Tameside Safeguarding Framework

Section 8 - The Core Group and the Implementation of the Child Protection Plan

• Introduction - What is a Child Protection Plan?
• Formulation of the Child Protection Plan
  - Completion of the Core Assessment
  - Purpose of a Child Protection Plan
  - Outline Child Protection Plan
  - Child Protection Plan
• Core Group
  - Responsibilities
  - Membership
  - Timing
  - Key Worker Role
  - Maintaining Contact with the Child
  - Routine Written Records
  - In the absence of the Key Worker
  - Children’s Social Care - First Line Manager role
  - If there are difficulties in implementing the Child Protection Plan
  - The Child Protection Plan and service delivery
  - Discontinuation of the Child Protection Plan

Introduction - What is a Child Protection Plan?

8.1 When a Child Protection Conference decides that a child should be the subject of a Child Protection Plan, a qualified children's social worker from Tameside Council's Children's Social Care will be appointed as the key worker to co-ordinate all aspects of the Child Protection Plan.

8.2 The forum to undertake this co-ordinated multi-agency work is the core group, the membership of which is identified at the Child Protection Conference.

Formulation of the Child Protection Plan

Completion of the Core Assessment

8.3 Completion of the core assessment, within 35 working days, should include an analysis of the child's developmental needs and the parents' capacity to respond to those needs, including the parents' capacity to ensure that the child is safe from harm. Decisions based on this analysis should be used to develop the Child Protection Plan.

Purpose of a Child Protection Plan

8.4 The purpose of a Child Protection Plan is to facilitate a co-ordinated approach to:

• Ensure that the child is protected from harm
• Promote the child's health and development
• Support the parents/carers and wider family to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child

8.5 It must be clarified for parents: 

• What the causes for concern are that have resulted in the decision that a child needs a Child Protection Plan
• What needs to change
• What is expected of them as part of the plan for safeguarding the child

8.6 At each Review Conference there should be an agenda item to review the progress on achieving the outcomes set out in the Child Protection Plan. Consideration will also be given to whether changes need to be made to the Child Protection Plan. 

8.7 In the large majority of cases there is no need to move beyond a Child Protection Plan to legal proceedings because the concerns that give rise to the need for a Child Protection Plan are effectively reduced by the work of the core group members. 

8.8 However, all members of the Core Group should be aware that the Child Protection Plan may be used as evidence, in any legal proceedings, of the work that has been done with the child and their family. (Decisions on legal proceedings would be made by Children's Social Care but would take account of the views of the core group members).

Outline Child Protection Plan

8.9 An outline Child Protection Plan must be drawn up at initial and review conferences, following the decision that a child would be at risk of significant harm without such a plan. The aim of the outline plan is to assist the core group to form a more detailed plan and ensure that it is implemented.

8.10 The outline plan should: 

• Describe the identified developmental and welfare needs of each child
• Be based on the findings to date of the core assessment and follow the dimensions of the Assessment Framework, where appropriate
• Describe specific, achievable, child-focused outcomes intended to protect the child from harm
• Describe the types of services required by the child (including family support) to achieve the outcomes and to promote his/her welfare
• Set a timescale for the completion of a core assessment, if appropriate
• Identify any specialist assessments of the child and the family that may be required to ensure that the child is protected and their welfare promoted
• Clearly identify roles and responsibilities of practitioners and family members, including the nature and frequency of contact by practitioners with children and family members;
• Set points at which progress will be reviewed
• Identify the means by which progress will be judged and who will monitor this
• Develop a contingency plan and identify the circumstances which would trigger this if the family is unable to make the required changes and the child continues to be at risk of significant harm
• Include an indication of what the conference believes needs to change in order for a Child Protection Plan to no longer be required

Child Protection Plan

8.11 The core group is responsible for drawing up in more detail the Child Protection Plan based on the outline Child Protection Plan, building on the areas listed above and covering the following areas: 

• Identification of what needs to change to reduce the risk of significant harm
• A description of the identified needs of the child and what services are required
• Ethnic / cultural / religious considerations - e.g. avoidance of appointments with family on significant dates in the calendar
• Communication requirements, such as interpreter, advocacy, record of the meeting in accessible formats etc.
• Issues arising from any disability
• A consideration of the views of the child and how to involve the child in the operation of the core group (consistent with the child's age and understanding)
• A consideration of the views of the parents/carers
• Identification of risks to the child and means of protection
• Identification of parenting strengths and wider family support networks
• A clear identification of roles and responsibilities of practitioners and family members
• Identification of actions to promote the child's health and development
• Identification of actions to support the family and wider family members in promoting the welfare of the child
• A description of the nature and frequency of contact with the child and the roles and responsibilities of practitioners, including specialist resources
• Identification of what further core and specialist assessment is necessary to assist in judgements about safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child (see section 5)
• Identification of who (including family members) will be responsible for what actions, taking into consideration the wishes and feelings of the child
• Establishment of specific short term and long term aims and objectives
• Identification of time scales for the aims and objectives to be achieved
• Identification of measurements for success (how will the family and practitioners know there has been a change?)
• Method of monitoring and evaluating progress, including identifying which practitioner is responsible for checking required changes
• Consideration of a contingency plan if circumstances change quickly, or if insufficient change occurs 

8.12 The key worker must make a record of the discussions at core group meetings and formulate the detailed Child Protection Plan in the form of a written agreement for all parties to sign. 

8.13 The plan should be based on the findings of the core assessment and follow the dimensions of the assessment framework, where appropriate. 

8.14 Copies of the notes and the written agreement should be circulated to core group members and the conference chair within 5 working days of the core group meeting. The signed agreement should be returned to the key worker within another 5 working days. Implementation of the plan must begin immediately and not await formal signatures. Any disagreements should have been discussed at the core group meeting and reflected appropriately in the Child Protection Plan. It is permissible to rely on electronic signatures or agreements to documents sent by e-mail instead of amassing hard copies of signatures, but all agreements must be collected on the child's file, electronic or otherwise. 

8.15 Any dissent about the plan, by family or practitioners, must be recorded, with reasons. The family must be told about their right to complain and the procedure for making the complaint. 

8.16 All agencies, as well as the parents/carers of the child, are responsible for the implementation of the Child Protection Plan. All practitioners must ensure they are able to deliver their commitments or, if not possible, that these are re-negotiated.

Core Group

Responsibilities

8.17 The core group is responsible for the formulation and implementation of the detailed Child Protection Plan, previously outlined at the conference. All members of the core group are jointly responsible for: 

• Participating in the compilation by the key worker of the core assessment
• The formulation and implementation of the Child Protection Plan, refining it as necessary
• Monitoring progress against specified outcomes, of the Child Protection Plan
• Working with the child and his/her parents/carers to protect the child from harm
• Making recommendations to subsequent review conferences about future Child Protection Plans and needs
• Attending core group meetings and ensuring there is no delay in planning and intervention
• The core group has a collective responsibility to produce reports for the Child Protection Review Conference which together provide an overview of work undertaken by family members and practitioners. The reports should also evaluate the impact on the child's welfare against the planned outcomes set out in the Child Protection Plan. The content of the report to the Child Protection Review Conference should be consistent with the information set out in the Child Protection Review (DoH, 2002) .

Membership

8.18 Membership of the core group is identified at the Child Protection Conference and must include: 

• The key worker
• The child, depending on age, level of understanding and willingness to participate
• Parents and other significant family members
• Practitioners who are working with the child and/or family
• Foster carers or residential care staff who have direct contact with the family.

8.19 Note: the first core group meeting is chaired by the Children's Social Care Manager. 

8.20 Core groups are an important forum for working with parents, wider family members, and children of sufficient age and understanding. Where there are conflicts of interest between members in the work of the core group, the child's best interests must always be the prime consideration

Timing

8.21 The date of the first core group meeting must be within 10 working days of the initial Child Protection Conference. After that the core group should meet within 6 weeks of the first meeting. Thereafter, the Core Group should meet sufficiently regularly to consider the outcome of the core assessment, facilitate working together, monitor actions and outcomes against the child protection plan, and make any necessary changes as circumstances change. 

8.22 The date of the first core group meeting is set at the end of the conference, along with the required frequency of subsequent meetings. 

8.23 Dates for future meetings must be agreed at the first core group meeting following each conference. Where a meeting needs to be rescheduled, this must be confirmed in writing to all concerned by the key worker.

Key Worker Role

8.24 At every initial or pre-birth conference, where a Child Protection Plan is put into place, the conference chair must name a qualified social worker, from Tameside Council's Children's Social Care, to fulfil the role of key worker for the child.

8.25 Each child who is the subject of a Child Protection Plan should have a named key worker. The key worker is responsible for making sure that the outline Child Protection Plan is developed into a more detailed inter-agency plan. This can only be done effectively with the full contributions of all core group members. 

8.26 The key worker should also understand the child's wishes and feelings, keeping the child up to date with the Child Protection Plan and any developments or changes. 

8.27 It is important that the role of the key worker is fully explained at the Initial Child Protection Conference and at the core group. 

8.28 It is not the role of the key worker to chair and/or take the notes at every core group meeting. These responsibilities should be shared amongst the core group members. However the key worker does have specific responsibilities in respect of the functioning of the core group meetings.

8.29 The key worker should: 

• Convene second and subsequent core group meetings
• Ensure that there is a written record of meetings for all core group members and the Children's Social Care manager
• Ensure that the outline Child Protection Plan is developed, in conjunction with members of the core group, into a detailed multi-agency Protection Plan
• Clearly note and include in the written record any areas of disagreement
• Produce at the second core group meeting a written agreement for the Child Protection Plan to be signed by all members of the core group and copied to all signatories with a copy kept on the child's file.
• Obtain a full understanding of the family's history. This will involve reading current and previous Children's Social Care files, including those relating to other children who have been part of any households involving the current carers of the child (where necessary, additional information should be obtained from relevant other agencies and local authorities)
• Complete the core assessment of the child and family, securing contributions/information from core group members and any other agencies with relevant information
• Co-ordinate the contribution of family members and all agencies in putting the plan into action and reviewing the desired outcomes stated in the plan
• Ensure the child is seen at least every 10 working days by the key worker or by another member of the core group unless a different frequency is stipulated by the Child Protection Conference.
• Ensure that the key worker sees the child at home, at least every 4 weeks or at intervals specified by the Child Protection Plan
• Ensure that the child's bedroom is seen at least once between each conference
• Ensure they see the child alone (with parents' agreement) or babies awake at least every 6 weeks or at the intervals specified by the Child Protection Plan (if parents refuse to allow this then the core group members and the Children's Social Care manager must be informed)

Maintaining Contact with the Child

8.30 It is important that work with the child and family should be solution focussed and build on the strengths of the parents and wider family. However, research and practice evidence has shown that maintaining contact with and seeing the child is very important in protecting the child from harm. 

8.31 The frequency of contact with the child by the key worker or core group members detailed above is a minimum standard. It may be necessary to have contact more often than this minimum, depending on the circumstances and the on-going assessment of risk. 

8.32 In exceptional circumstances the core group may decide that the required contact level should be less frequent. Any such decision should be authorised by the Children's Social Care manager.

8.33 If the key worker or any other involved practitioner has difficulty obtaining direct access to the child, the practitioner should inform their own agency designated child protection person and the Children's Social Care manager as well as other core group members. 

8.34 In these circumstances formal agreement must be reached that another appropriately qualified and experienced member of the core group carries out the direct contact, or, if this is not possible or appropriate, that an early review conference be called. Such a decision must be recorded and authorised by the Children's Social Care manager and by the agency undertaking the direct contact. 

8.35 In the circumstances of access to the child being denied, consideration should be given to involving the Police Public Protection and Investigation Unit's Family Support team. Where there is a concern that the lack of access may place the child at risk of significant harm then the child's social worker and the Children's Social Care Manager should take necessary steps to achieve access to the child, including the possibility of requesting police assistance in gaining access.

Routine Written Records

8.36 The key worker must maintain a complete and up-to-date signed record on the child's current file, electronic and/or manual, to include: 

• The time and date of every home visit, stating who was present, confirmation that the key worker spoke with the child (including if seen alone), or providing a clear reason why not
• Any information gained or observations made during the visit relevant to the identified risks to the child
• Relevant circumstances of all family members
• Specific information about key subjects such as meals and sleeping arrangements
• Factual reports of the child's presentation and behaviour (describing what they did, said and how they looked, avoiding non-specific labels such as ‘disturbed/acting out/unkempt, unhappy' etc)
• Any new incidents or injuries, including consideration of whether to conduct a further s.47 investigation
• A chronology at the front of the file to include significant events in the child's life, including incidents, injuries, family changes etc.
• The date, time and content of any communication which relates to the child and family 

8.37 The record should distinguish between fact and opinion. Opinion is part of making an analysis of the situation and is acceptable as long as it is clearly annotated as opinion and not presented as fact.

In the absence of the Key Worker

8.38 It is the joint responsibility of the key worker, and the Children's Social Care manager, to ensure that clear cover arrangements are in place when the key worker is absent on annual leave, training etc. 

8.39 All core group members should be informed of the cover arrangements for when the key worker is absent.

Children's Social Care - First Line Manager role

8.40 The first line manager in Children's Social Care has a vital role in managing the progress of the Child Protection Plan and supporting the key worker. The manager should: 

• Read and countersign all recordings, assessments and decisions on the child's file, including the incident log
• Chair the first core group meeting and any others where appropriate, such as when there is practitioner disagreement about the plan, its operation or the services provided as part of the Child Protection Plan
• Discuss with the key worker the progress of the Protection Plan, and any concerns, in supervision, including ensuring that there has been adequate direct contact with the child
• Use a supervision and/or management decision sheet in the child's file to note agreed actions or decisions and sign and date the record
• Read and countersign conference reports and the Child Protection Plan
• Review the plan with the key worker when unexpected developments or crises occur and together make a decision whether to recommend that a Child Protection Review Conference date should be brought forward
• Attend all initial conferences and as many review conferences as possible
• Arrange cover for the key worker in case of sickness and ensure arrangements are in place when the key worker is on annual leave and training, including the checking of, and any necessary action resulting from, post, e-mails and telephone contacts.

If there are difficulties in implementing the Child Protection Plan

8.41 Where any member of the core group is aware of difficulties in implementing the Protection Plan, the key worker must be informed immediately and a core group discussion/meeting meeting co-ordinated to agree a reconsidered Child Protection Plan. 

8.42 Circumstances about which the key worker should be informed include inability to gain access to a child who is subject to a Child Protection Plan, for whatever reasons, on two consecutive home visits (the second visit being a second attempt to see the child in close succession of the first attempt). In any such circumstances, action must be agreed between the concerned agency, Children's Social Care and the Police. 

8.43 If the difficulty in implementing the Child Protection Plan impacts on the safety of the child, then managers and advisers (Quality Assurance Manager for Children's Social Care, Police, designated / named doctor, nurse, teacher etc) must be consulted and consideration be given to the need for immediate legal action, emergency Police action to gain access to a premises where appropriate, a s47 enquiry and/or to bring forward the date of the Child Protection Review Conference.

8.44 If members are concerned that there are difficulties in implementing the Protection Plan due to disagreement amongst practitioners/agencies or due to a core group member not carrying out agreed responsibilities this must be addressed by:
 First, discussion with core group members

• Second, if required, involvement of respective managers/ designated child protection persons and the Quality Assurance Manager for Children's Social Care
• If the situation remains unresolved, see section 9 for resolution of practitioner disagreements

 8.45 In these situations it is likely to be helpful for a manager from Children's Social Care or a specialist practitioner such as a Conference & Review Officer to chair the core group meeting. The Quality Assurance Manager in Children's Social Care can be consulted in such situations.

The Child Protection Plan and service delivery

8.46 The Child Protection Plan is a tool for planning services for, and work with, children and families. Decisions about how to do this should be based on what is known to work best to bring about good outcomes for the child. 

8.47 It is important that services are provided to give the child and family the best chance of achieving the required changes. This is a solution focussed approach. Services should specifically address: 

• The developmental needs of the child
• The child's understanding of what has happened to him or her
• The parent/child relationship and parental capacity to respond to the child's needs
• The relationship between the adult caregivers both as adults and parents
• Family relationships
• Possible changes to the family's social and environmental circumstances

8.48 The work set out in the Child Protection Plan may have a number of inter-related components

• Action to make a child safe
• Action to help promote a child's welfare, including support for the parent/carers in doing this
• Therapy for an abused child
• Support or therapy for anyone who has been identified as having abused or neglected a child 

8.49 The development of a secure relationship between the parent/carer and the child is critical to a child's healthy development. The quality and nature of the relationship will be a key issue to be considered in decision making.

8.50 The process of decision making and planning should be as open as possible, for both ethical and practical reasons. 

8.51 Key to these considerations is what is in the child's best interests, informed by the child's wishes and feelings. 

8.52 More information to assist with making decisions about interventions is available in Chapter 4 of the Assessment Framework and the accompanying practice guidance (Department of Health, 2000).

Discontinuation of the Child Protection Plan

8.53 See section 7 - Child Protection Meetings