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Child protection conferences & plans
The following pages set out the requirements for different conferences. The purpose is always to bring together and analyse, in an inter-agency setting, all relevant information and plan how best to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child. It is the responsibility of the conference to make recommendations on how agencies work together to safeguard the child in future. Conference tasks include:
- appointing a lead social worker, who should be a qualified, experienced social worker and an employee of the Department;
- identifying membership of the core group of professionals and family members who will develop and implement the child protection plan;
- establishing timescales for meetings of the core group, production of a child protection plan and for child protection review meetings; and
- agreeing an outline child protection plan, with clear actions and timescales, including a clear sense of how much improvement is needed, by when, so that success can be judged clearly.
Participants
- The conference chair
- The social worker and manager
- Family members who have a significant role in the life of the child
- Other people with parental responsibility (consult with the family and chair if this is not right for this child)
- Children who are of sufficient age and understanding
- A supporter or advocate for the family and for the child
- Professionals most involved with the child and family
- Professionals with significant expertise about the particular concern (e.g. an expert in fabricated illness).
Professional observers (e.g. a social work student) can attend conferences only with the prior consent of the chair and the family. Observers must take no role in discussions or in decision-making.
If children are not attending the conference to be part of the discussion, the family must be advised to make alternative arrangements for child care as they often will distract the meeting.
Quoracy
Quoracy refers to the minimum number of agencies that should be present at a conference. This should be sufficient to enable safe decisions to be made, and ordinarily is a minimum of Social Care plus two other agencies or professional groups. If a conference is not quorate then the chair of the conference must decide how to proceed.
Location of conferences
The majority of Child Protection conferences are held at Perruque House, Rue de la Perruque, Castel. This is the same building where Children's Services senior management are based. Public transport to this location is difficult so it will be necessary for professionals to check that parents/carers are able to find their way to the building.
To book a Child Protection conference please contact Helen Le Tocq, who is the Personal Assistant for Child Protection her email is: Helen.LeTocq@gov.gg
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Involvement of children and family
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Exclusion of family members
As discussed in the section on involvement of children and family, all attempts should be made to ensure that relevant people can attend the conference and make their contribution. In exceptional circumstances it may necessary to exclude one or more family members, however even if excluded it is important that they have the right to have their views expressed in the meeting.
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If parents / children choose not to attend
If parents or children do not wish to attend the conference this must be respected. However they must still be provided with full opportunities to contribute their views.
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Reports to Conference
Decision making at a child protection conference should be well-informed and evidence based. Written reports are therefore key to ensuring that all of the known information is presented in an accessible manner with a clear analysis of what the significance of the information is, as well as ensuring that key information does not get lost.
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Chairing Conferences
The Chair of the conference has an important role in ensuring that all relevant information is available to the conference and that decisions are made about how the case should proceed. They also need to ensure that all participants have the chance to make their views known through constructive participation whilst keeping the welfare of the child paramount.
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Complaints about conferences
Participants in conferences may have concerns about the way in which a conference has run or the outcome. There are therefore processes to follow should a participant wish to make representations or complain.
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Child Protection Plans
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Initial Child Protection Case Conferences (ICPCC)
A child protection conference is about bringing the family and professionals working with them together to consider the concerns in detail and develop a plan about how to reduce the concerns that are present, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child(ren).
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Review Conferences (RCPC)
A review conference is about bringing the family and professionals working with them back together to review progress to date and how the plan is working, with a view to continuing to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child(ren).
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