Summary
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The record of the conference should detail:
- the essential facts of the case
- a summary of the discussion, accurately reflecting contributions made
- all decisions reached, with information outlining the reasons for each
- any dissent from the conclusions, decision or recommendations of the conference
- a translation of decisions into an outline Child Protection Plan enabling everyone to be clear about their tasks
- The child’s and parents views
A copy should be sent within 10 working days of the conference to all those who attended or were invited to attend. Family members should receive their copies from the social worker, and these should exclude any record of proceedings where those family members were excluded. Children should receive a copy on the same basis, subject to their age, understanding and maturity.
A separate Decisions Record will be produced at the end of the conference by the Conference Chair. The Decisions Record will be sent to everyone in attendance at the conference, or invited to attend, and be loaded on the local authority ICS records by the Conference Chair within 24 hours of the conference decisions.
All conference records are confidential and should not be passed by professionals to third parties without the consent of the conference Chair. However, the police may reveal the existence of the record to the CPS where there are criminal proceedings. Courts dealing with care proceedings may also request the record.
People who wish to access case conference records through their legitimate involvement with other professional workers should be referred to the Safeguarding Unit who will decide on the legitimacy of access.
Access to agency records is, in general, covered by legislation. However, agencies need to be mindful of the confidentiality of Child Protection Records and ensure that their internal policies provide for the inclusion of a confidential section in their records.
