10.4 Knowsley Safeguarding Children Partnership Information for Initial Child Protection Conference Members

The Initial Child Protection Conference brings together family members, the child where appropriate, and those professionals most involved with the child and the family, following a Section 47 Enquiry. Its purpose is:

• To bring together and analyse in an interagency setting the information which has been obtained about the child's developmental needs, and the parents' or carers' capacity to respond to these needs to ensure the child's safety and promote the child's health and development within the context of their wider family and environment;
• To consider the evidence presented to the conference, making judgements about the likelihood of a child suffering harm in future and decide whether the child is at risk of significant harm;
• To decide what future action is required to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child, how the action will be taken forward, and with what intended outcomes.

The Conference should consider whether the child is at continuing risk of Significant Harm.

If the child is at continuing risk of Significant Harm, it will therefore be the case that the child requires interagency help and intervention delivered through a formal Child Protection Plan.