1.    The process

2.    What types of information will I be asked for?

3.    Initial assessment

4.    Strategy discussion

5.    Section 47 enquiry

6.    Child protection conference

7.    Pre-birth child protection conference

8.    When will a child come off the register or plan?

 Referral process flowchart

• discuss reasons for the concern with the referrer
• involve and discuss with appropriate professionals/agencies
• estbalish if a criminal offence has been committed and invole the police
• take into consideration, based on available information, whether there are concerns about the child's health or developments.
• look at a further enquiry, assessment or take immediate action if necessary 
• consider timescales and how best to undertake it.

Further information required after making the referral:

• make sure an accurate record is kept during the process, recording any actions taken not taken, reasons and any other details
• present your concerns in writing within 48 hours following your referral to your local Referral and Assessment team

2. What types of information will I be asked for?
The more detailed factual information that you can give about the child and the situation the quicker and more efficiently the relevant team can deal with the referral.
The ideal information would include: 

• full names and date of birth of the child, other famliy members or carers  
• address and contacts for parent
• ethnic origin, religion, and cultural background
• reasons for the referral outlining any injuries, allegations made, witnesses and dates/times/places/any distinct features
• any actions taken and people that have been contacted since the concern started
• details of any immediate or impending danger to the child.   

3. Initial assessment 
Initial assessment process flowchart
Once Social Services or the Police recieve a referral regarding suspected child abuse, they undergo an initial assessment of the case to decide the appropriate course of action and the following will be covered:

• child/young person's developmental needs
• child/young person's gender, race, culture, religion and sexual orientataion
• parents/carers capacity to meet the child's needs and other children within the household
• environmental and social factors that could impact on the child
• help of support services if required.

Parents and carers of the child should be informed of the referral. This should be avoided in cases where the parents/carers would place the child the referrer or any others at immediate risk.
Following this contact Children's Services will then make a decision about how and when the parents should be approached.



4. Strategy Discussion
 Strategy discussion flowchart
Depending on the nature of the child's situation the strategy discussion could take the form of a meeting or maybe a host of telephone calls. If the case is more complex several meetings or regular phone contact might be necessary.
If a meeting is the preffered option a central location will be identified where the key people can attend such as: 

• School, College or University
• Police station
• Council offices or children's social care premises
• Local Safeguarding Children Boards

The outcome of the strategy discussion is to decide whether a section 47 enquiry is suitable for this case and if so the core assessment framework should be followed and completed in conjunction with the Children Act 1989. 

What should be discussed as part of the strategy?  

• available information
• timings of any investigation
• is a core assessment under section 47 necessary
• plan the s47 including who will carry out actions, when and the purpose of action
• what information will be shared with the family
• will legal action be required?

Who should be involved?
The following maybe:  

• Children's Social Care, Police and maybe the child's parent/carer or education provider
• Health care team or medical consultant 
• a member of the local authority's legal team
• other professionals who have expertise in the field.

5. Section 47 enquiry
The core assessment framework is the hub by which a s47 is carried out. The assessment will identify the most important aspects of the childs needs.
The lead officer will take priority for completing the core assessment, this may involve liaising with the child again and possibly the childs parents, other family members and maybe other professionals.

Where the child is at risk or will be be at risk of continued harm, the next stage is to hold a child protection conference. The CPC should be held within 14 days of the strategy discussion.

6. Child protection conference
When a child protection conference is set, child protection officers, social workers and other agencies that have been involved will attend.
The child may be invited depending on whether they are deemed of sufficent age or understanding, members of the childs family may also be asked to attend. 

During the CPC a decision is taken whether the child should be the subject a child protection plan .
If a child is subject of a child protection plan, a review conference should be conducted within three months and then there should be a 6 monthly review.

A child protection plan should be prepared with a core stakeholder group taking responsiblity for monitoring the outcomes set in the plan. The plan should outline how Children Social Care will monitor the child's activities, if any changes are needed to reduce risk of harm for the child and if support will be offered to the family.

Being the subject of a child protection plan allows agencies to record and share feedback, so that the child and their family can gain maximum support in order to prevent any harm.

7. Pre-birth CPC
If there are concerns about an unborn child, the core assessment framework should be followed under the section 47 of the Children Act 1989 just the same as the normal Child Protection Conference. The involvement of the midwifery services and Children's Social Care are vital in these cases.

8. When will a child come off the register or plan
A child may cease to be the subject of a child protection plan if:

• the child protection review meeting conclude that the child is no longer in need of services
• the child is now 18 or over 
• the child has permanently left the uk
• the child and family have moved to a different local authority.