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Contents

1. Partnership Arrangements for a Strategy Discussion/Meeting
2. Purpose of the Strategy Discussion/Meeting
3. Planning a Section 47 Enquiry
4. Chairing a Strategy Meeting

1.Partnership Arrangements for a Strategy Discussion / Meeting

The Strategy Discussion can take place face to face or via telephone and should take place between a manager of Children's Social Care and a manager from the Police Vulnerable Person's Unit, and share information where available from other agencies who have information, or are involved with, the child(ren) or family who are the subject of the Discussion.

A Strategy Meeting is the preferred option and would include all relevant agencies, however this may not always be possible and, where a Strategy Discussion is agreed as an alternative, the decision to hold a Strategy Discussion can only be taken by the respective managers of the Children's Social Care and Vulnerable Person's Unit.   It is expected that a Strategy Meeting will be arranged at the earliest opportunity.

A Strategy Meeting must always be chaired by a  Team Manager from Children's Social Care. Outside of Children's Social Care office hours, the role of Team Manager can be delegated to a social worker from the Emergency Duty Team who should always consult with the Emergency Duty Team Coordinator.

Where parents or adults in the household are experiencing problems such as domestic abuse, substance misuse or mental illness, it will also be important to consider involving the relevant adult services professionals.

Where the child is an adopted child, a member of the Adoption Service should be invited to the Strategy Meeting. In cases of suspected Sexual Abuse or where a medical examination is thought to be required, a consultant paediatrician should always be consulted in respect of information to be provided at the Strategy Meeting and, where applicable, invited.

Where a Strategy Meeting takes place due to concerns of abuse by a person who works with children, then a Principal Officer from the Quality Assurance Unit must chair the meeting.  See also Section 5.1, Management of Allegations Against People Who Work With Children and Young People

The chair should consider the venue of any meeting in order to facilitate the attendance of key practitioners.  For example, it may be vital that a paediatrician attend and therefore a meeting in the relevant hospital might be most appropriate in such circumstances.   It is the role of the chair to ensure that all professionals involved with the family are invited to the Strategy Meeting.  If a professional is unable to attend their information and views should be made available to the meeting in a written format.

Any Strategy Meeting or Discussion should consider all children in the family, the household, or who may have contact with the person(s) who may pose a risk of harm, with regard to possible safeguarding concerns and record decisions on the file.  It should be noted on the file where there are no safeguarding concerns and the reason, for example where a sibling lives with, and is being adequately cared for by, a grandparent.

2. Purpose of the Strategy Discussion/Meeting

The purpose of the Strategy Discussion/Meeting is to:

• share available information about the family, other individuals linked to the child/family and causes for concern
• agree the conduct and timing of any  criminal investigation
• decide whether a Section 47 Enquiry should be initiated or continued, at which point a Core Assessment should be initiated
• plan how the Section 47 Enquiry should be undertaken, including the need for medical treatment , and who will carry out  what actions, by when and for what purpose
• agree what action is required immediately to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child, and/or provide interim services and support.  If the child is in hospital, decisions should also be made about how to secure the safe discharge of the child
• determine if legal action is required
• determine what information from the Strategy Meeting or Discussion will be shared with the family, unless such information sharing may place a child at increased risk of Significant Harm or jeopardise police investigations into any alleged offence(s)
• determine the need for, and timing of, any further Strategy Meeting or Discussion

3. Planning a Section 47 Enquiry

In planning the Section 47 Enquiry, the Strategy Meeting or Discussion should:

• consider what further information is required, how it should be obtained and recorded
• consider and plan any immediate steps that may be required to protect the child, following appropriate legal advice
• consider the need to protect other children in the same household or elsewhere
• consider the timing and sequence of interviews of family members
• consider any cultural, linguistic or disability needs which may need to be planned for in the investigation
• consider who should conduct the enquiries, i.e. two social workers, a social worker and representative of another agency, such as a health visitor, or a joint investigative team of social worker and police officer
• when the child will be seen alone by the Lead Social Worker
• consider whether a medical examination of the child is required, and the timing of any examination.  A consultant paediatrician should always be consulted where a medical examination is required.
• consider how the child's wishes and feelings will be ascertained so that they can be taken into account when making decisions
• consider what information, how and when this should be shared with the parents (normally any interview of a child should be undertaken with the knowledge and agreement of those with Parental Responsibility unless such information sharing would itself place the child at increased risk of harm)

A proposed agenda for a Strategy Meeting is included in Appendix 9.2, Agenda for Strategy Discussion/Meeting.

4. Chairing a Strategy Meeting

The Chair of the Strategy Meeting must ensure that:

• a list of action points is drawn up, each with an agreed timescale and the identity of the person responsible for carrying it out
• a clear record of the meeting is made and circulated to all those present and all those with responsibility for an action point within one working day
• the record of the meeting must also include the views of those unable to attend the meeting
• a mechanism for reviewing completion or progress of the agreed action points is specified
• the date of the first or next such review must be agreed and recorded

The information shared, decisions reached and the reasons for those decisions should be clearly recorded on the Record of Strategy Meeting Form by the Team Manager from Children's Social Care present at the meeting. The  Team Manager from Children's Social Care should circulate copies of the form to all relevant parties within one working day of the Strategy Meeting.  The handwritten notes will be signed by those present at the Strategy Meeting and photocopied.  The original will be kept by the Police Vulnerable Persons Unit and the copy used to type up the document. 

In the event of a Strategy Discussion taking place over the telephone, Children's Social Care representative should record the discussion on the appropriate template and provide a copy to those involved in the discussion as soon as possible, by fax or electronic mail.  Where information is faxed between agencies, this must be preceded by a telephone call to establish that the appropriate person is there to receive it, and also afterwards to confirm receipt.

In complex cases more than one Strategy Meeting may be necessary.  The chair is responsible for recording any information shared, all decisions reached, and the basis for those decisions, and circulating copies to all relevant parties within one working day of the Strategy Meeting.  Any decisions about taking immediate action should be kept under constant review.

A copy of the completed Record of Strategy Meeting should be sent to the Quality Assurance Unit.

In some cases a Strategy Meeting will decide that no further action is required.  However the Strategy Meeting may confirm that further assessment under Section 17 is required and may recommend that a Core Assessment is undertaken to further explore the identified issues. The decision should be recorded on the Record of Strategy Meeting and a copy sent to the Quality Assurance Unit.

End