5.1 Guiding Principles

The focus of the Child Protection Conference is to decide what future action is required to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child(ren) and any siblings.

All agencies must make reasonable efforts to ensure that staff involved in child protection work are committed to and achieve:

• Sharing of information;
• Careful preparation for conferences, including the provision of reports;
• Attendance at conferences;
• Contribution to decision making;
• Delivery of actions that are planned to safeguard the child(ren).

All those participating in conferences, either directly or through the provision of written information should clearly distinguish between fact, observation, allegation and opinion.