What is a Child Protection Conference?

A Child Protection Conference is generally held following a referral and investigations by the Local Authority in relation to a particular child and their situation. The test for convening a Child Protection Conference is: the child is at risk of significant harm or is likely to be suffering from significant harm.

In relation to the harm, there are 4 categories of harm and they include:

1. Physical harm,
2. Emotional harm,
3. Sexual harm and
4. Neglect.

The general structure of a Child Protection Conference is as follows:

• The Chair will provide a brief explanation of the purpose of the meeting and will introduce all those present.
• The Chair will ask the professionals for information in relation to the child. The professionals may include the Social Worker, Health Visitor, GP, the Police, Support Worker and any other relevant professional.
• At the end of the Child Protection Conference a decision will be made as to whether the child should be made subject to a Child Protection Plan.
• A date will then be set usually for the next 3 or 6 months to review the Plan and progress made.

If you require legal representation at a Child Protection Conference or would like advice in relation to your matter do not hesitate to call our Care Team at Johnson Astills on 0116 255 4855 or email us at careteam@johnsonastills.com. Our team are highly experienced and can deal with a range of matters where Social Services are involved.