Understanding a child protection conference

A child protection conference is a formal meeting, and it is where we talk about the concerns we have about your child. Being told you need to attend a child protection conference can feel worrying or upsetting. You may feel shocked, confused, or unsure about what will happen next. 

At this meeting:

• professionals share concerns and strengths
• you can ask questions and share your views
• decisions are made about next steps

We want to help you understand the process and to reassure you that we want to work with you to support your child and family.

If we were ever seriously worried that your child was not safe at home, we would need to apply to a court. We would always clearly explain this to you. 

Read more about how to prepare for a child protection conference.

Video: Understanding the child protection conference

What is a child protection conference?

A child protection conference is a meeting about your child's safety and wellbeing. 

We hold a conference if an assessment shows that we are worried about your child's safety. Read more about how this decision is made. 

The meeting brings together you, your family (where appropriate), and professionals who know your child. 

Together, everyone talks about: 

• what is going well for your child 
• what people are worried about 
• what support may be needed to keep your child safe 

The meeting leads to a child protection plan. This is a written plan that explains what everyone will do to support your child and reduce worries about their safety. 

Who will be at the conference

You are an important part of this meeting. Your views matter. 

Other people at the conference may include: 

• your social worker 
• health visitors or midwives 
• someone from your child's school or nursery 
• a police officer 
• your GP or other health professionals 

Your child may attend if they are old enough. If they do, they can have an independent person there to support them. Your social worker can help arrange this if needed. 

If you are not invited to the meeting 

If this happens, we will explain the reasons to you. You will still be able to share your views in writing with the conference chair. These will be shared at the meeting on your behalf. 

Where the meeting takes place 

The conference is usually held face-to-face. 

If you cannot attend on the proposed date or at the location, tell your social worker as soon as possible. We will try to rearrange the meeting if we can. 

What happens at the meeting

The meeting is led by an independent child protection chair. This person does not manage your social worker. Their role is to make sure the meeting is fair, respectful, and focused on your child's needs. 

At the conference, everyone will talk through what has happened so far and what needs to happen to help your child. Ask questions if you don't understand or agree with what is being discussed.

The chair will talk about the threshold of needs. This is a process we use to help us work out what is going well and what people are worried about. It also helps us work out what needs to happen next. 

The bigger the concern about your child, the higher up the threshold of needs they are. It could be that everyone decides a child protection plan isn't needed.

Everyone will be given time to share information and views. You can ask questions at any point. If something is unclear, please say so. 

The chair will help the group look at: 

• what is going well for your child 
• what people are worried about 
• how serious the concerns are 
• what support may be needed next 

Privacy and confidentiality 

We will record the meeting. Information shared at the conference is confidential. 
It is only used by professionals involved in supporting your child. The child protection chair decides if we can share information more widely. 

After the conference 

We will send you a written summary within 2 working days of the meeting, including: 

• what was discussed 
• any decisions made 
• details of any plan that was agreed 

More detailed information will be sent within 10 working days including details of any child protection plan that was agreed by everyone.

What the child protection plan is

The plan will say what everyone, including the professionals attending the conference, you and your family, has to do to help your child be safer, happier or healthier. 

It will say who will do what, by what date, and how people will know things are getting better for your child. If a child protection plan doesn't need to be put in place, you will be given information about what is required and what the next steps are. 

The backup plan

The child protection plan written summary will include a back‑up plan (sometimes called a contingency plan). 

This explains what would happen if things do not improve quickly enough. This might include: 

• applying to court 
• making other care arrangements, such as living with wider family or friends 

If the conference decides that a child protection plan is not needed, we will clearly explain what will happen next and what support will be offered instead. 

Reviewing the plan 

If a child protection plan is in place, we will hold a review conference after 3 months. 

The review looks at: 

• what has changed 
• what is working well 
• whether the plan is still needed 

It is unusual for a plan to end at the first review. Everyone wants to be confident that positive changes can continue over time. 

Support between reviews 

Between review conferences, there will be core group meetings. 

The core group includes: 

• family members 
• professionals responsible for carrying out the plan 

The group will: 

• meet within 10 working days of the conference 
• meet at least every 6 weeks after that 

The social worker will visit your child at least every 2 weeks. This includes time alone with your child, so they can understand how things are for them.