11.7 Bradford Protocol for the Review of Children on a Child Protection Plan for 2+ Years |
This chapter first appeared in the Bradford Local Safeguarding Children Board Procedures manual in May 2010.
Contents
1. Introduction - Problems Implementing the CP Plan
Children who are at continuing risk of significant harm require safeguarding through inter-agency intervention, delivered through a formal Child Protection Plan. The Child Protection Plan must consider whether the child’s developmental needs can be responded to, through inter-agency intervention, within his / her family environment and within timescales that are appropriate to the child.
Where the family’s situation and care giving is not improving or evidencing change, at a pace that responds to the child’s needs, decisions are necessary that consider the long-term future of the child. Primary consideration will be what is in the child’s best interests, informed by the child’s wishes and feelings.
Aim of Protocol
To ensure that:
- Child Protection Plans effectively safeguard, monitor and respond to a child’s needs, as measured by the ECM 5 outcomes, within timescales that are appropriate for the child;
- Where children are subject to a Child Protection Plan for a considerable period, to provide scrutiny arrangements of the Plan and the interventions of BSCB member agencies in responding and progressing it, outside of Core Group and Case Conference Review membership
2. Process for Children on the CPR for 2+ Years
- Each Child Protection Review Conference will review progress against the effectiveness of inter-agency interventions that are required to achieve the maximum possible outcomes for the child, as set out under the 5 ECM outcomes.
Action: Children’s Safeguarding & Reviewing Unit - Each Child Protection Review will review appropriate membership of the Core Group and future Review participants; membership will be determined by the identification of relevant agencies, most appropriate to respond to the child’s needs and in reviewing the effectiveness of the Child Protection Plan. Every member of the Core Group must ensure that the CP Plan is signed and agreed by members.
Action: Children’s Safeguarding & Reviewing Unit - Where a BSCB member agency fails to fulfil its responsibilities as detailed in the Child Protection Plan and/or fails to review the effectiveness of the Child Protection Plan, the Conference Chair will write to a Senior Manager within the relevant BSCB member agency.
Action: Children’s Safeguarding & Reviewing Unit and Designated Lead CP Professional BSCB member agency - Where the above action does not result in a satisfactory resolution that responds to the child’s needs the Conference Chair will inform the Service Manager Children’s Safeguarding and Review Unit, who will liaise with the relevant BSCB Board member for the agency and the Manager of the BSCB.
Action: Service Manager – Children’s Safeguarding & Reviewing Unit - The Conference Chairs will inform the Service Manager – Children’s Safeguarding & Reviewing Unit of all children subject to a CP Plan for 18 months.
Action: Children’s Safeguarding & Reviewing Unit - The Service Manager - Safeguarding Children and Review Unit will review all Child Protection Plans and minutes of the previous Case Conferences when a child being subject to a Child Protection Plan for 18 months. The Service Manager, Children’s Safeguarding and Review Unit will notify all members of the Core Group of the recommended actions that are required to progress the Child Protection Plan. An 18 month review proforma should be completed, the results of which will require all Core Group members to review this with their line manager.
Action: Service Manager – Children’s Safeguarding & Reviewing Unit - For each Conference Review that the child remains on the Child Protection Register at and beyond 24 months BSCB member agencies will review the effectiveness of their intervention, with the involvement of a Senior Manager from each agency that is represented on the Core Group and Review Conference.
Action: Senior Managers, BSCB member agencies - Where a child’s name continues to be on the Child Protection Register beyond 24 months, Children’s Social Care (CSC) must consider the long-term future of the child, taking into account the likelihood of parental change and ability to meet the child’s needs, and how the child’s best interests will be met. This decision making will involve consideration of legal proceedings and therefore, the Service Manager for the Area Social Work Team, together with the Group Services’ Manager will be consulted and provided with, by the Conference Chair, the Child Protection Plan, together with minutes of previous conferences. The Core Group will consider this as part of their on-going work.
Action: CSC; Service Manager for Area Social Work Team and Group Services’ Manager - For each Conference Review thereafter that the Child remains on the Child Protection Register (2 years +), CSC will review their decision not to institute legal proceedings, repeating the process as set out above.
Action: Service Manager for Area Social Work Team and Group Services’ Manager - Any BSCB member agency who is concerned about the delivery and monitoring of a Child Protection Plan, must inform the Service Manager – Children’s Safeguarding & Review Unit.
Action: BSCB member agencies - The Service Manager – Children’s Safeguarding & Review Unit will provide a quarterly report to the Manager of the BSCB, detailing all children who remain on the Child Protection Register for 2 years and over. Where appropriate the Manager of the BSCB will address any concerns or difficulties with member agencies
Action: Service Manager, Children’s Safeguarding & Reviewing Unit and Manager of the BSCB
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