Policy
R/1 A Child Protection Review Conference is required for a child with a Child Protection Plan (when a child's name is on the Child Protection Register (CPR) and must be held within three months of the date of the Child ProtectionInitial Conference.
R/2 Subsequent Child Protection Review Conferences must be held within six months of the previous review, for as long as the child has a Child Protection Plan and the child's name is on the CPR.
R/3 Reviewing managers will give special consideration to a child who has a Child Protection Plan (or the child has been on the CPR) for over two years. (ACPC 2002: 6.51)
R/4 The social worker's report should be completed prior to the review conference with sufficient time to allow it to be shared with the parent(s), so as to add their views and comments.
R/5 Every review should consider explicitly whether the child continues to be at risk of significant harm, and hence continues to need safeguarding through adherence to a formal Child Protection Plan. If the child does not need safeguarding, the Child Protection Plan should be replaced by a Child In Need Plan.
R/6 Issues of risk and safety regarding a child's welfare are of paramount importance.
ProcedureR/7 The social worker notifies the conference notetaker when a list of invitees is ready, giving sufficient time for invitations to go out.
R/8 The social worker (as the child's Case Co-ordinator) completes the Child Protection Review ConferenceReport Part One, including contributions by the Core Group members.
R/9 The social worker discusses the content of the report and the proposed Child Protection Plan and Partnership Agreement, if there is one, with the parent and child, as appropriate.
R/10 The social worker updates the Chronology of the significant events and changes in the child's life.
R/11 The social worker considers a draft Partnership Agreement and distributes it with report.
R/12 The social worker discusses any recommendations included in the
- Partnership Agreement
- the Child Protection Review Conference Report Part One
- the Child Protection Plan
with the team manager, prior to discussion with others.
R/13 The social worker notifies the team manager of the completed Child Protection Review ConferencePart One.
R/14 To complete, the team manager approves the Child Protection Review ConferencePart One.
R/15 The social worker notifies the conference chair and notetaker, as soon as it is available on PARIS.
R/16 The social worker must contact the conference chair if the report has not been completed a week before the conference, to agree a timetable for completion.
R/17 The social worker provides an opportunity for the parents to read the report at least the day before the conference,(or have it read to them in their first language) if it has been significantly amended since their comments were last sought.
R/18 The social worker arranges a sufficient number of copies of the Child Protection Review ConferencePart One for the conference attendees to consult at least fifteen minutes before the conference.
GuidanceR/19 A child, subject of a Child Protection Plan, whose name is on the Child Protection Register, must be seen once every four weeks by the case co-ordinator or the team manager or a designated social worker. Where the family are not co-operating with this, legal advice should be sought. (ACPC 2002:6.38)
R/20 The social worker should use their professional judgement to decide when it is relevant to record significant events and changes of the parent and family members. (e.g. the safeguarding of the welfare and development of the child).
R/21 The report requires the social worker to record information about:
- the social work interventions since child’s name was placed on the register or last child protection review conference,
- the social worker's assessment of each of the child's needs addressing how far the planned outcomes have been achieved or partially achieved,
- what actions/services were the most effective and
- whether there are continuing or newly identified needs of the child.
- changes and significant events regarding the family and environmental factors including family history and functioning, wider family, housing, income which are affecting parental capacity and/or the child’s identified developmental needs. (Note: these events should also be added to the Chronology)