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Contents

1. Introduction
2. Seeking Advice
3. Making a Referral
4. Responding to the Referral

1. Introduction

Knowsley Children's Social Care has particular responsibilities towards all children whose health or development may be impaired without the provision of support and services, or who are disabled.  These children are described as Children in Need by the Children Act 1989.

Consultation between agencies and practitioners prior to and regarding referrals for assessment is positively encouraged and is an essential aspect of good practice when working to safeguard children.

Some children are in need because they are suffering Significant Harm , or because they are likely to suffer Significant Harm.  Any practitioner or member of the public who suspects that a child has been, or is being, abused or neglected, should contact Children's Social Care, by telephone, without delay.

2. Seeking advice

Any practitioner unsure as to whether their concern about a child should result in a referral of safeguarding concerns to Children's Social Care should consult with the designated professional within their organisation.

A CAF Form is not a referral form although it may be used to support a referral or a specialist assessment.

Where further advice or consultation is necessary, Children's Social Care will be able to provide such.  Referrers should have an opportunity to discuss their concerns with a qualified social worker. The purpose of the consultation is to assist the potential referrer in deciding whether or not to make a formal referral to Children's Social Care.  All details should be recorded by the social worker that deals with such a request as a contact where the outcome does not lead to a referral being made.

Referrers should be asked specifically if they hold any information about difficulties being experienced by the family/household due to domestic abuse, mental illness, substance misuse, and/or learning difficulties.

3. Making a referral

Where a referral is made to Children's Social Care and the child concerned already has a social worker, then the child's social worker, the team manager or a team colleague should be the point of contact.

Where the child concerned does not have an allocated social worker, contact should be with Children's Social Care (Knowsley Access Team KAT).  Enquiries out of office hours should be made to the Emergency Duty Team.

When a practitioner has made such a referral to Children's Social Care this should be confirmed in writing, within 48 hours, to the appropriate Team Manager.  All referrals should be accompanied by an assessment using the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) if one has been carried out.  Children's Social Care should acknowledge the written referral within one working day.  If the referrer has not received an acknowledgement within three working days, they should contact the Children's Social Care again. 

At the end of any discussion about a child, the referrer and social worker should be clear about the proposed action, who will undertake what actions, by when and for what purpose, or that no further action will be taken.  The decision should be recorded by both Children's Social Care and, where the referrer is another practitioner, the referrer.       

Any designated practitioner from one of the Knowsley Safeguarding Children Board agencies can also make a check of the List of Children Subject of a Child Protection Plan at the point of, or prior to making a referral, by contacting the Quality Assurance Unit.

If following a check to the List of Children Subject of a Child Protection Plan the agency/individual continues to have Child Protection concerns then it is their responsibility to make a referral to Children's Social Care using the processes outlined above.

If a referral is taken and it appears that a crime may have been committed against a child, the assessing social worker will contact the police as soon as possible as part of the Initial Assessment. Any other practitioner or member of the public can report such concern to the police in addition to making a referral to Children's Social Care.

In the interests of working in partnership with children and families, practitioners should seek the permission of parents before discussing a referral about them with another agency.  Where there is concern that a child may be suffering Significant Harm, this should only be done where such discussion will not itself place the child at increased risk of further Significant Harm.  Where there is concern that a criminal offence may have been committed, any decision about informing the parents should only be made after proper consultation with the police.

4.Responding to the Referral

Where there is concern that a child is at risk of Significant Harm, this information will be immediately relayed to the appropriate Team Manager from Children's Social Care or a Senior Practitioner in their absence.

Children who are the subject of allegations must be seen and spoken to within 24 hours of the allegation being communicated to Children's Social Care unless there is good reason not to.  In such cases the reason why the child was not seen should be recorded on file by the social worker. The Team Manager will make a decision regarding Children's Social Care initial response to the referral within one working day of receipt of the referral.  Immediate or emergency action may be required to safeguard a child within this period (see Immediate Protection Procedure).

This decision should be made following:

• consultation with the referrer, where available
• consultation with any other professional or agency involved
• reference to any records regarding the child or family, including the Team Manager or a social worker making a check of the List of Children Subject of a Child Protection Plan . A check should be made, in every case where a Section 47 Enquiry is initiated; that is in every case where the referral or information coming to light suggests that a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer Significant Harm, caused or not reasonably prevented by a parent, carer or other family member.

The Team Manager, in reaching a decision on the initial response, will consider whether there is evidence of concern about the child's health or development or evidence of potential or actual Significant Harm.

Referrals to Children's Social Care can result in a range of initial responses including:

• emergency action to protect a child
• an Initial Assessment of the needs of the child and family
• provision of information and advice, including adoption support
• referral to other agencies
• no further action.

The referrer will be informed of the initial response to the referral by the Team Manager from Children's Social Care.

In cases where the Team Manager from Children's Social Care informs the referring agency that there are no current concerns arising from a Section 47 Enquiry and the agency disputes this decision, then the agency should begin Escalation Policy Resolution Pathways.  (See Complaints and Resolutions Procedure, Section 2, Escalation Policy Resolution Pathways).

End