Purpose of Professional Challenge

The purpose of this policy is to:

• Provide a framework that encourages professional challenge in a constructive and non-threatening way
• Establish processes to ensure a culture of learning which promotes professional challenge is embedded across all agencies
• Ensure that staff in agencies are competent and confident in challenging practice in the interests of children or adult at ris

The following stages are likely to be involved:

• identification of area of disagreement
• recognition there is a disagreement over a significant issue in relation to the safety and wellbeing of a child, an adult at risk or a family member 
• identification of the problem
• possible cause of the problem
• what needs to be achieved in order for it to be resolved

At no time must professional disagreement detract from ensuring that a child or an adult at risk is safeguarded. 

Any unresolved issues should be escalated with due consideration to the safety and wellbeing of the individual. Every effort should be made to resolve the disagreement as quickly and openly as possible, within a time frame which clearly protects the child or the adult at risk, determined on a case-by-case basis. Effective inter-agency working depends on resolving disagreements to the satisfaction of practitioners and agencies and a belief in a genuine partnership. 

Each organisation within Darlington Safeguarding Partnership should have a procedure in place for dealing with concerns within the organisation and on occasions where concerns need to be raised with another organisation, practitioners should ensure this is escalated as soon as possible and that discussions are clearly recorded.