Child Protection Conference
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is a Child Protection Conference?
What is the purpose of a Child Protection Conference?
Who will be at the meeting?
What will happen at the meeting?
How can my views be shared at the meeting?
What is a Child Protection Plan
Helpful Information
Contact Information
| What
is a Child Protection Conference? |
A Child Protection Conference is a meeting which is called when
an enquiry has shown that they are concerns about your safety
or the safety of a member of your family.
|
| What
is the purpose of a Child Protection Conference? |
The reason for the meeting is to
decide whether or not there is a risk to your safety. If the meeting
decides that there is a serious risk to your safety, a Plan will
be put in place to ensure you are safe and properly cared for.
If the meeting decides there is not a serious risk
to your safety, they might decide that your family needs some help
and support and could make a Child in Need Plan. The Plan will be
agreed by your parents/carers and all the professionals involved.
This will ensure that everyone knows what they have to do to keep
you safe. You will also be given a copy of the Plan.
|
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| Who
will be at the meeting? |
If you are considered old enough and you want to be, you will
be invited. You may not be able to be present for the whole meeting,
but the Social Worker and/or the Chair of the meeting will explain
the reasons for this. You can have an adult friend, advocate or
advisor with you if you wish. The Social Worker will talk to you
about this.
- Your parents/carers will be invited and they can bring a
friend, or legal representative with them if they wish.
- Social Workers.
- Teacher/Nursery staff
- Health Workers such as Health Visitor, G.P, Hospital Doctor,
School Nurse etc.
- Police Officer.
- Other important people in your life may be there, e.g. Youth
Worker, Connexions Advisor. You - Your views about what
is happening and what you would like to happen are really
important. Talk to the Social Worker about ways you can make
sure everyone involved knows what you want to happen
|
| What
will happen at the meeting? |
The point of the meeting is to make sure that all important matters
about your safety are discussed, that everyone present has an
opportunity to give their views and that careful decisions are
made about how you and your family can be helped.
To ensure that everyone is treated with respect and everyone
has a chance to give opinions without interruptions, a Chair Person
will lead the meeting. He/she will talk to you in private before
the meeting and will explain what will happen, how you will be
involved and discuss any worries you may have. They will do the
same with your parents/carers.
People at the meeting will have reports they have written about
you and your family. You will be given parts of these reports
which relate to you. This should be in plenty of time for you
to think about what they say .
|
| How
can my views be shared at the meeting? |
You may feel worried about talking
in front of a lot of people. The Chair will do all they can to help
you and will not allow anyone to upset you in the meeting. They
will make sure you are treated with respect.
You may like to write down your thoughts and feelings
and the Chair could read this for you. The Social Worker or someone
else you trust could help you at this. An adult you trust - which
may not be your parents/carers - could say something on your behalf
.
If it has been decided that you should not attend
the meeting, or you do not wish to attend, it is important that
people know what you think. It is also important that people know
what you think needs to happen to keep you safe and what should
be in the Plan to support you and your family.
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| What
is a Child Protection Plan |
The Plan will set out what is needed to ensure you are safe and
properly cared for.
- It says what Social Care and all other agencies WILL do to
help you and your family.
- It says what you and your family can do to improve the situation.
- The Chair will make sure everyone understands what is expected
of them.
- If a Child Protection Plan is made a smaller group of people
will meet regularly to make sure everyone does what they should
to keep you safe. This is called a Core Group. If people feel
you can be involved in this, they will talk to you and agree
how you can contribute.
- If a Child in Need Plan is made there will still be regular
meetings and you can be involved in these.
|
| Helpful
Information |
An enquiry into your safety maybe upsetting and stressful. To
help with this, please try and keep the following in mind:
- Everyone involved will try to do their best for you and your
family
- It can be helpful to talk to someone you trust who you know
is sensible and will not talk to others about your business.
- If you are unhappy about any aspect of the meeting, you should
talk to either the Social Worker or the Chair of the meeting
to discuss your views. If you have a complaint about them,
go to Comments and Complaints.
|
| Contact
Information |
You may also wish to contact any of the following
organisations for advice or support:
NSPCC
Tel: 0808 800 5000
Web address: www.nspcc.org.uk
National Youth Advocacy Service
Tel: 0800 616101
Web address: www.nyas.net
Childline
Tel: 0800 1111
Web address: www.childline.org.uk |
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