Child Protection Conferences

The Initial Child Protection Conference brings together family members, the child (where appropriate), supporters/advocates and those professionals most involved with the child and family to share information, assess risks and to formulate an agreed plan of management and services, with the child’s safety and welfare as its paramount aim.

In Kirklees the ‘Strengthening Families’ approach to child protection conferences is used. This approach is designed to help families participate more easily in assessing risks to their children’s safety, and to be more engaged in the development of a plan.  This should enable professionals to more clearly articulate risk; assess if the family can instigate and maintain significant behavioural change; and provide a robust evidence base for decision making.

A key part of the conference is the development of a safety plan.  Under the “Strengthening Families” approach the plan is developed in response to the concerns, and the strengths, identified by professionals and/or family members, and focuses on building safety and making best use of protective factors.  Crucially, this plan is developed before attendees make a decision about whether the child should be subject to a child protection plan.  This is to ensure that families are engaged with the process of developing the plan and have ownership of the actions they are to undertake.

The Safety Plan:

• Needs to address all concerns identified by professionals (whether or not the family agrees with them)
• Usually requires significant behavioural change on the part of the family
• Highlights the importance of involving a network around the family (i.e. family, friends and professionals) to build safety and involving them in solving issues
• Identifies the challenges which may get in the way of creating an effective, lasting plan Identifies and monitors triggers and difficulties

Local Resources

Initial Child Protection Conference

Please provide as much information as you can on the form.  The information you provide will contribute to comprehensive risk analysis, decision making and planning for the children being considered at the conference.

• Kirklees-Multi-agency-INITIAL-Child-Protection-Conference-Template 2023

Review Child Protection Conference 

The report form has been designed to help professionals update their information, take part in ongoing risk analysis, make decisions on whether to continue or discontinue the child protection plan, and where appropriate update the child protection plan.

• Kirklees-Multi-agency-REVIEW-Child-Protection-Conference-Template-20203
• Professional and Agency Expectations

WY procedures

GP Conference Reports

• GP Report to Initial Child Protection Conference
• GP Report to Child Protection Review Conference

National Resources

Framework for the assessment of children in need and their families

Useful resources for Parents / Carers

Child Protection Conference Leaflet for Parents and Families

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