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Contents

Caption: contents table

	Purpose
	Criteria for Discontinuing the Child Protection Plan
	Frequency
	Reports
	Attendance
	Administration
	Outcomes
	Dissent from Review Conference Decision
	Minutes

Purpose

1. The purpose of a 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 remain in place or should be changed.
2. This is achieved by:
   • Ensuring that the measures put in place to safeguard the child continue to be effective and appropriate;
   • Considering the child's wishes and feelings;
   • Bringing together and analysing information about the child's health, development and functioning and the parent's capacity to ensure and promote the child's welfare;
   • Examining the current level of risk;
   • Determining the need for further assessment;
   • Checking that inter-agency co-ordination is functioning effectively;
   • Making judgments about the likelihood of the child suffering Significant Harm in the future;
   • Considering if the child's need for safeguarding can be met without a Child Protection Plan in place.
3. The Child Protection Review Conference must decide explicitly if the child is still at continued risk of Significant Harm and hence whether there is an ongoing need for a Child Protection Plan. The same decision-making procedure should be used to reach a judgment on this issue as is used at the Initial Child Protection Conference;
4. If the Child Protection Plan continues, the relevance of the Category of Significant Harm must be reviewed.

Criteria for Discontinuing the Child Protection Plan

5. A child should no longer be the subject of a Child Protection Plan if:
   • It is judged that the child is no longer at continuing risk of Significant Harm requiring safeguarding by means of a Child Protection Plan (e.g. the likelihood of harm has been reduced by action taken through the Child Protection Plan; the child and family's circumstances have changed; all reassessment of the child and family indicates that a Child Protection Plan is not necessary). Under these circumstances, only a Child Protection Review Conference can decide that the Child Protection Plan is no longer necessary;
   • The child and family have moved permanently to another local authority area. In such cases, the receiving local authority should convene a Child Protection Conference within 15 working days of being notified of the move. Only after this event may discontinuing the Child Protection Plan take place in respect of the original local authority's Child Protection Plan; 
   • The child has reached 18 years of age (to end the Child Protection Plan, the local authority should have a review around the child's birthday and this should be planned in advance), has died or has permanently left the UK. In the latter case, all reasonable efforts will be made to liaise with relevant agencies in the receiving country.
6. In the case of the second and third criteria as listed above, it is permissible for the Designated Manager (Children with a Child Protection Plan) to remove a child's name from the List without the need to convene a Child Protection Review Conference;
7. There may be an occasion when conference members support the view that a Child Protection Plan is no longer necessary. However, the Conference Chair may consider that there are child protection issues which require a continuation of the Child Protection Plan. For example:
   • The concerns identified at the initial child protection conference have not been resolved;
   • There are new child protection concerns, which have not been addressed by agencies;
   • It is their view that the child remains at risk of significant harm and would not be adequately safeguarded by a child in need plan or any other non-statutory intervention;
   • In the event of a non-conclusive investigation into a serious injury occurring to a child then the relevant senior manager from Children's Social Care must be involved in decision making as it is not usual to cease a child protection plan that has unresolved issues around the risk of Significant Harm.
8. In such circumstances the chair must apply the criteria for a Child Protection Plan ensuring that all members are fully informed. Ultimately the child should remain the subject of a Child Protection Plan if they feel to do otherwise would compromise a child's safety. Where there is no consensus, the decision will normally be made by a simple majority. In Blackburn with Darwen the Conference Chair does not have a vote unless there is an equally split decision when they will have a casting vote. In Lancashire and Blackpool, the Conference Chair has the final decision as to whether a Child Protection Plan is required;
9. When a child is no longer the subject of a Child Protection Plan, notification should be sent, as a minimum, to all those agency representatives who were invited to attend the Child Protection Conference that led to the Child Protection Plan;
10. The Conference Chair should also write to the parents and the child (depending on their age and understanding) advising them of the decision.

Frequency

11. Except in relation to Reports below, the first Review Conference should be held within 3 months of the date of the Initial Conference;
12. Further reviews must be held at intervals of not more than 6 months, for as long as the child requires a Child Protection Plan. Where a decision is made to postpone or adjourn a Review Conference, it must be reconvened within 28 days;
13. Where an unborn child has been identified as requiring a Child Protection Plan at a pre-birth conference, the first Review Conference should be scheduled to take place within 1 month of the child's birth or within 3 months of the pre-birth conference whichever is the sooner;
14. An early Review Conference should be considered in the following circumstances:
    • Where there is a further incident or allegation of Significant Harm to a child with a Child Protection Plan;
    • If the Child Protection Plan is failing to protect the child or if there are significant difficulties in carrying out the Plan;
    • Where 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 (see Criteria for Discontinuing the Child Protection Plan);
    • Where the previous Conference was inquorate.

Reports

In Blackpool, please also see Partnership Agency Report to Child Protection Conference.

15. The Lead Social Worker should provide a typed, signed and dated written report including a chronology of significant events, using the relevant Pro Forma, which must be endorsed and counter signed by his or her manager;
16. Information on all children in the household must be provided and the report should be clear about which children are the subjects of the conference;
17. The Conference will require as part of a written report:
    • Co-ordination by the Lead Social Worker of contributions by Core Group members, commissioned pieces of work and parental views;
    • An evaluation of the progress made in reducing the risk to the child whilst the subject of a Child Protection Plan;
    • At the first Review, a copy of the full Single Assessment, together with any specialist assessments that have been commissioned, an analysis of the assessment findings and recommendations for the Child Protection Plan;
    • A view from the Core Group as to whether or not the child continues to need a Child Protection Plan.
18. The report should be provided to parents and older children where appropriate 3 working days before the Review Conferences to enable any factual inaccuracies to be identified, amended and areas of disagreement noted. Comments or suggestions made by the child/parents as a result of seeing the report must be included or conveyed verbally to the conference;
19. In exceptional circumstances where confidential information cannot be shared with the child or parent(s) beforehand, the Lead Social Worker should seek guidance from their manager and the Conference Chair;
20. Where necessary, the report should be translated into the relevant language or medium, taking account of the language and any sensory or learning difficulties of the child/parents;
21. The report should be provided to the Conference Chair at least 3 working days in advance of the Review Conference;
22. Each member of the Core Group has a responsibility to produce an individual agency report on the child and the family for the Child Protection Review Conference. Those unable to attend should forward a copy of this report to the Lead Social Worker;
23. All contributors should provide a written report to the Conference Chair at least 3 working days in advance of the Review Conference.

Attendance

24. Attendees should include the Chair and Core Group members;
25. As the Police do not routinely attend Review Conferences it is important that any Police involvement with the child, family or household between Conferences is brought to the attention of the Review Conference. Therefore the Police must always provide written information to the meeting;
26. See Initial Child Protection Conferences Procedure.

Administration

27. Members of the Initial Child Protection Conference will be informed at the end of the Conference of the date of the Review Conference, which will also be recorded in the minutes;
28. In Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool, the Safeguarding Unit will be responsible for the preparation of the minutes. In Lancashire, Children's Social Care will be responsible for preparation of the minutes (see Minutes). The Lead Social Worker will advise parents, children and foster carers, and will have the same responsibilities as a social worker prior to an Initial Child Protection Conference - see Inital Child Protection Conferences Procedure, Responsibilities of the Social Worker before the Conference;
29. Each Child Protection Review Conference will set the date for the next review and note this date in the minutes. If a Child Protection Review Conference decides that a child no longer requires a Child Protection Plan, the parents will be informed in person, if present at the meeting and in writing by the Conference Chair;
30. Any dissenting views or disagreements with this decision will be recorded in the minutes;
31. Where children are Looked After and are also subject to a Child Protection Plan, the overriding principle must be that the systems are integrated and carefully monitored in a way which promotes a child centred (and not bureaucratic) approach. Child Protection Review Conferences should be linked with a child's Looked After Review to ensure that information from the former is brought to the review meeting and informs the overall care planning process;
32. Implementation of Child Protection Plan, Looked After Children with a Child Protection Plan.

Outcomes

33. Every Review should consider explicitly whether the child continues to be at risk of Significant Harm and therefore continues to need safeguarding through a formal Child Protection Plan. If not, then the child should no longer be the subject of a Child Protection Plan;
34. The Conference Chair will have the same decision making powers at the Child Protection Review Conference as at the Initial Child Protection Conferences - see Initial Child Protection Conference Procedure, The Decision Making Process;
35. A child who is no longer the subject of a Child Protection Plan may still require additional support and services and discontinuing the Child Protection Plan should never lead to the automatic withdrawal of help. The Lead Social Worker should discuss with the parents and the child what services might be wanted and required, based upon the re-assessment of the needs of the child and family;
36. The Lead Social Worker must discuss with parents and child/ren what services continue to be needed, based on the re-assessment of the child and family and a Child Protection Plan made if support continues;
37. It may be useful for regular meetings, such a Family Support meetings, Family Group meetings or Assessment Planning meetings, to be convened following this decision to provide a formal opportunity to review the provision of services to the child and family and to facilitate ongoing multi-agency support.

Dissent from the Review Conference Decision

38. In cases where there is disagreement regarding the outcome of the Review Conference, the Conference Chair will attempt to facilitate the conference to reach a consensus. In Blackburn with Darwen where there is no consensus, the decision will normally be made by a simple majority. The Conference Chair does not have a vote unless there is an equally split decision when they will have a casting vote. In Lancashire and Blackpool, the Conference Chair has the final decision as to whether a Child Protection Plan is required;
39. In Lancashire, the Conference Chair decides where there is no consensus;
40. If an agency does not agree with a decision or recommendation made at a Review Conference, the dissent will be recorded in the minutes of the conference;
41. If a professional concludes that a conference decision places a child at risk, they must seek advice from her/his Designated Professional or Named Professional or manager;
42. Where the issue is not resolved, the agency may consider taking action under Resolving Professional Disagreements (Escalation and Conflict Resolution) Procedure and Lancashire Child Protection Conference Complaints and Appeals Procedure;
43. If parents/carers disagree with the Review Conference decision, the Conference Chair must further discuss their concerns and explain their rights to challenge under the Complaints and Appeals about Child Protection Conferences Procedure.

Minutes

44. A written record of proceedings will be made by administrative staff whose sole task within the Conference is to provide a written record of proceedings in a consistent and clear format. The record will be securely stored in a manner which aids prompt retrieval. The Conference Chair is responsible for ensuring that the minutes accurately reflect the discussion held and the decisions and recommendations made;
45. The Minutes should include:
    • Name, date of birth, ethnicity 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;
    • Any breaks in the conference and anyone leaving or joining the meeting;
    • The reason for the conference;
    • A list of written reports available to conference and whether open to parents or not;
    • Progress of the Child Protection Plan;
    • A summary/update of the Single Assessment;
    • A summary of direct contacts with the child/ren;
    • Views and wishes of each child;
    • Views of parents/carers;
    • Opinions of agencies on risks and protective factors and whether the child should continue to have a Child Protection Plan;
    • Decision on the need for a Child Protection Plan with information outlining the reasons, including the identified category of Significant Harm or the reasons why the child no longer requires a Child Protection Plan;
    • Any changes to the Child Protection Plan, if the child continues to require a Child Protection Plan, or a Child in Need Plan where appropriate;
    • Confirmation of name of Lead Social Worker if child continues to have a Child Protection Plan;
    • Members of the Core Group if child continues to have a Child Protection Plan and the date of the next Core Group meeting;
    • Date of next Child Protection Review Conference.
46. A record of the decisions and recommendations made will be sent to all those who attended the conference within 1 working day;
47. The minutes of the conference, signed by the Conference Chair, will be sent to all professionals who attended, or were invited and to relevant family members as soon as possible after the Conference;
48. Copies of the minutes should be given to the parents, child (if old enough) and the child's advocate by the Lead Social Worker where appropriate;
49. 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 minutes;
50. Where a parent or child has been fully excluded from the conference, the decision on what information they should receive will be taken by the Conference Chair in consultation with other conference members;
51. Where a supporter, solicitor, other family member or observer has attended a conference, the minutes will not be distributed to them unless they have a role in the Child Protection Plan and the conference agrees it appropriate;
52. Where a child has attended a Child Protection Conference, the Lead Social Worker must arrange to see them and arrange to discuss relevant sections of the minutes;
53. Conference minutes are confidential and should not be passed to third parties without the consent of the Conference Chair and/or Lead Social Worker or by a Court Order;
54. Records should be stored safely and securely in a manner which enables prompt and efficient retrieval.

End