Attending a child protection conference
There may be some circumstances where Children's Services needs to call an initial child protection conference to consider the need to safeguard your child.
What is a child protection conference?
This is the name given to a meeting arranged by Children's Services on behalf of Greenwich Safeguarding Children Board. The board is made up of agencies that work with children and families in the borough.
Who attends the conference?
The conference is attended by the child's family and any relevant professionals such as health visitors, doctors and teachers who work with the child.
You will be invited to this meeting and to any review conferences that happen later on. Your child's social worker must make sure that you receive a copy of their report before the conference. You can bring a friend for support.
The conference is chaired by an independent person.
What is the purpose of the conference?
The purpose of the conference is for parents and professionals who are involved with the child to get together and decide whether the child is at risk of significant harm, and if any action needs to be taken to protect the child.
The meeting is not a court or tribunal and the focus of the meeting is on the child's needs.
If it is decided that action needs to be taken to protect the child because they are at risk of significant harm, a child protection plan will be agreed by the conference members.
This plan includes the actions needed to protect the child and support the family. The plan is reviewed regularly until it is agreed that the child protection plan is no longer needed because the child is no longer at risk.