time as possible for planning support for the pregnancy and the birth of the baby.

Where there is a known likelihood of a premature birth, the conference should be held earlier.

Those who normally attend an ICPC must be invited. In addition representatives of the midwifery and relevant neo-natal services should also be invited.

If a decision is made that the unborn child requires a Child Protection Plan, the main cause for concern must determine the category of concern and a protection plan be outlined to commence prior to the birth of the baby.

The Core Group must be established and is expected to meet prior to the birth, and ensure that the Child Protection Plan describes the birth plan and any additional support/monitoring that is required during the baby's return home after a hospital birth.

For further guidance see Safeguarding the Unborn Procedure and Practice Guidance [link].

Transfer Child Protection Conference

When Children's Social Care is notified that a child subject to a Child Protection Plan moves into the authority's area, the responsibility for the Child Protection Plan rests with the original authority until the conference has been held, Darlington staff should liaise with the lead social worker from the originating authority until the Transfer Child Protection Conference is held.

The originating Children's Social Care should send a written request and key documents to the receiving authority, in accordance with any locally agreed protocols, before a transfer conference is convened.

A transfer conference should be held within 15 working days of the agreement between the two authorities. This should be based on the principle that the child is now normally resident in the receiving area.

The lead social worker from the originating authority must be invited to the transfer conference and is expected to submit a report at least five working days before the conference having shared this with the child and the family.

The transfer conference should be treated as an initial child protection conference in the receiving authority. The discontinuing of the Child Protection Plan should only be agreed following a full risk assessment of the child and family in their new situation.

Child Protection Review Conference (CPRC)

The purpose of the Child Protection Review Conference is to:

review the safety, health and development of the child against the planned outcomes set out in the Child Protection Plan
ensure that the child continues to be safeguarded from harm.

Consider whether the Child Protection Plan should continue in place or should be changed.

If a child becomes the subject of a Child Protection Plan, the first review conference must be held within 3 months (91 days) of the initial conference.

Further reviews must be held at intervals of not more than 6 months (182 days), for as long as the child remains the subject of a Child Protection Plan.

Consideration should always be given to bringing the date of a conference forward:

where child protection concerns relating to a new incident or allegation of abuse have been sustained
when there are significant difficulties in carrying out the Child Protection Plan
where a child is to be born into the household of a child who is subject to a Child Protection Plan
where a person known to pose a risk to children is to join, or commences regular contact with, the household
when there is a significant change in the circumstances of the child or family not anticipated at the previous conference and with implications for the safety of the child
where a child subject to a Child Protection Plan is Looked After by a local authority and consideration is being given to returning her/him to the circumstances which required a Child Protection Plan (unless this step is anticipated in the existing protection plan)
where the Core Group believes that the Child Protection Plan is no longer required.

Those attending conferences should be there because they may have a significant contribution to make, arising from professional expertise, knowledge of the child or family or both.

Those who have a relevant contribution to make may include:

the child, (if of sufficient age and understanding: (as highlighted in Involving Children and Family Members section, Criteria for Presence of Child at Conference) or his or her representative
family members (including the wider family)
Children's Social Care staff who have led and been involved in an assessment of the child and family
foster carers (current or former)
residential care staff
practitioners involved with the child (for example, health visitors, midwife, school nurse, Children's Guardian, paediatrician, school staff, early years staff, the GP, staff in the youth justice system including the secure estate)
practitioners involved with the parents or other family members (for example, family support services, adult services (particularly those from mental health, substance misuse, domestic violence and learning disability), Probation, the GP
practitioners with expertise in the particular type of harm suffered by the child or in the child's particular condition, for example, a disability or long term illness
those involved in investigations (for example, the police)
local authority legal services (child care) - Further details available in professional guidance as outlined by The Law Society [External Link] (which provides professional guidance on attendance by lawyers at Child Protection Conferences)
NSPCC or other voluntary organisations involved
a representative of the armed services, in cases where there is a Service connection.

The primary principle for determining quoracy at Child Protection conference is that there should be sufficient agencies or key disciplines present to enable safe decisions to be made in the individual circumstances. Normally, minimum representation is Children's Social Care and at least two other agencies or key disciplines that have had direct contact with the child and family. Where a conference is inquorate it should not ordinarily proceed and the chair must ensure that either:

An interim protection plan is produced or
The existing plan is reviewed with the practitioners and family members that do attend, so as to safeguard the welfare of the child(ren).

Another conference date, usually within a month, must be set immediately.

In the following circumstances the chair may decide to proceed with the conference despite lack of agency representation. This would be relevant where:

Children's Social Care and one other agency are represented
A child does not have relevant contact with 3 agencies
There are local difficulties concerning agency attendance (this must also be reported to the senior child protection manager and the Safeguarding Partnership)
Where sufficient information is available; and a delay will be detrimental to the child.

In these circumstances, consideration should be given to arranging an early Review Conference.

A Child Protection Plan should not be removed at the first review conference except in exceptional circumstances where it can be demonstrated that all risks have been eliminated.

Exceptional circumstances are defined as:

The perpetrator of the abuse is the subject of a significant custodial sentence that removes the risk of further significant harm, or the perpetrator is deceased.

Involving Children and Family Members

Involving Parents and Carers Parents and carers must be invited to conferences (unless exclusion is justified as described in Exclusion of Family Members from a Conference Procedure). Parents/others with Parental Responsibility who no longer live with the children should also be invited.

The social worker must facilitate their constructive involvement by ensuring in advance of the conference that they are given sufficient information and practical support to make a meaningful contribution. This includes:

explaining to parents/carers the purpose of the meeting, who will attend, the way in which it will operate, the purpose and meaning of being made subject to a Child Protection Plan and the complaints process
consideration of childcare arrangements to enable the attendance of parent(s)
those for whom English is not a first language must be offered, an interpreter. A family member including children must not be used as an interpreter of spoken or signed language
provision should be made to ensure that visually or hearing impaired or otherwise disabled parents / carers are enabled to participate

If parents / carers feel unable to attend the conference, alternative means should be provided for them to communicate with the chair of the conference.

Written information about conferences should be left with the family and include references to:

the right to bring a friend, supporter or an advocate
the fact that if the family is accompanied by a solicitor her /his role is limited to that of a supporter
details of local advice and advocacy services and
the conference complaints procedure.

The role of the supporter is to enable the parent/carer to put her/his point of view, not to take an adversarial position or cross-examine participants.

Involving Children

The child, subject to her/his level of understanding, needs to be given the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the conference.

In practice, the appropriateness of including an individual child must be assessed in advance and relevant arrangements made to facilitate attendance at all or part of the conference.

Where it is assessed, in accordance with the criteria below, that it would be inappropriate for the child to attend, alternative arrangements should be made to ensure her/his wishes and feelings are made clear to all relevant parties - e.g. use of an advocate, written or taped comments.

Criteria for Presence of Child at Conference

The primary issues to be addressed are:

the child's level of understanding of the process
any expressed or implicit wish to be involved
the parent/carer's views about the child's proposed presence
whether inclusion is assessed to be of benefit to the child.

The test of 'sufficient understanding', is partly a function of age and partly the child's capacity to understand. Generally, a child of less than 12 years of age is unlikely to be able to be a direct and/or full participant in a conference. An older child is potentially able to contribute, but each should be considered individually in the light of maturity, and cognitive development.

In order to establish her/his wish with respect to attendance, the child must be first provided with a full and clear explanation of purpose, conduct, membership of the conference and potential provision of an advocate or support person.

Written information translated into the appropriate language should be provided to those able to read and an alternative medium e.g. tape, offered those who cannot read.

A declared wish not to attend a conference (having been given such an explanation) must be respected.

Consideration should be given to the views of and impact on parent(s) of their child's proposed attendance.

Consideration must be given to the impact of the conference on the child for example if they have a significant learning difficulty or where it will be impossible to ensure they are kept apart from a parent who may be hostile and/or attribute responsibility onto them.

In such cases, energy and resources should be directed toward ensuring by means of an advocate and/or preparatory work by a social worker, that the child's wishes and feelings are effectively represented.

Indirect Contributions When a Child is not attending

Indirect contributions from a child might include a pre-meeting with the conference chair.

Other indirect methods include written statements, emails, text messages and taped comments prepared alone or with independent support, and representation via an advocate.

Direct Involvement of a Child in a Conference

In advance of the conference, the chair and social worker should agree whether:

the child attends for all or part of the conference, taking into account confidentiality of parents and/or siblings
(s)he should be present with one or more of her/his parents
the chair meets the child alone or with a parent / carer prior to the meeting.

If the child attends all or part of the conference, it is essential that (s)he is prepared by the social worker or independent advocate, who can help her/him prepare a report or rehearse any particular points that the child wishes to make.

Those for whom English is not their first language an interpreter must be offered. A family member including children must not be used as an interpreter.

Provision should be made to ensure that a child who has any form of disability is enabled to participate.

Consideration should be given to enabling the child to be accompanied by a supporter or an advocate.

Exclusion of Family Members from a Conference

Exceptionally it may be necessary to exclude one or more family members from part or all of a conference. These situations will be rare, and the conference chair must be notified by the social worker, or a worker from any agency, if they believe based on the criteria below, that a parent should be excluded. This representation must be made, as soon as possible and at least three working days in advance of the conference.

The worker concerned must indicate which of the grounds it believes are met and the information, or evidence, the request is based on. The chair must consider the representation carefully and may need legal advice.

The chair should make a decision in response to:

indications that the presence of the parent might seriously prejudice the welfare of the child
sufficient evidence that a parent / carer may behave in such a way as to interfere seriously with the work of the conference e.g. violence, threats of violence, racist, or other forms of discriminatory or oppressive behaviour or being in an unfit state perhaps through drug, alcohol consumption or acute mental health difficulty (but in their absence a friend or advocate may represent them at the conference)
a child asking that a parent/ person with Parental Responsibility or carer are not present while (s)he is present
the likelihood that the presence of parents would prevent a participant from making her/his proper contribution
the need (agreed in advance with the conference chair) for members to receive or share confidential information that would otherwise be unavailable, such as legal advice or information about a criminal investigation
potential conflicts between different family members indicating that they should attend at separate times e.g. in situations of domestic abuse

If when planning a conference, it becomes clear to the chair that there may be conflict of interests between the children and parents, the conference should be planned so that the welfare of the child can remain paramount. This may mean arranging for the child and parents to participate in separate parts of the conference and for separate waiting arrangements to be made. Any exclusion period should be for the minimum duration necessary and must be clearly recorded in the conference record. If this means that a split conference is necessary the guidance in the following section should be followed.

It may also become clear at the beginning or in the course of a conference, that its effectiveness will be seriously impaired by the presence of the parent(s). In these circumstances, the chair may ask them to leave.

Where a parent is on bail, or subject to an active police investigation, it is the responsibility of the chair to ensure that the police can fully present their information and views and also that the parents participate as fully as circumstances allow. This may involve the chair and police having a confidential meeting prior to the conference to agree a way of managing the process and the information.

The decision of the chair over matters of exclusion is final regarding both parents and the child(ren).

If the chair has decided, prior to the conference, to exclude a parent, this must be communicated to the parent prior to conference, ideally in writing. If this is not possible then the Chair must still confirm in writing the reasons for their decision. The social worker should have prepared the parent for the possibility that this may occur.

The parent must be informed about how to make their views known, how (s)he will be told the outcome of the conference and about the Complaints by Service Users Procedure. The parent should be advised on the possibility of preparing a contribution for the conference e.g. a letter, others attending on her/his behalf e.g. solicitors, advocate.

Those excluded should be provided with a copy of the social worker's report to the conference (three working days before an Initial Conference and five working days before a Review Conference) and be provided with the opportunity to have their views recorded and presented to the conference.

If a decision to exclude a parent is made, this must be fully recorded in the minutes. Exclusion from one conference is not reason enough in itself for exclusion from a further conference.

Split Child Protection Conferences

Sometimes it may be necessary to conduct a split Child Protection Conference.

Circumstances where this may be necessary include where:

parents/ carers / young people have made a request,
there is a potential for conflict,
a legal order / bail conditions are in place,
one party fears for their safety, or
a decision has been taken by professionals that a split conference is appropriate

When a split conference is arranged, Social Workers and conference chairs should ensure that the following actions are carried out:

Social Workers should write to parents or other attendees at least three working days before the conference to confirm arrangements:
the date and time
which entrance they should use and when they should arrive
There should be at least a 30-minute break between each part of a conference to allow the previous attendees to disperse before the next attendees arrive.
When the first part ends, either the Social Worker or conference chair should escort the attendees to the exit, where possible ensuring this is away from the entrance that will be used by the next attendees.

Absence of Parents and Children at a Conference

If parents and/or children do not wish to attend the conference they must be provided with full opportunities to contribute their views. The social worker must facilitate this by:

exploring the use of an advocate or supporter to attend on behalf of the parent or child
enabling the child or parent to write, or tape, or use drawings to represent their views
agreeing that the social worker, or any other practitioner, expresses their views.

Information for a Conference

The Child Protection Conference report should include:

a chronology of significant events, agency and practitioner contact
information on the child's current and past state of developmental needs
the dates when the child was seen by the Lead Social Worker during the Section 47 Enquiry or since last conference, if the child was seen alone and, if not, who was present and for what reason
information on the capacity of the parents and other family members to ensure the child is kept safe from harm, and to respond to the child's developmental needs within their wider family and environmental context
information on the family history and both the current and past family functioning
the expressed views, wishes and feelings of the child, parents, and other family members
an analysis of the information gathered and recorded using the Assessment Framework dimensions (See WT 2018) to reach a judgment on whether the child is suffering, or is likely to suffer Significant Harm and consider how best to meet his or her developmental needs. This analysis should address:

how the child's strengths and difficulties are impacting on each other
how the parenting strengths and difficulties are affecting each other
how the family and environmental factors are affecting each other
how the parenting that is provided for the child is affecting the child's health and development both in terms of resilience and protective factors, and vulnerability and risk factors and
how the family and environmental factors are impacting on parenting and/or the child directly.

The report should be provided to parents and older children (to the extent that it is believed to be in their interests) at least two working days in advance of Initial Child Protection Conferences, and two working days before Review Child Protection Conferences, to enable any factual inaccuracies to be identified, amended, and areas of disagreement noted. Where necessary, the reports should be translated into the relevant language or medium.

The report should be provided to the chair at least three working days prior to the Initial Child Protection Conference and three working days in advance of the Review Child Protection Conference.

All reports must make it clear which children are the subjects of the Child Protection Conference (previously decided by the social worker. Even if not the subject of the conference, all children in the household need to be considered at the Initial Child Protection Conference and information must be provided on each of them in the record.

The report will be sent out after the child protection conference (with the conference record) to those invited but who did not attend the child protection conference.

Information from Other Agencies

It is the responsibility of all the agencies who have participated in the Section 47 Enquiry, or who have relevant information, to make this available to the conference through a written report. Contributors should, wherever possible, provide in advance a written report to the conference that should be made available to those attending.

Where any agency representatives are unable to attend the conference they must ensure that their written report is made available to the conference, through the chair and, if possible, that a well-briefed colleague attend in their place.

For agencies in contact with the family, the reports should be shared with the child and parents before the conference, (two working days) and where necessary, should be translated into the appropriate language or medium.

All written reports will be attached to the chair's report for circulation or incorporated into the conference record.

Chairing of Conferences

The Chair of a Child Protection Conference will be an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO). (S)he must not have operational or line management responsibility for the case. The Conference Chair is accountable to the Director of Children and Adult Services.

The chair must meet with the family, child and social worker prior to the conference to ensure they understand the purpose of the conference and how it will be conducted.

Where necessary, interpreters, etc. must be made available to facilitate family participation. A family member including children, must not be used as an interpreter.

At the start of the conference the chair will:

set out the purpose of the conference
confirm the agenda
emphasise the need for confidentiality
address equal opportunities issues e.g. specifying that racist, homophobic, religious hatred and threatening behaviour will not be tolerated
clarify the contributions of those present, including supporters of the family.

During the conference the chair will ensure that:

the conference maintains a focus on the welfare of the child(ren)
consideration is given to all the children in the household
all those present, including the parents and child(ren) if present, make a full contribution and that full consideration is given to the information they present. This must include the use of interpreters if English is not the first language of family members. A family member including children must not be used as an interpreter
reports of those not present are made known to parties
the wishes and feelings of the child(ren) are clearly outlined
issues of race, religion, language, class, gender, sexuality and disability are fully taken into account in the work of the conference
appropriate arrangements are made to receive third party confidential information
all concerned are advised/reminded of the complaints procedure
arrangements are made with the social worker for absent parents or carers to be informed of the decisions of conferences
a decision is made as to whether the child should become, remain or cease to be the subject of a Child Protection Plan.

Actions and decisions of the Conference

As described in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023Working Together to Safeguard Children [external link] action following a strategy discussion the conference should consider the following questions when determining whether the child should be the subject of a Child Protection Plan:

The child is likely to suffer Significant Harm or
The child is not likely to suffer Significant Harm.

The test for likelihood of suffering harm in the future should be that either:

the child can be shown to have suffered ill-treatment or impairment of health or development as a result of Physical, Emotional, or Sexual Abuse or Neglect, and professional judgement is that further ill-treatment or impairment is likely or
professional judgement, substantiated by the findings of enquiries in this individual case or by research evidence, is that the child is likely to suffer ill-treatment or the impairment of health and development as a result of Physical, Emotional or Sexual Abuse or Neglect.

If the child is at continuing risk of Significant Harm, (s)he will require inter-agency help and intervention delivered through a formal Child Protection Plan.

The decision making process will normally take place with parents / carers present.

The chair must make a decision about the need for a Child Protection Plan based on the views of all agencies represented at the conference and also take into account any written contributions that have been made.

The chair of a conference is responsible for the conference decision. (S)he will consult conference members, aim for a consensus as to the need for a plan or not, but ultimately will make the decision and note any dissenting views.

Category of Abuse

If the decision is that the child is in need of a Child Protection Plan the chair should determine under which category of abuse the child has suffered or likely to suffer.

The categories used (Physical, Emotional Abuse, Sexual Abuse or Neglect) will indicate to those consulting the child's social care record the primary presenting concern at the time the child became subject to a Child Protection Plan.

Multiple categories should not be used to cover all eventualities, and 'other significant concerns' recorded instead.

The need for a Child Protection Plan should be considered separately in respect of each child in the family or household.

Administrative Arrangements and Record Keeping for Child Protection Conferences

Darlington Borough Council, Children's Social Care is responsible for administering the Child Protection Conference service.

All initial and review conferences should be noted by a dedicated person whose sole task within the conference is to provide a written record of the meeting in a consistent format.

Guidance on electronic and digital recording is available on the DSP website.

Decision of Conference

The decisions of a Child Protection Conference, whether Initial (including Transfer), Pre-birth or Review and where appropriate, details of the category of abuse or neglect, names of the key worker and the core group membership and the outline Child Protection Plan are to be circulated to all those invited within two working days.

Conference Record

The notes of the conference should be distributed as soon as possible (and within 20 working days).

Conference records should include:

name, date of birth and address of the subject(s) of the conference, parents / carers and other adults in the household
who was invited, who attended the conference and who submitted their apologies
a list of written reports available to conference and whether available to parents or not
the purpose of the conference
all the essential facts
opinions of conference members, clearly identified as such
views of child
views of parents / carers
a summary of discussion at the conference, accurately reflecting contributions made
all decisions reached, with information outlining the reasons
an outline or revised Child Protection Plan
name of Lead Social Worker
members of the Core Group and date of first meeting
date of next conference.

The conference record should be sent to all those who attended or were invited, within 20 working days of the conference. Any amendment to accuracy of record should be sent, in writing, within 10 working days of the receipt of that record to the chair.

The parents' copy of the conference record should be clearly 'marked ' on all pages that it is a parent's copy. Confidential material may be excluded from the parents' copy.

Where an advocate, supporter or solicitor has been involved the parent should decide whether they give a copy of the conference record.

Where a child has attended a Child Protection Conference, the social worker must arrange to see her/him and arrange to discuss relevant sections of the record. Consideration should be given to whether that child should be given copies of the record. They may be supplied to a child's legal representative on request.

Where parents and / or the child(ren) have a sensory disability or where English is not their first language, steps must be taken to ensure that they can understand and make full use of the conference record.

Conference records are confidential and should not be passed to third parties without the consent of either the conference chair or order of the court. In criminal proceedings the police may reveal the existence of child protection records to the Crown Prosecution Service and in Care Proceedings the record of the conference may be revealed in court.

Every agency must establish arrangements for the storage of Child Protection Conference records in accordance with their own confidentiality and record retention policies.

When the decision is made by an Initial Child Protection Conference to make a child subject to a Child Protection Plan, the Conference must:

formulate an outline Child Protection Plan (see Actions and Decisions of the Conference Procedure, Outline Child Protection Plan)
ensure a Lead Social Worker from Children's Social Care is appointed to coordinate and lead all aspects of the inter-agency Child Protection Plan and
identify members of the Core Group and set the date of the first meeting.

Core Group

The Core Group is responsible for the formulation and implementation of the detailed Child Protection Plan, previously outlined at the conference.

meet within 10 working days from the Initial Child Protection Conference if the child is the subject of a Child Protection Plan
further develop the outline Child Protection Plan, based on assessment findings, and set out what needs to change, by how much, and by when in order for the child to be safe and have their needs met
decide what steps need to be taken, and by whom, to complete the in-depth assessment to inform decisions about the child’s safety and welfare and
implement the Child Protection Plan and take joint responsibility for carrying out the agreed tasks, monitoring progress and outcomes, and refining the plan as needed.

Formulation of Child Protection Plan

Each child subject to a Child Protection Plan must have a written Child Protection Plan, using the Child Protection Plan pro-forma.

The purpose of this plan is to facilitate and make explicit a coordinated approach to the protection from further harm of each child subject to a Child Protection Plan.

The parents should be clear about:

the evidence of significant harm which resulted in the child becoming the subject of a Child Protection Plan
what needs to change in the future and
what is expected of them as part of implementing the plan.

All parties must be clear about the respective roles and responsibilities of family members and different agencies in implementing the plan.

All agencies must ensure that professionals are aware of their responsibilities within Core Groups, including challenge and escalation if deemed appropriate.

Lead Social Worker Role

At every initial conference, where a child is made subject to a Child Protection Plan, the chair will name a qualified social worker, identified by the social work team manager, to fulfil the role of Lead Social Worker for the child.

The Lead Social Worker should:

ensure that Core Groups take place with frequency (10 working days from the Initial Conference and thereafter every 20 working days)
ensure that the outline Child Protection Plan is developed, in conjunction with members of the Core Group (see Core Group Membership), into a detailed multi-agency protection plan
clearly note and include in the written record any areas of disagreement
ensure Core Group members, the child (where appropriate) and family have the opportunity to understand and contribute to the Child Protection Plan and that it is distributed within five days of the Core Group meeting and maintained on the child's electronic record
obtain a full understanding of the family's history (which must involve reading Children's Social Care records, including those relating to other children who have been part of any households including the current carers of the child - additional information should be obtained from relevant other agencies and local authorities)
complete the Child and Family Assessment of the child and family (if not previously completed), securing contributions / information from Core Group members and any other agencies with relevant information
coordinate the contribution of family members and all agencies in putting the plan into action and reviewing the objectives stated in the plan
must maintain a complete and up-to-date signed record on the current electronic record.
If the matter is within Letter Before Proceedings (Public Law Outline) alongside a Child Protection Plan, the LBP minutes and plan must be shared within Core Groups and Review Child protection Conferences to ensure joined up planning for children.

Seeing the Child

ensure the child(ren) is/are seen at least every 10 working days by the Lead Social Worker. This visit should be normally carried out at the home where the child is living, however should also on occasion be carried out at a parent’s home if the child visits/stays there
there may be occasions where the child is seen in another setting such as school however this should not be the norm and is not classed as a statutory social work visit
at least every six weeks the lead social worker should have access to where the child sleeps.
if the Lead Social Worker has difficulty obtaining direct access to the child at home, the Children's Social Care line manager must be informed, as well as other Core Group members
for every visit/meeting including unplanned visits to children, every effort must be made to ensure that interpreters will be in attendance however, in the event an interpreter cannot attend, children or family members must not be used as interpreters

Absence of the Lead Social Worker

It is the responsibility of the Lead Social Worker, to ensure that clear cover arrangements are made when the Lead Social Worker is absent on planned annual leave, training etc.

Parents and child must be informed of planned absences of the Lead Social Worker, who will be covering the role and what contacts will be made.

Children's Social Care First Line Manager Role

The first line manager has a vital role in managing the progress of cases and supporting the Lead Social Worker. They should ensure any supervision and management case decisions are clearly visible and dated in the child’s record including; progress of the Child Protection Plan; ensuring there has been adequate direct contact with the child; oversee and countersign conference reports and the Child Protection Plan; review the plan when unexpected developments occur; attend all Conferences (or send a deputy) where necessary; confirm the visiting frequency of the Lead Social Worker and the frequency of Core Group meetings.

Children Subject to a Child Protection Plan who go Missing or are Absent

If a practitioner/agency becomes aware that a child who is subject to a Child Protection Plan has gone missing, or is absent from school/educational or day care settings, they should inform the Lead Social Worker immediately. If the child cannot be traced the Lead Social Worker should inform the senior Child Protection Manager and follow the Children and Families Missing from Home, Care or Education Practice Guidance [pdf document].

Death of a Child Subject to a Child Protection Plan – CDOP Procedures

When a child who is subject to a Child Protection Plan dies, from whatever cause, the lead Social Worker must inform the senior child protection manager, who will notify Darlington Safeguarding Partnership. Consideration will need to be given to the need for a Child Safeguarding Practice Review (CSPR). See Child Safeguarding Practice Review and Child Safeguarding incident Procedures [PDF Document].

Children Returning Home

There are three sets of circumstances where a child may return to live with their family but only in two of these do children cease to be looked after. This section covers circumstances where a child is no longer looked after, but a decision has been taken that local authority Children’s Social Care will continue to provide support and services to the family following reunification. See Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023) [external link].

Where the decision to return a child to the care of their family is planned, the local authority will have undertaken an assessment while the child is looked after – as part of the care planning process (under regulation 39 of the Care Planning Regulations 2010). This assessment will consider the suitability of the accommodation and maintenance arrangements for the child and consider what services and support the child (and their family) might need. The outcome of this assessment will be included in the child’s care plan. The decision to cease to look after a child will, in most cases, require approval under regulation 39 of The Care Planning, Placement and Case Reviews [England] Regulations 2015 [external link].

Where a child who is accommodated under section 20 returns home in an unplanned way, for example, the decision is not made as part of the care planning process but the parent removes the child or the child decides to leave, the local authority must consider whether there are any immediate concerns about the safety and well-being of the child. If there are concerns about a child’s immediate safety the local authority should take appropriate action, which could include enquiries under section 47 of the Children Act 1989.

Whether a child’s return to their family is planned or unplanned, there should be a clear plan that reflects current and previous assessments, focuses on outcomes and includes details of services and support required. These plans should follow the process for review as with any child in need and/or Child Protection Plan.

Action to be taken following reunification:

Practitioners should make the timeline and decision making process for providing ongoing services and support clear to the child and family.
When reviewing outcomes, children should, wherever possible, be seen alone. Practitioners have a duty to ascertain their wishes and feelings regarding the provision of services being delivered.
The impact of services and support should be monitored and recorded, and the help being delivered should be reviewed.

Child Protection Conference Complaints

Complaint Procedure-If child and/or parent/carer/ practitioner are not satisfied with one of the following aspects of a Child Protection Conference:

The process of the conference
The outcome, in terms of the category of primary concern at the time the child became subject of a Child Protection Plan
A decision for the child to become or continue or not to become the subject of a Child Protection Plan.

They should contact the Service Manager (Independent Review and Safeguarding Partnership) at Darlington Borough Council who will record their concern and make every attempt to resolve the situation and will respond within 10 working days. Whilst a complaint is being considered, the decision made by the conference stands.

Complaints about individual agencies, their performance and provision (or non-provision) of services should be responded to in accordance with the relevant agency's own complaints management processes.

If the child and/or parents/carer/practitioner is not satisfied with the response from the Service Manager (Independent Review and Safeguarding Partnership) the matter will be forwarded to the Statutory Safeguarding Partners/Independent Scrutineer of Darlington Safeguarding Partnership (DSP) together with a copy of the minutes/reports, record of action already taken and any other relevant information.

Upon receipt of a complaint the Statutory Safeguarding Partners/Independent Scrutineer will:

Write to the child and/or parent/carer/ practitioner or their advocate within five working days to confirm that the matter has been received.
Consider the documents relating to the matter within fifteen working days.
The Independent Scrutineer/Chair will give due consideration and take any remedial action necessary and provide the child/parent/carer or practitioner or their advocate a written response within thirty working days of the initial receipt.

After receipt of the response from the Statutory Safeguarding Partners/Independent Scrutineer the child/parent/carer/practitioner or their advocate may be dissatisfied with the outcome if so they should inform the Statutory Safeguarding Partners/Independent Scrutineer of their dissatisfaction in writing and an appeal subcommittee will be convened.

DSP will appoint an independent person to consider the merits of the matter and decide if there are grounds for convening an appeal subcommittee, it will be chaired by an independent person assisted by two members nominated by DSP who have not had any involvement with the case. The appeal subcommittee will meet within twenty working days of receipt of the written notification by the child/parent/carer/practitioner to the Statutory Safeguarding Partners/Independent Scrutineer. The appeal subcommittee will consider all of the documentation, conference minutes, reports, correspondence and other records.

The purpose of an appeal subcommittee will invite the child/parent/carer/practitioner and their advocate if necessary to attend a meeting of the appeal subcommittee where they will have the opportunity to address the specific matters that are the subject of the appeal. The appeal subcommittee will be able to seek clarification of specific issues from the child/parent/carer/practitioner. In addition the appeal subcommittee may also seek clarification from the Head of Review and Development on specific points relating to the subject of the appeal.

Following the meeting of the appeal subcommittee the child/parent/carer will be advised of the outcome within a further five working days. This will be the end of the appeal procedure but will not affect the child’s/parent’s/carer’s/ practitioner’s right to seek other forms of redress. The appeal subcommittee will report the outcome to Darlington Safeguarding Partnership.

If the child/parent/carer/ practitioner and their advocate are still unhappy with the outcome of the appeal they can refer to the Local Government Ombudsman [external link].