Task - Enquiries into suspicion of significant harm to the child
Action - Decide what further information is needed about the child or children and family, from whom and how it should be obtained.
Agree who will form the team undertaking the enquiries.
Plan how enquiries should be handled.
Determine what immediate actions are required by when and for what purpose.
Consider the need for a medical examination if appropriate, decide who is to contact the parent(s) and obtain consent for interviewing the child, any video recording and medical examination; Consider what steps should be taken if a parent or child refuses consent for medical assessment; It is often appropriate to have medical assessments of all siblings.
Task - Police investigations
Action - Agree the conduct and timing of any criminal investigation. Social services and Police should agree how s47 enquiries and any police investigations should be conducted including location for interviews and personnel to undertake the interviews.
Agree whether any investigative interview with the child will be video recorded, with reasons for this decision. agree who else needs to be present at the interview with the child.
Decide whether it is in the child’s best interest to seek consent from the parents for interviewing the child.
Consider what steps should be taken if a parent or child refuses consent for interview;
consider the child’s level of development, any disability or any language issues, and what arrangements might be needed to offer the child an interview in their language of choice or using their chosen communication method, such as Makaton.
Agree who will interview the alleged abuser and when.
Decide who is to be interviewed, by whom, when, where and with what purpose to ensure possible evidence for criminal proceedings is not affected. This will include interviewing the original informant if this has not already been done.
Task - Engaging the family
Action - Consider how any communication, ethnicity or cultural issues should be taken into account, and establish whether an interpreter will be required.
Identify whether the child wants an advocate.
Consider any mental capacity issues of the child or parent.
Consider the language needs of working with the child and family.
Determine what information from the strategy meeting will be shared with the family, unless such information sharing may place a child at risk of significant harm or jeopardise police investigations into any alleged offence(s).
Agree how the child’s and carers lived experience, wishes and feelings will be ascertained so that they can be considered when making decisions.
Determine how information will be shared with the child and family members, unless such information sharing may place a child at risk of significant harm or jeopardise police investigations into any alleged offence(s).
Consider when, to inform the child about the eventual outcome of the police investigation.
Task - Collaborative practice
Action - Agree the timetable for child protection s47 enquiries and assessment.
Agree which practitioners not present at the strategy meeting should be informed at this stage.
Identify which practitioners should contribute to assessments.
Decide to whom the team undertaking the enquiries will report, with what frequency and how progress will be reviewed.