Summary
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The local authority Safeguarding Unit is responsible for convening, chairing, and administering all child protection conferences.
The social worker or Duty/Team Manager may consult with the Safeguarding Unit when considering whether to request a conference.
If the social worker or Duty/Team Manager decides not to convene a conference and other professionals and agencies involved with the child and family disagree with this decision, they should contact the local Safeguarding Unit to request that Children’s Social Care convene a child protection conference. Any request for a child protection conference in these circumstances must be supported by a senior manager, or a named or designated professional, and be made in writing to the Safeguarding Unit. Any such request for a child protection conference should normally be agreed, but the ultimate decision rests with the Manager of the Safeguarding Unit.
Following the decision that concerns are substantiated and that an initial child protection conference should be requested, the social worker should immediately complete a conference request form and submit this to the Safeguarding Unit in order for the conference request to be considered by the Safeguarding Unit. If the decision is taken to convene a conference it must take place within 15 working days of the decision to initiate S47 enquiries.
The social worker must provide comprehensive information on the request form, and must:
- clearly state why each subject child is felt to be at risk of continuing significant harm
- include full contact details of everybody who should be invited, including which family members
- state whether it is proposed that parental supporters or advocates should attend, and who these are to be
- give reasons for any proposed exclusions from the conference
- state whether children and young people are to attend the conference or, if not, how they are going to participate
