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4.11 Chairing the Child Protection Conference

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

This chapter outlines how a Child Protection Conference should proceed and who chairs the Conference, including their role and responsibilities.


Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Before the Conference
  3. At the Start of the Conference
  4. During the Conference


1. Introduction

A professional who is independent of operational or line-management responsibilities for the case should chair the Child Protection Conference.  In Knowsley, Conferences are chaired by Principal Officers employed by Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, but independent in terms of the line management of any professional or agency involved with the family or attending the Conference. Wherever possible, the Conference Chair will have had no previous involvement with the family other than chairing previous Conferences or a child's Looked After Review.

The Conference Chair is accountable to the Executive Director of Children and Family Services for the conduct of Conferences. (A protocol will be developed to specify arrangements for this.)

The Conference Chair must ensure that, in addition to the social worker, at least two professional disciplines are represented at the conference unless agreed otherwise - see Section 5, Quoracy in The Initial CP Conference Procedure.

The Conference Chair is responsible for ensuring that conferences are conducted in line with these procedures and in an anti-discriminatory manner, ensuring that everyone uses unambiguous respectful language.


2. Before the Conference

The responsibilities of the Conference Chair in relation to decision-making about enabling/restricting parents' and children's participation are set out in Involving the Child and Family Members Procedure.

Prior to the conference, the Conference Chair should meet with the child, parents and any advocate(s) to ensure that they understand the purpose of the conference and how it will be conducted. This may, where the potential for conflict exists, involve separate meetings with the different parties. Generally, meetings between the Conference Chair and family members and children, where appropriate, should take place 15 minutes or more before the conference formal starting time.

Explicit consideration should be given to the potential of conflict between family members and possible need for children or adults to speak without other family members present.

The level and manner of any supporters involvement in the conference will be negotiated beforehand with the Conference Chair. Supporters may seek clarification of information given by a conference member through the Conference Chair, but they will not be allowed to question conference members directly.


3. At the Start of the Conference

At the start of the conference the Conference Chair will:

  • Set out the purpose of the conference
  • Confirm the agenda
  • Emphasise the confidential nature of the meeting
  • Address equal opportunities issues e.g. specifying that racist, homophobic and threatening behaviour will not be tolerated
  • Facilitate introductions
  • Clarify the contributions of those present, including supporters of the family

If the parent(s) or the child brings an advocate/supporter, the Conference Chair will need to clarify the advocate/supporter's role, ensuring that any solicitor who attends in this role is clear that he/she may support parent(s), clarify information but may not cross-examine any contributor.


4. During the Conference

The Conference Chair will ensure that:

  1. Parents are given a reasonable opportunity to:
    1. Understand the purpose of the meeting and the role of all agencies involved in the protection of their children
    2. Consider and respond to any information or opinions expressed by other participants
    3. Contribute as fully as possible to the assessment and planning process
    4. Play a part in helping to safeguard and promote their children's welfare
  2. The conference maintains a focus on the welfare of the child/ren
  3. Consideration is given to the welfare and safety of all children in the household and within the family network
  4. All relevant people, including the subject child/ren and parents, have been given appropriate opportunities to make a full contribution and that full consideration is given to the information they present
  5. Reports of those not present are made known to parties
  6. The wishes and feelings of the child/ren are clearly outlined
  7. Needs arising from the child's gender and any disabilities, as well as those arising from the child's racial, cultural, linguistic or religious background are fully considered and accounted for when making decisions or developing plans
  8. Appropriate arrangements are made to receive third party confidential information
  9. A debate takes place which examines the findings of reports, and risk assessments and analysis is encouraged, all options are considered and that the conference reaches decisions in an informed and non-discriminatory way
  10. All concerned are advised/reminded of the complaints procedure
  11. Where a decision has been taken to exclude or restrict the level of parental or child participation, arrangements are made with the social worker for absent parents or carers to be informed of the decisions of conferences

End