5.5 Child Protection Review Conference

The Pan Sussex Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy and Procedures Group recommend the following statement is read out at all relevant meetings.

Professional Difference Statement:

It is acknowledged that when working in the arena of safeguarding, it is inevitable that from time to time there will be professional differences.  This is a positive activity and a sign of good professional practice and effective multi-agency working.   During this meeting practitioners, irrespective of their seniority are encouraged to say if they feel that decisions, practice or actions do not effectively ensure the safety or well-being of the child/children.

The purpose of the Review Conference is to:

• Review the safety, health and development of the child against the planned outcomes set out in the Child Protection Plan;
• Ensure that the child continues to be safeguarded from harm.

Consider whether the Child Protection Plan should continue in place or should be changed.

The Child Protection Review Conference should consider and decide whether a child continues to be at risk of Significant Harm and in need of a Child Protection Plan. The same threshold should be used to reach a judgment as is used at an Initial Child Protection Conference.

Decisions on continuing a Child Protection Plan should be based on risk and not as a means of securing a particular level of support.

If the Child Protection Plan continues, the relevance of the category of Significant Harm should be reviewed.

If a child becomes the subject of a Child Protection Plan, the first Review Conference must be held within 3 months of the Initial Conference.

Further reviews must be held at intervals of not more than 6 months, for as long as the child remains the subject of a Child Protection Plan.

Consideration should always be given to bringing the date of a Conference forward:

• Where a child on a Child Protection Plan is Looked After by a Local Authority and consideration is being given to returning her/him to the circumstances which required a Child Protection Plan (unless this step is anticipated in the existing protection plan);
• Where the Core Group believes that the Child Protection Plan is no longer required.