8. Child protection conferences

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8.1	Initial child protection conference
	8.1.1	Purpose of initial conference
	8.1.2	Convening an initial conference
	8.1.7	Timing of initial child protection conference
8.2	Child protection review conference
	8.2.1	Purpose of review conference
	8.2.9	Timing of review conference
	8.2.12	Review conference quorum
8.3	Looked after children and child protection conferences
	8.3.1	Looked after children with child protection plans
	8.3.6	Children with child protection plans who become looked after
	8.3.13	Review conferences
8.4	Membership of child protection conference
	8.4.7	Location, timing and safety for conferences
	8.4.9	Quorate conferences
8.5	Involving children and family members
	8.5.3	Involving parents
	8.5.14	Involving children
	8.5.17	Criteria for presence of child at conference
	8.5.25	Direct contributions of a child in a conference
	8.5.30	Indirect contributions when a child is not attending
8.6	Exclusion of family members from a conference
8.7	The absence of parents and / or children
8.8	Information for the conference
	8.8.2	LA children's social care report
	8.8.15	Information from other agencies
	8.8.22	Information from children and families
8.9	Chairing the conference
	8.9.1	Conference Chair
	8.9.4	Chair's responsibilities
8.10	Protection plan
	8.10.1	Threshold for a child protection plan
	8.10.4	Decision that a child needs a child protection plan
	8.10.13	Discontinuing a child protection plan
8.11	Outline protection plan
8.12	Child does not require a protection plan
8.13	Dissent from the conference decision
8.14	Pre-birth conference
	8.14.1	Purpose
	8.14.6	Timing of the conference
	8.14.8	Attendance
	8.14.10	Pre-birth child protection plan
	8.14.12	Timing of review conference
8.15	Children who are subject of a child protection plan living in another borough
8.16	Administrative arrangements for child protection conferences
	8.16.14	Decision letter
	8.16.15	Managing and providing information about a child
	8.16.20	Request for a change of worker
8.17	Complaints by service users
	8.17.6	Reconvened conference
	8.17.8	Further challenge

8.1	Initial child protection conference

Purpose of initial conference
8.1.1	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 s47 enquiry. Its purpose is to: Bring together and analyse, in an multi-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 and taking into account the child's present situation and information about his or her family history and present and past family functioning, 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 in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child, including the child becoming the subject of a child protection plan, what the planned developmental outcomes are for the child and how best to intervene to achieve these; Allocate a key worker from LA 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.
Convening initial conference
8.1.2	An initial child protection conference must be convened when it is believed that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. See section 8.14. Pre-birth conference.
8.1.3	The conference must consider all the children in the household, even if concerns are only being expressed about one child.
8.1.4	For all cases going to conference there should have been a strategy meeting / discussion and a referral to the police.
8.1.5	The LA children's social care 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 s47 enquiry) must be recorded.
8.1.6	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 conflict resolution procedures in section 18. LSCBs, quality assurance and conflict resolution should be followed.
Timing of initial child protection conference
8.1.7	The initial child protection conference should take place within 15 working days of: The strategy meeting / discussion, or the strategy meeting / discussion at which the section 47 enquiries were initiated 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 borough.
8.1.8	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.
8.1.9	Where a child assessment order has been made, the conference should be held immediately on conclusion of examinations and assessments.
8.1.10	Where there is delay, this must be reported to the LA children's social care manager (including reasons for the delay) and LA children's social care must ensure risks of harm to the child are monitored and action taken to safeguard the child.

8.2	Child protection review conference

Purpose of review conference
8.2.1	The purpose of the child protection review conference is to: Review whether the child is continuing to suffer, or is likely to suffer, significant harm and their health and developmental progress against planned outcomes set out in the child protection plan; Ensure that the child continues to be safeguarded from harm; and Consider whether the child protection plan should continue or should be changed.
8.2.2	Every review should consider explicitly whether the child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm and hence continues to require safeguarding from harm through adherence to a formal child protection plan. If not, then the child should no longer be the subject of a child protection plan. If the child is considered to be suffering significant harm, the local authority should consider whether to initiate family court proceedings. For further guidance see Volume 1 of the Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations, Court Orders 96.
8.2.3	The review conference requires as much preparation, commitment and management as the initial child protection conference. The same decision-making and other procedures should be used to reach a judgement on continuing to have a child protection plan as is used at the initial child protection conference.
8.2.4	Thorough regular review is critical to achieving the best possible outcomes for the child and includes: Sharing and analysing up-to-date information about the child's health, development and functioning and the parent's capacity to ensure and promote the child's welfare; Ensuring that the measures already in place to safeguard the child from harm are effective and in line with local arrangements; Making changes to the child protection plan (e.g. where a family is not co-operating); Deciding what action is required to safeguard the child if there are changes to the child's circumstances; Setting or re-setting desired outcomes and timescales; Seeking and taking into account the child's (possibly changed) wishes and feelings; Making judgements about the likelihood of the child suffering significant harm in the future; Deciding whether there is a need for a new core assessment.
8.2.5	The conference must consider all the children in the household, even if concerns are only being expressed about one child.
8.2.6	The core group has a collective responsibility to produce reports for the child protection review which together provide an overview of work undertaken by family members and professionals, and evaluate the impact on the child's welfare against the planned outcomes set out in the child protection plan. The content of the report to the child protection review conference should be consistent with the information set out in the Child Protection Review (DoH, 2002).
8.2.7	Every review should consider explicitly whether the child continues to be at risk of significant harm, and hence continues to require safeguarding from harm through adherence to a formal child protection plan.
8.2.8	If not, then the child should no longer be the subject of a child protection plan and the conference should consider what continuing support may benefit the child and family. See section 8.12. Child does not require a protection plan.
Timing of review conference
8.2.9	The first child protection review conference should be held within three months of the date of the initial child protection conference.
8.2.10	Further reviews should be held at intervals of not more than six months for as long as the child remains the subject of a child protection plan (unless the initial conference was a pre-birth conference - see section 8.14. Pre-birth conference).
8.2.11	Where necessary, reviews should be brought forward where / when: Child protection concerns relating to a new incident or allegation of abuse have been sustained; There are significant difficulties in carrying out the child protection plan; A child is to be born into the household of a child or children already subject of child protection plans; An adult or child who poses a risk to children (see section 1.6. Glossary) is to join, or commences regular contact with, the household; 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; A child subject of a child protection plan is also looked after by the local authority and consideration is being given to returning them to the circumstances where care of the child previously aroused concerns (unless this step is anticipated in the existing child protection plan); The core group believe that an early cancellation of the need for a child protection plan should be considered.
Review conference quorum
8.2.12	As a minimum quorum, at every review conference there should be attendance by local authority children's social care and at least two other professional groups or agencies, which have had direct contact with the child who is the subject of the conference. In addition, attendees may also include those whose contribution relates to their professional expertise or responsibility for relevant services. In exceptional cases, where a child has not had relevant contact with three agencies (that is, local authority children's social care and two others), this minimum quorum may be breached.

8.3	Looked after children and child protection conferences

Looked after children with child protection plans
8.3.1	Where a child has suffered, or is likely to suffer, significant harm in the future it is the local authority's duty to decide whether to initiate legal action e.g. care proceedings. Where a child who is the subject of a child protection plan becomes looked after by the local authority, the child protection plan should form part of the looked after child's overarching care plan.
8.3.2	Children who are already looked after will not usually be the subject of child protection conferences, though they may be the subject of a s47 enquiry. The circumstances in which a child who is looked after may be subject to a child protection plan or be considered for a child protection conference would be: A child who is the subject of an interim care order who remains at home pending the outcome of the final family court proceedings hearing; A child subject to a care order who is to be returned to their birth family / returned home; A child looked after under s20 of the Children Act 1989 who has been or is about to be returned to a parent's care about whom there are concerns in terms of safeguarding the child's welfare; and A child who's behaviour is likely to result in significant harm to themselves or others e.g. a child who presents a risk of sexual abuse or other harmful behaviour to other children or adults.
8.3.3	If it is proposed that a child subject to a care order should be returned to their birth family / returned home, the members of the looked after child care review (child care review) considering the proposal for rehabilitation must decide and record whether an initial child protection conference should be convened. If the decision is that an initial child protection conference should be convened, the child's social worker must request it.
8.3.4	If a child is made subject to an interim care order as a result of proceedings commenced whilst the child is subject to a s47 enquiry, there should be consideration of whether the child should be the subject of an initial child protection conference. If the decision is not to convene an initial child protection conference, the issue of the child's safety must be considered at every child care review until the final hearing and the Chair must record whether an initial child protection conference is necessary and what steps have been taken to ensure the child is protected from significant harm.
8.3.5	If a parent removes or proposes to remove a child looked after under s20 from the care of the local authority and there are serious concerns about that parent's capacity to provide for the child's needs and protect them from significant harm, the LA social worker must discuss the case with the LA manager and make a decision about whether a child protection enquiry should be initiated. If a child protection enquiry is initiated, the reasons for this must be clearly recorded on the child's record and may lead to an initial child protection conference. In such circumstances, the LA social worker and manager should consider whether legal action is required to protect the child.
Children with child protection plans who become looked after
8.3.6	When a child who is subject of a child protection plan becomes looked after, there must be a careful assessment of the risk of significant harm.
8.3.7	If a child subject of a child protection plan becomes looked after under s20, their legal situation is not permanently secure and the next child protection review conference should consider the child's safety in the light of the possibility that the parent can simply request their removal from the local authority's care. The child protection review conference must be sure that the looked after child care plan provides adequate security for the child and sufficiently reduces or eliminates the risk of significant harm identified by the initial child protection conference.
8.3.8	If a child ceases to be subject of a child protection plan as a result of a decision at a child protection review conference, and the parent then unexpectedly requests the return of the child from the local authority's care, the LA social worker and manager should discuss the need for an initial child protection conference. The social worker must record the reasons for the decision whether or not to hold a conference. If the decision is not to convene an initial child protection conference, the LA social worker and manager must record their core assessment analysis of the factors that have reduced or removed the risk of significant harm.
8.3.9	If a child who is subject of a child protection plan becomes the subject of an emergency protection order, the next child protection review conference should consider their safety.
8.3.10	The child protection review conference must decide whether the looked after child care plan provides adequate security for the child and reduces sufficiently or eliminates the risk of significant harm identified by the initial child protection conference. If the child protection review conference believes the child's circumstances provide sufficient protection from the risk of significant harm, the conference may decide that the child no longer needs to be subject of a child protection plan.
8.3.11	If a court grants a care order in respect of a child who is subject of a child protection plan, the subsequent child protection review conference must make an assessment about the security of the child, considering issues such as contact and the looked after care plan for the child. If the care plan for the child involves remaining in or returning to the family of origin, the child protection review conference should give careful consideration to whether the child can be adequately protected through the framework of the child care reviews.
8.3.12	When there is a considerable delay until the date of the next child protection review conference, this can be brought forward to consider a proposal that a child should cease to be subject of a child protection plan.
Review conferences
8.3.13	Where a looked after child remains the subject of a child protection plan there must be a single plan and a single planning and reviewing process, led by the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO). This means that the timing of the review of the child protection aspects of the care plan under the requirements of these London Child Protection Procedures should be the same as the review under the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 and the accompanying statutory guidance Putting Care into Practice. This will ensure that up to date information in relation to the child's welfare and safety is considered within the review meeting and informs the overall care planning process.
8.3.14	Consideration should be given to whether the criteria continue to be met for the child to remain the subject of a child protection plan. Significant changes to the care plan should only be made following the looked after child's review.
8.3.15	Significant changes to the care plan can only be made at the looked after children review meeting.
8.3.16	Consideration should be given to the IRO chairing the child protection conference where a looked after child remains the subject of a child protection plan despite there being: Different requirements for independence of the IRO function compared to the chair of the child protection conference; and A requirement for the child protection conference to be a multi-agency forum while children for the most part want as few external people as possible at a review meeting where they are present.
8.3.17	This should be decided on an individual case basis and managed to ensure that the independence of the independent reviewing officer is not compromised. Where it is not possible for the IRO to chair the child protection conference the IRO will attend the child protection review conference.

8.4	Membership of child protection conference

8.4.1	A conference should consist of only those people who have a significant contribution to make due to their knowledge of the child and family or their expertise relevant to the case. This is likely to include: The child or their representative; Parents and those with parental responsibility; Family members (including the wider family); Foster carers (current or former); Residential care staff; LA children's social care staff who have led and been involved in an assessment of the child and family (social worker and their first line manager); Professionals involved with the child (e.g. health visitor, school nurse, paediatrician, GP, NHS Direct, school staff, early years staff, education welfare officers, Connexions staff); Professionals with expertise in the particular type of harm suffered by the child or in the child's particular condition (e.g. a disability or long term illness); Those involved in investigations (e.g. the police); Involved third sector organisations; A professional who is independent of operational or line management responsibilities for the case as Chair. The status of the Chair should be sufficient to ensure multi-agency commitment to the conference and the child protection plan; Standing members, if applicable.
8.4.2	Additional invitations to conference should be provided to all professionals with a need to know or who have a contribution to the task involved. These may include: Local authority legal services (child protection), if it is anticipated that legal advice will be required; The child/ren's guardian where there are current court proceedings; Professionals involved with the parents or other family members (e.g. family support services, adult mental health services, probation, the GP, NHS Direct); Midwifery services where the conference concerns an unborn or new-born child (see section 8.14. Pre-birth conference); Probation or the Youth Offending Team; Local authority housing services; Domestic violence adviser; Alcohol and substance abuse services; A representative of the armed services, in cases where there is a service connection; Any other relevant professional or service provider; A supporter / advocate for the child and/or parents (e.g. a friend or solicitor); solicitors must comply with the Law Society guidance Attendance of Solicitors at Child Protection Conferences, 1997. See also the National Standards for the Provision of Children's Advocacy Services, 2002 DoH, and the Protocol for Advice and Advocacy for Parents (Child Protection), 2002 - [Bridget Lindley, andamp and Martin Richards, Centre for Family Research, University of Cambridge] which outlines ethical and practice issues when advocates become involved in helping parents.
8.4.3	A professional observer can only attend with the prior consent of the Chair and the family, and must not take part in discussions or decision-making.
8.4.4	Professionals who are invited but unable to attend for unavoidable reasons should: Inform the conference administrator; Submit a written report; and Arrange for a well-briefed agency representative to attend and speak to the report
8.4.5	Babies and young children should not normally be permitted to enter the conference room as they will cause distraction from the business-like nature of the meeting. Parents should be assisted to make arrangements for their care where necessary.
8.4.6	Agencies are expected to share information about the child and family in written form, prior to the conference, whether or not they are able to attend the conference. See section 8.8. Information for conference.
Location, timing and safety for conferences
8.4.7	The location and timing of the conference should be planned to ensure maximum attendance from the most critical attendees. Conferences should not be scheduled for times when parents will be busy looking after children at home (e.g. after the end of the school day). Wherever possible, LA children's social care should provide parents with the opportunity to utilise appropriate day care for their children to enable their attendance at the conference.
8.4.8	LA children's social care is responsible for taking into account health and safety issues and security arrangements when planning each conference. See also section 8.6. Exclusion of family members from a conference.
Quorate conferences
8.4.9	The primary principle for determining quoracy is that there should be sufficient agencies present to enable safe decisions to be made in the individual circumstances.
8.4.10	The minimum representation is LA children's social care and at least two professional groups or other agencies who have had direct contact with the child who is the subject of the conference. In this context, a school is a separate agency from the rest of the local authority's children's services. The local authority should provide a representative each for LA children's social care and the school.
8.4.11	Attendees whose contribution relates to their professional expertise or responsibility for relevant services are not counted in determining quoracy.
8.4.12	Where a conference is inquorate it should not ordinarily proceed, and in such circumstances the Chair must ensure that either: An interim protection plan is produced; or The existing plan is reviewed with the professionals and the family members that do attend, so as to safeguard the welfare of the child/ren.
8.4.13	Another early conference date must be set immediately.
8.4.14	In exceptional circumstances, the Chair may decide to proceed with the conference despite lack of agency representation. This would be relevant where: A child has not had relevant contact with three agencies (e.g. pre-birth conferences); Sufficient information is available; and A delay will be detrimental to the child.
8.4.15	Where an inquorate conference is held, an early review conference should be arranged.

8.5	Involving child/ren and family members

8.5.1	It is important that the principles of partnership with children and parents are maintained in the child protection process. The following are minimum requirements for all attendees of the conference and the responsibility of the Chair of the conference to uphold: Treat all family members with dignity and respect and offer a caring and courteous service; Ensure family members know the child's safety and welfare have priority; Minimise infringement of privacy consistent with protecting the child; Be clear about powers and purpose of any intervention; Be aware of the impact on the family of professional actions; Respect confidentiality and pass on information / observations about the family only with permission or to protect the child; Listen to and try to understand the concerns, wishes and feelings of the child and family before formulating explanations and plans; Learn about the child's religious, cultural, community and familial context; Consider strengths, potential and limitations of family members; Ensure all family members know their responsibilities and rights with respect to receipt or refusal of services and its consequences; Use simple jargon-free language appropriate to age and culture of each individual; Be open and honest about concerns and professionals' responsibilities, plans and limitations; Allow individuals time to absorb professional concerns and processes; Distinguish between personal feelings, values, prejudices and beliefs, and professional roles and responsibilities and seek and use supervision to check achievement of this; Always acknowledge errors, failures or oversights and the distress caused to families.
8.5.2	Explicit consideration should be given to the potential for conflict between family members and possible need for children or adults to speak without other family members present.
Involving parents
8.5.3	All parents and carers must be invited to conferences (unless exclusion is justified as described below).
8.5.4	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.
8.5.5	The social worker must explain to parents the purpose of the meeting, who will attend, the way in which it will operate and the complaints process.
8.5.6	Preparation should include consideration of childcare arrangements to enable the attendance of parent/s.
8.5.7	Written information should be left with the family regarding conferences, the right to bring a friend, supporter (including an advocate) or solicitor (in role of supporter), details of any local advice and advocacy services and the conference complaints procedure.
8.5.8	The role of the supporter is to enable the parent to put their point of view, not to take an adversarial position or cross-examine participants.
8.5.9	Those for whom English is not a first language must be offered and provided with an interpreter, if required. A family member should not be expected to act as an interpreter of spoken or signed language. See section 5.50. Working with interpreters / communications facilitators.
8.5.10	Provision should be made to ensure that visually or hearing impaired or otherwise disabled parents are enabled to participate.
8.5.11	If parents feel unable to attend the conference, alternative means should be provided for them to communicate with the Chair of the conference. This might include providing the parent with independent assistance for views to be written or recorded for the conference or encouraging a parent to appoint a professional advocate or solicitor to attend on their behalf.
8.5.12	Prior to the conference, the Chair should meet with any family members to ensure they understand the process. This may, where the potential for conflict exists, involve separate meetings with the different parties.
8.5.13	Exceptionally, it may be necessary to exclude one or more family members from a conference, in whole or in part. Where a parent attends only part of a conference as a result of exclusion, they must receive the record of the conference. The Chair should decide if the entire record is provided or only that part attended by the excluded parent (see section 8.6. Exclusion of family members from a conference).
Involving children
8.5.14	The child, subject to their level of understanding, needs to be given the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the conference.
8.5.15	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.
8.5.16	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 their 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, including direct involvement
8.5.17	The primary questions to be addressed are: Does the child have sufficient understanding of the process? Have they expressed an explicit or implicit wish to be involved? What are the parents' views about the child's proposed presence? Is inclusion assessed to be of benefit to the child?
8.5.18	The test of 'sufficient understanding' is partly a function of age and partly the child's capacity to understand. The following approach is recommended: A (rebuttable) presumption that a child of less than twelve years of age is unlikely to be able to be a direct and/or full participant in a forum such as a child protection conference; A presumption (also rebuttable by evidence to the contrary) that from the age of twelve and over, a child should be offered such an opportunity.
8.5.19	In order to establish their wishes with respect to attendance, the child must first be provided with a full and clear explanation of purpose, conduct and membership of the conference and potential provision of an advocate or support person.
8.5.20	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.
8.5.21	A declared wish not to attend a conference (having been given such an explanation) must be respected.
8.5.22	Consideration should be given to the views of and impact on parent/s of their child's proposed attendance.
8.5.23	Consideration must be given to the impact of the conference on the child (e.g. 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). Consideration must be given in particular to the extent to which it is appropriate for a child to hear details of a parent's personal difficulties and a parent's view about this must be respected.
8.5.24	In such cases, energy and resources should be directed toward ensuring that, by means of an advocate and / or preparatory work by a social worker, the child's wishes and feelings are effectively represented.
Direct involvement of a child in a conference
8.5.25	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 or parents and / or siblings; The child should be present with one or more of their parents; The Chair meets the child alone or with a parent prior to the meeting.
8.5.26	If a child attends all or part of the conference, it is essential that they are prepared by the social worker or independent advocate who can help them prepare a report or rehearse any particular points that the child wishes to make.
8.5.27	Those for whom English is not a first language should be offered and provided with an interpreter. A family member should not be expected to act as an interpreter of spoken or signed language. See section 5.50. Working with interpreters / communications facilitators.
8.5.28	Provision should be made to ensure that a child who has any form of disability is enabled to participate.
8.5.29	Consideration should be given to enabling the child to be accompanied by a supporter or an advocate.
Indirect contributions when a child is not attending
8.5.30	Indirect contributions from a child should, whenever possible, include a pre-meeting with the conference Chair.
8.5.31	Other indirect methods include written statements, e-mails, text messages and taped comments prepared alone or with independent support, and representation via an advocate.
8.5.32	Childcare professionals should all be able to represent a child's views and a particular responsibility falls upon the social worker to do so. It is more important that the child feels involved in the whole process of child protection assessment rather than merely receiving an invitation to the conference.

8.6	Exclusion of family members from a conference

8.6.1	Exceptionally, it may be necessary to exclude one or more family members from part or all of a conference.
8.6.2	These situations will be rare and the conference Chair, or other participants, must be notified as soon as possible by the social worker if it is considered necessary to exclude one or both parents for all or part of a conference. The Chair should make a decision according to the following criteria: Indications that the presence of the parent may seriously prejudice the welfare of the child; Sufficient evidence that a parent may behave in such a way as to interfere seriously with the work of the conference such as violence, threats of violence, racist or other forms of discriminatory or oppressive behaviour, or being in an unfit state (e.g. through drug, alcohol consumption or acute mental health difficulty). In their absence, a friend or advocate may represent them at the conference; A child requests that the parent / person with parental responsibility is not present while they are present; The presence of one or both parents would prevent a professional from making their proper contribution through concerns about violence or intimidation (which should be communicated in advance to the conference Chair). The need (agreed in advance with the conference Chair) for members to receive confidential information that would otherwise be unavailable, such as legal advice or information about a criminal investigation; Conflicts between different family members who may not be able to attend at the same time (e.g. in situations of domestic violence).
8.6.3	Where a worker from any agency believes a parent should, on the basis of the above criteria, be excluded, representation must be made, if possible at least three working days in advance, to the Chair of the conference.
8.6.4	The agency concerned must indicate which of the grounds it believes is met and the information or evidence on which the request is based. The Chair must consider the representation carefully and may need legal advice.
8.6.5	If, in planning a conference, it becomes clear to the Chair that there may be a conflict of interest between the children and the parents, the conference should be planned so that the welfare of the child can remain paramount.
8.6.6	This may mean arranging for the child and parents to participate in separate parts of the conference and make separate waiting arrangements.
8.6.7	Any exclusion period should be for the minimum duration necessary and must be clearly recorded in the conference record.
8.6.8	It may also become clear 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.
8.6.9	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 representative can fully present their information and views and also that the parents participate as fully as circumstances allow. This might mean that if the police representative is a police officer they may be asked to leave a conference after providing information. It is not appropriate for a police officer to administer a caution to parents prior to the conference; the purpose of the conference is to enable analysis and not to progress a criminal investigation.
8.6.10	The decision of the Chair over matters of exclusion is final regarding both parents and the child/ren.
8.6.11	If, prior to the conference, the Chair has decided to exclude a parent, this must be communicated in writing with information on how they may make their views known, how they will be told the outcome of the conference and about the complaints procedure. See section 8.17. Complaints by service users.
8.6.12	Those excluded should be provided with a copy of the social worker's report to the conference and be provided with the opportunity to have their views recorded and presented to the conference. The Chair will determine whether or not the excluded parent should receive the record of the conference.
8.6.13	If a decision to exclude a parent is made, this must be fully recorded in the record. Exclusion at one conference is not reason enough in itself for exclusion at further conferences.

8.7	The absence of parents and / or children

8.7.1	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: 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 professional, expresses their views.

8.8	Information for the conference

8.8.1	In order for the conference to reach well-informed decisions based on evidence, it needs adequate preparation and sharing of information on the child/ren's needs and circumstances by all agencies who have had significant involvement with the child and family, including those who were involved in the s47 enquiry.
LA children's social care report
8.8.2	LA children's social care should provide the conference with a written report that summarises and analyses the information obtained in the course of the initial assessment and the core assessment undertaken under s47 of the Children Act 1989 (in as far as it has been completed within the available time period) and information in existing records relating to the child and family.
8.8.3	The report for a child protection conference should be consistent with the information set out in the Initial Child Protection Conference Report (DoH, 2002) and local procedures.
8.8.4	Where decisions are being made about more than one child in a family the report should consider the safeguarding needs of each child.
8.8.5	The core assessment is the means by which a s47 enquiry is carried out. Although a core assessment will have been commenced, it is unlikely it will have been completed in time for the conference, given the 35 working day period that such assessments can take.
8.8.5	The conference report should include information on the dates the child was seen by the lead social worker during the course of the section 47 enquiries, if the child was seen alone and if not, who was present and for what reasons.
8.8.6	The LA children's social care child protection conference report should include: The reason for convening the conference; A chronology of significant events and agency and professional contact with the child and family; Information on the child's current and past state of developmental needs; Information on the capacity of the parents and other family members to ensure the child is safe from harm and to respond to the child's developmental needs, within their wider family and environmental context; 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 to reach a judgement on whether the child is suffering, or 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 parenting strengths and difficulties are affecting each other family and environmental factors are affecting each other 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 family and environmental factors are impacting on parenting and/or the child directly; and The local authority's recommendation to the conference.
8.8.7	The report should make clear which children are the subject of the conference, as previously decided by the LA children's social worker and his/her manager.
8.8.8	The report should include information on the dates the child was seen by the lead social worker during the course of the section 47 enquiries, if the child was seen alone and if not, who was present and for what reasons.
8.8.9	The report must make clear the distinction between fact, observation, allegation and opinion. When information is provided from another source (i.e. it is second or third hand), this should be made clear.
8.8.10	All children in the household need to be considered and information must be provided about the needs and circumstances of each of them, even if they are not the subject of the conference.
8.8.11	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 the initial conferences and a minimum of five working days before review conferences to enable any factual errors to be corrected and the family to comment on the content.
8.8.12	The contents of the report should be explained and discussed with the child and relevant family members, in the preferred format (for younger children and those with special needs) and language/s of the child and family members. A family member should not be expected to act as an interpreter of spoken or signed language. See section 5.50. Working with interpreters / communications facilitators. Where necessary, the reports should be translated into the relevant language or medium.
8.8.13	The report should be available to the conference Chair at least one working day prior to the initial conference and five working days in advance of the review conference.
8.8.14	The report will be attached to (or subsumed in full into) the record of the conference for circulation to those invited to the conference.
Information from other agencies
8.8.15	All the agencies invited to the conference should provide details of their involvement with the family and their assessment of the situation.
8.8.16	This information should be submitted in a written, legible and signed report for the conference. The report should be available to the conference Chair and other attendees two working days in advance of the conference and five working days for a review conference. All agencies should have a conference report proforma, approved by the Local Safeguarding Children Board.
8.8.17	The report must make clear which child/ren are the subject of the conference, whilst also addressing any known needs and circumstances of all children in the household.
8.8.18	The report must make clear the distinction between fact, observation, allegation and opinion. When information is provided from another source (i.e. it is second or third hand), this should be made clear.
8.8.19	For agencies in contact with the family, the report should be shared with the family before the conference in the same way as described for LA children's social care in sections 8.8.9 and 8.8.10 above.
8.8.20	The reports will be attached to, or subsumed within, the record for circulation. Police reports must not be circulated with minutes, they must be collected at the end of the meeting.
8.8.21	Where any agency representatives are unable to attend the conference, they must ensure that a written report is made available to the conference and, where possible, that a colleague attends in their place.
Information from children and families
8.8.22	Children and family members should be helped in advance to consider what they wish to convey to the conference, how they wish to do so and what help and support they will require (e.g. they may choose to communicate in writing, by tape or with the help of an advocate).
8.8.23	Families may need to be reminded that submissions need to be sufficiently succinct to allow proper consideration within the time constraints of the child protection conference. See section 8.5. Involving child/ren and family members.

8.9	Chairing the conference

Conference Chair
8.9.1	The Chair of a child protection conference will be a LA children's social care manager or an independent Chair, accountable to the Director of Children's Services. They must not have or have had operational or line management responsibility for the case.
8.9.2	The status of the Chair should be sufficient to ensure multi-agency commitment to the conference and the child protection plan. Wherever possible, the same person should also chair subsequent child protection reviews in respect of a specific child.
8.9.3	A conference Chair should be trained in the role and should have: A good understanding and professional knowledge of children's welfare and development and best practice in working with children and families; The ability to look objectively at, and assess the implications of, the evidence on which judgements should be based; Skills in chairing meetings in a way which encourages constructive participation, while maintaining a clear focus on the welfare of the child and the decisions which have to be taken; Knowledge and understanding of anti-discriminatory practice; Knowledge of relevant legislation, including that relating to children's services and human rights.
Chair's responsibilities
8.9.4	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.
8.9.5	At the start of the conference the Chair should: Set out the purpose of the conference; Confirm the agenda; Emphasise the need for confidentiality; Address equal opportunities issues and ensure necessary interpreters are present (e.g. specifying that racist, homophobic and threatening behaviour will not be tolerated); Clarify the contributions of those present, including supporters / advocates of the family.
8.9.6	During the conference the Chair should ensure that: They summarise the risk of harm to the child and what needs to change; Consideration is given to the needs and circumstances of all the children in the household; All those present, including the parents and child/ren, are enabled to make a full contribution and that full consideration is given to the information they present; Information from the reports of those not present is made known to the conference (the reports should have been circulated before the conference); 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; Appropriate arrangements are made for those attending only part of the conference; The conference reaches decisions in an informed, systematic and explicit way; Consideration is given to the issue of criminal injury compensation, if appropriate (see section 5.46. Criminal injuries compensation); All concerned are advised / reminded of the LA children's social care complaints procedure; Ensure that arrangements are made with the LA children's social worker for absent child/ren and/or parents to be informed of the decisions of conferences.
8.9.7	If a decision is made that a child requires a protection plan to safeguard their welfare, the Chair should ensure that: They summarise and state the risks to the child and specify what is needed to change; A qualified LA children's social worker is identified as a key worker to develop, co-ordinate and implement the child protection plan A core group is identified of family members and professionals; A date is set for the first core group meeting within ten working days of the initial conference and timescales set for subsequent meetings; A date for the child protection review conference is set; The outline child protection plan is formulated and clearly understood by all concerned including the parents and, where appropriate, the child (see section 8.11. Outline protection plan)
8.9.8	If the conference determines that a child does not need the specific assistance of a protection plan but does need help to promote their welfare, the Chair may ensure that the conference draws up a child in need plan or makes appropriate recommendations for a plan. See section 8.11. Outline protection plan.
8.9.9	The child protection plan should be reviewed at regular intervals of no more than every six months (initially three months).
8.9.10	The Chair is responsible for holding the conference in a timely manner - unless in exceptional circumstances, an initial conference should be no more than two hours and review conferences no more than one and a half hours.

8.10	Protection plan

Threshold for a child protection plan
8.10.1	The conference should consider the following question when determining whether a child requires an multi-agency protection plan: Is the child at continuing risk of significant harm?
8.10.2	The test is that either: The child can be shown to have suffered maltreatment or impairment of health or development as a result of neglect or physical, emotional or sexual abuse, and professional judgement is that further ill-treatment or impairment is likely; or A professional judgement, substantiated by the findings of enquiries in this individual case or by research evidence, predicts that the child is likely to suffer maltreatment or the impairment of health and development as a result of neglect or physical, emotional or sexual abuse.
8.10.3	If a child is at continuing risk of significant harm, then they will require multi-agency help and intervention delivered through a formal child protection plan.
8.10.4	The primary purposes of this plan are to: Prevent the child suffering harm or a recurrence of harm in the future; and Promote the child's welfare.
Decision that a child needs a child protection plan
8.10.4	In their decision making, the participants of the conference must take into account all the available evidence obtained through: Known family history, including previous contacts with relevant agencies; The initial assessment; The core assessment undertaken following the initiation of s47 enquiries; and Written and verbal contributions in the conference.
8.10.5	The decision making process must take account of the views of all agencies represented at the conference and will normally take place with parents present.
8.10.6	The Chair must ensure that the conference systematically elicits and records the views of each agency present or invited and the views of the parents and the child/ren, as appropriate.
8.10.7	The Chair must make the decision about whether to make the child subject to a formal child protection plan. In doing so the Chair must take into account the views of other professionals, but they are not bound by them. Any dissent must be recorded.
8.10.8	If parents disagree with the decision, the Chair must discuss the issue with them and explain their right to and the process for complaint. See section 8.17 Complaints by service users.
8.10.9	If a decision is taken that the child is at continuing risk of significant harm and hence in need of a child protection plan, the Chair should determine which category of abuse or neglect the child has suffered or is at risk of suffering. The category used (that is physical, emotional, sexual abuse or neglect, see section 4. Recognition and response for definitions) will indicate to those consulting the child's social care record the primary presenting concerns at the time the child became the subject of a child protection plan.
8.10.10	The need for a protection plan should be considered separately in respect of each child in the family or household.
8.10.11	Where a child is to be the subject of a child protection plan, the conference is responsible for recommendations on how agencies, professionals and the family should work together to ensure that the child will be safeguarded from harm in the future. This should enable both professionals and the family to understand exactly what is expected of them and what they can expect of others.
8.10.12	Specific tasks include the following: Appointing the lead statutory body (e.g. LA children's social care) and a key worker, who should be a qualified, experienced social worker and an employee of the lead statutory body; Identifying the membership of a core group of professionals and family members who will develop and implement the child protection plan as a detailed working tool; Establishing how the child, their parents (including all those with parental responsibility) and wider family members should be involved in the ongoing assessment, planning and implementation process, and the support, advice and advocacy available to them; Establishing timescales for meetings of the core group, production of a child protection plan, and for child protection review meetings; Identifying in outline what further action is required to complete the core assessment and what other specialist assessments of the child and family are required to make sound judgements on how best to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child; Outlining the child protection plan, especially identifying what needs to change in order to achieve the planned outcomes to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child; Ensuring a contingency plan is in place if agreed actions are not completed and/or circumstances change (for example, if a caregiver fails to achieve what has been agreed, a court application is not successful or a parent removes the child from a place of safety); Agreeing a date for the first child protection review conference and under what circumstances it might be necessary to convene the conference before that date.
Discontinuing a child protection plan
8.10.13	The conference should use the same decision-making process to reach a judgement for when a protection plan is no longer needed. This includes situations where other multi-agency planning might need to replace a protection plan.
8.10.14	A child may no longer need a protection plan if: A review conference judges that the child is no longer at risk of significant harm and no longer requires safeguarding by means of a child protection plan; The child has moved permanently to another local authority when a protection plan can only cease after the receiving authority has convened a transfer child protection conference (see section 11. Mobile children and families, 11.4 case responsibility) and confirmed in writing responsibility for case management; The child has reached eighteen years of age, has died or has been judged to have permanently left the UK, when their name can be removed.
8.10.15	It is permissible for the LA child protection manager to agree the discontinuing of a child protection plan without the need to convene a child protection review conference only when: One or other of the latter two criteria in section 8.10.14 above are satisfied; and The manager has consulted with relevant agencies present at the conference that first concluded that a child protection plan was required.
8.10.16	When the process carried out at section 8.10.15 is followed, the consultation with other agencies and the decision to discontinue the child protection plan must be clearly recorded in the LA children's social care child's record.
8.10.17	When a child is no longer subject of a child protection plan, notification should be sent, as a minimum, to the agencies' representatives who were invited to attend the initial conference that led to the plan.
8.10.18	When a child protection plan is discontinued, the key worker must discuss with the parents and child/ren what services might be wanted and required, based on the re-assessment of the needs of the child and family. A child in need plan should be developed for any continuing support. The plan should be reviewed at regular intervals of no more than every six months.

8.11	Outline protection plan

8.11.1	The Chair should ensure that an outline child protection plan is drawn up at initial and review conferences, following the decision that a child is likely to suffer significant harm without such a plan. It is the role of the initial child protection conference to formulate the outline child protection plan in as much detail as possible. The aim of the outline plan is to assist the core group to form a more detailed plan and ensure that it is implemented.
8.11.2	The outline plan should: Describe specific, achievable, child-focused outcomes intended to safeguard each child; Describe the types of services required by each child (including family support) to promote their welfare; Set a timescale for the completion of a core assessment, if appropriate; Identify any specialist assessments of each child and the family that may be required to ensure that sound judgements are being / can be made on how best to safeguard each child and promote their welfare; Clearly identify roles and responsibilities of professionals and family members, including the nature and frequency of contact by professionals with children and family members; Lay down points at which progress will be reviewed, the means by which progress will be judged and who will monitor this; Develop a robust contingency plan to respond if the family is unable to make the required changes and the child continues to be at risk of significant harm (e.g. recommend the consideration of legal action and the circumstances which would trigger this).

8.12	Child does not require a protection plan

8.12.1	If the conference decides that a child is not at continuing risk of significant harm (see sections 8.10.1 and 8.10.2 above) then the conference may not make the child the subject of a child protection plan. The child may nevertheless require services to promote his or her health or development. In these circumstances, the conference should consider the child's needs and make recommendations for further help to assist the family in responding to them.
8.12.2	The decision must be put in writing to the parent/s, and agencies as well as communicated to them verbally (use sections 4.33 and 4.36 of the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families).

8.13	Dissent from the conference decision

8.13.1	If an agency does not agree with a decision or recommendation made at a child protection conference, their dissent will be recorded in the record of the conference.
8.13.2	If a professional concludes that a conference decision places a child at risk of harm, they must seek advice from their named, designated or lead professional or manager.
8.13.3	The professional and their manager are responsible for ensuring that the issue is resolved before the child is exposed to further risk of significant harm. They should do this by making verbal and written representation to the conference Chair, and if this fails to resolve the issue then following the complaints procedure provided in section 18. LSCBs, quality assurance and conflict resolution.
8.13.4	If parents disagree with the conference decisions, the Chair must further discuss their concerns and explain the appeals procedure / complaints process. See section 8.17 Complaints by service users.

8.14	Pre-birth conference

Purpose
8.14.1	A pre-birth conference is an initial child protection conference concerning an unborn child. Such a conference has the same status and purpose and must be conducted in a comparable manner to an initial child protection conference. See section 8.1. Initial child protection conference.
8.14.2	Pre-birth conferences should always be convened where there is a need to consider if an multi-agency child protection plan is required. This decision will usually follow from a pre-birth assessment. See section 6.8. Pre-birth referral and assessment.
8.14.3	A pre-birth conference should be held where: A pre-birth assessment gives rise to concerns that an unborn child may be at risk of significant harm; A 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 that already has children who are subject of a child protection plan; An adult or child who is a risk to children resides in the household or is known to be a regular visitor.
8.14.4	Other risk factors to be considered are: The impact of parental risk factors such as mental ill health (see section 5.32), learning disabilities (see section 5.33), substance misuse (see section 5.34) and domestic violence (see section 5.12); A mother under 18 years of age about whom there are concerns regarding her ability to self-care and / or to care for the child.
8.14.5	All agencies involved with pregnant women should consider the need for an early referral to LA children's social care so that assessments are undertaken as early as possible in the pregnancy.
Timing of the conference
8.14.6	The pre-birth conference should take place as soon as practical and at least ten weeks before the due date of delivery, so as to allow as much time as possible for planning support for the baby and family; see section 8.14.12 Timing of review conference.
8.14.7	Where there is a known likelihood of a premature birth, the conference should be held earlier.
Attendance
8.14.8	Those who normally attend an initial child protection conference must be invited. In addition, representatives of the midwifery and relevant neo-natal services should also be invited.
8.14.9	Parents or carers should be invited as they would be to other child protection conferences and should be fully involved in plans for the child's future.
Pre-birth child protection plan
8.14.10	If a decision is made that the unborn child needs the safeguarding of a protection plan, this must be set out in terms that will commence prior to the birth of the baby.
8.14.11	The core group must be established and meet if at all possible prior to the birth, and definitely prior to the baby's return home after a hospital birth.
Timing of review conference
8.14.12	The first review conference should take place within one month of the child's birth or within three months of the date of the pre-birth conference, whichever is sooner.
8.14.13	LA children's social care undertaking or commissioning a post-natal assessment should ensure that the assessment is structured in such a way as to provide a comprehensive report to the review child protection conference.
8.14.14	In exceptional circumstances, the review conference date may be extended by a month with the written authorisation of a LA children's social care manager / child protection adviser if the review falls so soon after the birth that information from a post-natal assessment cannot be collated in time for the review conference. When this review is extended, care must be taken to ensure it is held within the three month time period.

8.15	Children who are subject of a child protection plan living in another borough

	See section 11. Mobile children and families.

8.16	Administrative arrangements for child protection conferences

8.16.1	LA children's social care is responsible for administering the child protection conference service.
8.16.2	Each Local Safeguarding Children Board must have clear arrangements for the organisation of child protection conferences including: Information on any standing conference members; Arrangements for sending out invitations, detailing those to be sent centrally and those by the social worker; Information leaflets for children and for parents translated into appropriate languages; Standard invitations to children, parents and professionals; Report formats for initial and review case conference.
8.16.3	All initial and review conferences should be minuted by a dedicated person whose sole task within the conference is to provide a written record of proceedings in a consistent format. Alternatively, an audiotape may be made by the LA children's social care for later transcriptions.
8.16.4	Conference records should include: The purpose of the conference; Name, date of birth and address of the subject/s of the conference, parents 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 open to parents or not; All the essential facts; Opinions of conference members, clearly identified as such; Views of child; Views of parents; A summary of discussion at the conference, accurately reflecting contributions made; All decisions reached (e.g. to make a child subject of a protection plan, category of abuse or neglect), with information outlining the reasons; An outline or revised child protection plan; Name of the lead social worker (i.e. the social worker who is the lead professional for the case); Members of the core group and date of first meeting; Date of next conference.
8.16.5	The conference record, signed by the conference Chair, should be sent to all those who attended or were invited to the conference within fifteen working days of the conference. Any amendments should be received within one week of receipt of record.
8.16.6	A copy of the conference record should be given to and discussed with the parents by the LA social worker. The conference Chair may decide that confidential material should be excluded from the parent's copy.
8.16.7	Where a friend, supporter or solicitor has been involved, the Chair should clarify with the parent whether a record should be provided for those individuals.
8.16.8	Relevant sections of the record should be explained to and discussed with the child by the LA children's social worker.
8.16.9	The conference Chair should decide whether a child should be given a copy of the record. The record may be supplied to a child's legal representative on request.
8.16.10	Where parents and / or the child/ren have a sensory disability or where English is not their first language, the LA social worker should ensure that they receive appropriate assistance to understand and make full use of the record. A family member should not be expected to act as an interpreter of spoken or signed language. See section 5.50. Working with interpreters / communications facilitators.
8.16.11	Conference records are confidential and should not be shared with third parties without the consent of either the conference Chair or order of the court.
8.16.12	In criminal proceedings the police may reveal the existence of child protection records to the Crown Prosecution Service, and in care proceedings the records of the conference may be revealed in the court.
8.16.13	The record of the decisions of the child protection conference should be retained by the recipient agencies in accordance with their record retention policies.
Decision letter
8.16.14	The outline plan, signed by the conference Chair, should be sent together with the decision letter, to all those who attended or were invited to the conference within one working day of the conference. This gives details of conference decisions and recommendations, the name of the key worker and details about the right to complain.
Managing and providing information about a child
8.16.15	Each local authority should designate an experienced social care manager who has responsibility for: Ensuring that records on children who are subject of a child protection plan are kept up to date; Ensuring enquiries about children about whom there are concerns or who are subject of child protection plans are recorded and considered in accordance with the Integrated Children's System requirements (DoH, 2002); Managing notifications of movements of children who are subject of a child protection plan, looked after children and other relevant children moving into or out of the local authority area; Managing notifications of people who may pose a risk of significant harm to children who are either identified within the local authority area or have moved into the local authority area; Managing requests for local authority checks to be made to ensure unsuitable people are prevented from working with children.
8.16.16	Information on each child known to LA children's social care should be kept up-to-date on the local authority's Integrated Children's System. This information should be confidential but accessible at all times to legitimate enquirers. The details of enquirers should always be checked and recorded on the system before information is provided.
8.16.17	The GP should retain child protection initial conference and review reports as part of the child's health record, where practicable. Ultimately, the individual GP, depending on their type of health recording system, must make the best judgement on how to incorporate this information into the child's health record.
8.16.18	If an enquiry is made about a child and: The child's case is open to LA children's social care, the enquirer should be given the name of the child's key worker and the key worker informed of this enquiry so that they can follow it up; The child is at the same address as a child who is the subject of a child protection plan, this information should be sent to the key worker of the child who is the subject of the child protection plan; The child is not known to LA children's social care, this enquiry should be recorded together with the advice given to the enquirer. In the event of there being a second enquiry about a child who is not known to children's social care, not only should the fact of the earlier enquiry be notified to the later enquirer, but the designated manager in LA children's social care should ensure that LA children's social care consider whether this is may be a child in need.
8.16.19	The Department for Education (DfE) / relevant Government department should be notified of the name of the designated manager and should be notified of any changes in designated managers.
Request for a change of worker
8.16.20	On occasion, the relationship between the parents or other family members and the key worker may not be productive in terms of working to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child/ren. Provided that such a change is in the best interests of the child who is the focus of concern, agencies should respond sympathetically to a request for a change of worker.

8.17	Complaints by service users

8.17.1	Parents and, on occasion, children, may have concerns about which they wish to make representations or complain, in respect of one or more of the following aspects of the functioning of child protection conferences: The process of the conference; The outcome, in terms of the fact of and/or the category of primary concern at the time the child became the subject of a child protection plan; A decision for the child to become, to continue or not to become, the subject of a child protection plan.
8.17.2	Complaints about aspects of the functioning of conferences described above should be addressed to the conference Chair. Such complaints should be passed on to the Chair's manager in LA children's social care and the local authority complaints manager.
8.17.3	Whilst a complaint is being considered, the decision made by the conference stands.
8.17.4	The outcome of a complaint will either be that a conference is re-convened under a different Chair, that a review conference is brought forward or that the status quo is confirmed along with a suitable explanation.
8.17.5	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 process.
Reconvened conference
8.17.6	The Chair of a reconvened child protection conference (either an initial or a review) must ensure that all those present have seen or are briefed at the conference about the decisions reached regarding the complaint.
8.17.7	A distinction must be made by the Chair between the need to discuss the conclusions of the panel and the task of the child protection conference, which is to consider the child/ren's current circumstances.
Further challenge
8.17.8	No further internal processes for complaint exist in those cases where it is concluded that all relevant processes were followed and that the decisions that were made were reasonable.
8.17.9	A complainant who nonetheless remains dissatisfied may wish to pursue their grievances via the Ombudsman or a Judicial Review.
8.17.10	In what is likely to be a very rare case, where a reconvened conference has been recommended and held and the complainant does not accept the outcome, it is possible that, at the discretion of the complaints manager in liaison with the child protection manager, any remaining and clearly specified concerns may be reviewed.

8. Child protection conferences

Contents

Purpose of initial conference

Convening initial conference

Timing of initial child protection conference

Purpose of review conference

Timing of review conference

Review conference quorum

Looked after children with child protection plans

Children with child protection plans who become looked after

Review conferences

Location, timing and safety for conferences

Quorate conferences

Involving parents

Involving children

Criteria for presence of child at conference, including direct involvement

Direct involvement of a child in a conference

Indirect contributions when a child is not attending

LA children's social care report

Information from other agencies

Information from children and families

Conference Chair

Chair's responsibilities

Threshold for a child protection plan

Decision that a child needs a child protection plan

Discontinuing a child protection plan

Purpose

Timing of the conference

Attendance

Pre-birth child protection plan

Timing of review conference

Decision letter

Managing and providing information about a child

Request for a change of worker

Reconvened conference

Further challenge