Social Care & Health

Social Services

CHILD PROTECTION CONFERENCE

Child Protection Register

Child Assessment Order

What is a Child Protection Conference?

A social worker will have told you that a meeting has been arranged to talk about your safety and well-being. This meeting is called a Child Protection Conference.

What is a Child Protection Conference for ?

The people who are at a Child Protection Conference :

• talk about anything which causes concern about your safety, development and well-being.
• think about the best ways to protect you and keep you safe
• look at the best ways of helping you and your family.

Who is at the Child Protection Conference

The Conference is arranged by Social Work. It includes people who know and can help you and your family, such as :

• Health Visitor
• Someone from the nursery
• Someone from your school
• School Doctor
• Family Doctor (G.P.)
• Police officer/s
• Social Worker
• Other Social Work staff

Can I attend the Child Protection Conference ?

It Depends. You may be able to attend if the Chairperson of the Conference thinks that :

• You are old enough
• You are able to understand what is happening
• You will not be too upset

Your views on what happens are very important to us. Sometimes it is easier to write down what you think rather than say it. There is a form which you can fill in, so that the Conference knows what you think.

Your social worker or another trusted person of your choice can help you fill the form in if that is what you want.

Will my mum / dad be there ?

Parents are important people in children and young people's lives. They will usually be asked to attend.

There will be a part of the Conference (usually at the start of the meeting) which parents can't attend. This will involve discussion of information which can't be shared with them at this time.

Can I bring along someone with me ?

Yes. Having someone that you trust there makes you feel better. Please tell your Social Worker if you wish to have someone at the Conference to support you.

What if I don't come ?

It is understood that you may not want to come to the Conference. Remember your feelings, views and wishes are important. You can write these down on a form, which you can obtain from your social worker.

Someone who was at the Conference will tell you what recommendations were made about how best to help you and your family.

Who else will be told about what was said at the Conference ?

People at the Conference will only share what is said (or agreed) with those who have a part in making sure you are safe and well.

What is the Child Protection Register ?

The Child Protection Register is a list of names of Children & Young People who are thought to be at risk or harm. It means that special attention is paid to keeping you safe.

The Register is very confidential. Only relevant staff from Social Work, Education, Health or Police can get information from it.

What is a Child Protection Plan ?

This is the list of tasks agreed by the people at the Conference to make things safer for you.

How long will my name be on the Child Protection Register ?

Regular meetings called Child Protection Reviews will be held to look at whether things have changed enough to make it safe for your name to be taken off the Child Protection Register. These meetings are held at least every three months.

What if I disagree with the decision of the Child Protection Conference ?

You can write to the Head of Social Work and appeal. Your social worker can provide you with a form to do this.

Please ask your social worker or another trusted person to help you fill in the form if you wish help.

REMEMBER
Please ask your social worker to explain anything to you that you don't understand about the Child Protection Conference, or what happened there. It is important that you understand and have all the information that you need about your situation.

It is also important that your feelings thoughts and wishes are known and listened to at all times.

WHAT IS THE CHILD PROTECTION REGISTER ?

The Child Protection Register is a list of names kept by Social Work. Your name is placed on the Register if there are worries about your safety and well-being.

This allows responsible adults who know you (such as your social worker, doctor, teacher etc) to be aware of what has happened to you and to provide help.

Why is my name on the Register ?

Your name is on the Register because people believe that you need extra support and help. This means that you get help quickly if anyone is worried about you at any time.

Who will be told that my name is on the Register ?

The only people who are allowed to know that your name is on the Register (apart from you and your family) are those people who need to know, so that they can act quickly, when needed, to make sure that you are ok, eg. Health Visitor, Doctor, Social Worker, Teacher.

What if I don't want my name on the Register

You can write to the Head of Social Work to appeal. There is a form which you can obtain from your social worker to help you write your complaint. You can ask your social worker or another trusted person to help you fill the form in.

When will my name be taken off the Register ?

Meetings called Child Review Conferences will be held at least every three months. The people who attend these meetings will discuss whether your situation has changed enough for your name to be taken off the Register. This will happen if they are no longer as worried as before, about your safety and well-being.
Your social worker and other Social Work staff may continue to work with you and your family, after your name comes off the Register to provide more help.

Other Leaflets

It would be a good idea for you to read the leaflet on "Explaining Child Protection Conferences : Information for Children & Young People "

REMEMBER

Please ask your social worker to explain anything to you that you don't understand about the Child Protection Register, or what happened there. It is important that you understand and have all the information that you need about your situation.

It is also important that your feelings thoughts and wishes are known and listened to at all times.

What is a Child Assessment Order ?

Social Work has received and / or gathered information that led to it being concerned that your son / daughter is possibly being treated in a way that meant he / she is suffering (or likely to suffer) significant harm.

'Significant Harm' is a term used in law. It means harm that is serious, not minor or short lived. This can refer to physical, developmental or emotional harm.

Social Work feels that an assessment of your son / daughter's situation is necessary to find out if there is any reason to believe that your child is being harmed. It also believes that a proper assessment can't be carried out without a Child Assessment Order from a Sheriff.

Social Work has applied for a Child Assessment Order which a Sheriff has granted.

What does the Order say ?

A Child Assessment Order contains certain instructions which the Sheriff has given eg:

• The date from which the Order comes into effect, ie starts. The Order can only last for a maximum of 7 days. If the Sheriff says that it should last for less than 7 days, it is written into the Order.
  
  
• If the Sheriff has decided that your son / daughter should be taken to any place for the assessment to be carried out properly, it is written into the Order. For instance the Sheriff may have decided that your son / daughter should be seen by your Family Doctor, or a Doctor at the Hospital.
  
  
• The Sheriff may have decided that your son / daughter should live away from home during a part, (or for the full time) that the Assessment is being carried out. This decision will only have been made if the Sheriff believed that the Assessment could not be properly carried out where the child currently is.
  
  
• If the Sheriff has decided that your son / daughter should stay away from home during the time of the Assessment, he / she may have issued instructions about your child's contact with you, or any other relevant person.

What happens now ?

Social Work has obtained a Child Assessment Order authorised by a Sheriff. This does not mean that only Social Work staff will be included in carrying out the Assessment.

Other people such as Doctors, Health Visitors, Psychologists, Teachers etc., will help when needed.

Everyone involved in carrying out the Assessment must follow the instructions outlined by the Sheriff in the Child Assessment Order. This includes you and your child.

You have been given a copy of the Order. Following this, you and your son / daughter (if he / she is able to understand and be included in the discussion) the social worker and anyone else involved in this stage of the Assessment, will look together at how the Assessment will be carried out.

You may find it difficult to agree with what is being planned. This is not surprising. Nobody will think any less of you for feeling like this. What is important is that you and everyone else involved, will be able to put the best interests of your child first and will co-operate, working together in carrying out the Assessment.

What should you do ?

You should :

• Allow the social worker (and anybody else officially involved) to have contact with your son / daughter. You should not prevent these people from carrying out the Assessment.
  
  
• Allow the social worker and other identified people to carry out the Assessment according to the directions outlined in the Child Assessment Order. For instance if the Order says that your child must visit a Doctor.
  
  
• Comply with any other conditions that the Sheriff has put in the Order. For instance the Sheriff may have said that your son / daughter should stay in Hospital. If this is the case, then you should allow that to happen.
  
  
• Alternatively, the Sheriff may have said that your child has to stay away from home during the Assessment and will have given instructions about your son / daughter's contact with you. If this is the case then you should not break these conditions.

What happens after the Assessment is finished?

The reason for the Assessment is because Social Work is concerned that your son / daughter might be treated in a way that is causing (or could cause) significant harm. The purpose of this Assessment is to find out whether or not this is happening.

At the end of the Assessment several things could happen:

• The people involved in the Assessment believe that your son / daughter is not being treated in a way that is causing (or could cause) significant harm and Social Work does not think it needs to be involved any further with you or your child for support purposes. In this case Social Work contact will end following discussion of the Assessment with you.
  
  
• The people involved in the Assessment believe that there are some things about the health, development and / or safety of how your child is looked after at home, which makes it necessary to offer support. The belief at this stage is that your son / daughter does not need compulsory measures of supervision. A referral will NOT be made to the Reporter to the Children's Panel. However, you will be offered Social Work support on a voluntary basis. You can accept or refuse this help offered on a voluntary basis.
  
  
• The people involved in the Assessment believe that there are significant concerns about the health, development and / or safety of your child and / or the way he / she is being cared for at home. The belief is that your son / daughter may require compulsory measures of supervision. A referral WILL be made to the Reporter to the Children's Panel. This means that the information gathered during the Assessment will be given to the Reporter.

The reporter will look at this information and decide whether a Children's Hearing should be arranged to discuss it. This can take a few weeks. In the meantime the social worker will offer to work with you and your child. You may accept or refuse help offered as an interim measure on a voluntary basis.

REMEMBER

If you have any questions about the Child Assessment Order that the social worker has not been able to answer to your satisfaction, or wish independent advice, please contact a Solicitor immediately.