Child Protection Conference
If Social Services decide that a child is likely to suffer significant harm (more serious harm which could be physical, neglect or sexual abuse) then they will call a Child Protection Conference with all those agencies that may be involved with the child: police, GP, Heath Visitor, hospital, school and others. The parents are invited but have no vote in the eventual decision. The agencies will be asked to make a decision whether to put each child on the Register of Children at Risk of Harm, and on what basis. Then a Care Plan must be drawn up, to set out the terms for further investigation, support and assessment, and to report back to a Child Protection Review Conference after a fixed period time, which may be three or six months.
Child Protection Conferences are regulated by law. Each Local Authority has its own procedures. They must allow a parent to bring a friend, or a solicitor, to the Conference, and to make sufficient representations about the plan that should be adopted.