The Professional Strategy Meeting will be chaired by the Designated Officer for Safeguarding for children or adults, who will also identify who will attend.
In cases where a child or an adult protection concern is raised about an individual who is employed under the auspices of Direct Payments, the employer has the particular challenge of fulfilling the role of both employer and parent of the child who may have been harmed or at risk in association with the concern.
The chair in these cases should give particular consideration to how the parents / employer will be supported in contributing to the process. There should be consultation with the parents / employer about the advantages of a third party who is informed about employment law duties / rights to represent parent as an employer at these strategy meetings.
Consideration will be given to inviting the following:
- Social services Manager with referral information
- Police
- Team Manager and Social Worker for the child or adult at risk
- Fostering Team Manager, Adult Placement Team Manager
- Registered Manager of Residential Unit where the allegation is against a foster carer or residential worker (including Voluntary sector or private agency)
- Registered manager for adult services provision, i.e. Care home, Domiciliary provider, supported living and day services (including Voluntary sector or private agency)
- Legal representative for the local authority
- Employer (where the employer is already aware of concerns, or disclosure of concerns has taken place)
- Health Representative
- CIW (where the concern is about a Foster Carer, Adult Placement Carer, Childminder or Care Provider Adults and Children)
- HIW (where the concern is about a professional within a health setting they regulate i.e. private hospital)
- Education representative when the individual concerned is working within this agency, and Chair of Governors when the allegation is against a Head Teacher
- Human Resources or Personnel representative (who has authority to advise the employer about suspension)
- Representative of Voluntary organisation
Informing the individual
When informing the individual careful consideration should be given to the following:
- The person subject to the allegation should be given appropriate support by their employer or nominated individual
- The person who is the subject of the allegation should be treated fairly and honestly and helped to understand the concerns expressed and processes involved
- The person who is the subject of the allegation should generally be informed that they are subject of an allegation at the earliest opportunity
- If the allegation has been made in respect of a foster carer or adult placement carer they should be informed that an allegation has been made by the registered manager or delegate
- The employer will not inform the employee of the details of the allegation until the timings for doing so have been agreed with Children’s or Adults Services /Police. This will be considered during the interim safeguarding arrangements discussed and agreed by the Police and the Designated Officer for Safeguarding
- Information about the adult, child or family should not be shared with the individual against whom the allegation was made or anyone representing them
- In determining when to inform the individual, consideration should be given to any potential risks to the child or adult involved in the allegations, or to any other children or adults connected to the individual’s home, work or community life
- Consideration should also be given to the potential for the individual to impede any investigation, remove or interfere with evidence or to intimidate or coerce potential witnesses
- If suspended, the individual will be kept up to date about events in the workplace by a named contact
- As soon as possible after an allegation has been received, the accused member of staff should be advised to contact their Trade Union or professional association
- Human Resources should be consulted at the earliest opportunity in order that appropriate support can be provided via the organisation’s occupational health, employee welfare arrangements, or individual agency's own safeguarding arrangements
Informing parents/ carers, children, adults at risk or their representatives:
- The general principle is that the parents or carers of the adult or child/ren involved and the adult or child/ren where appropriate, should be informed about the allegation as soon as possible but only following discussion with the Designated Officer for Safeguarding responsible for safeguarding allegations/concerns against practitioners and those in positions of trust.
- Parents/carers of the adult or child/ren involved and the adult or child/ren where appropriate, must be informed of the outcome of the strategy discussion/meeting and should, when necessary, be helped to understand the decisions reached. It will be agreed in the Strategy Discussion or Strategy meeting who will undertake this.
- Examples where it may not be appropriate to inform parents, carers, adults or child/ren or their representative immediately could include where the allegation made is against a family member, or if the Police investigation could be hampered by informing the parent/carer, child, adult at risk or their representative. In these cases the timings for the parents or carers being told must be confirmed with the relevant social services and Police.