Parent’s guide to Child Protection Conference
A Child Protection Conference takes place when professionals have significant concerns about a child’s safety and wellbeing. It is a meeting that includes family and any professionals who are involved with the child. The aim of the conference is for all attendees to discuss any worries they have and then decide what support to put in place to promote the wellbeing and safety of the child.
The first meeting is known as an Initial Child Protection Conference. At this meeting, a decision is made about whether to place a child on a child protection plan. If they are placed on a plan, a Review Child Protection Conference will be scheduled within 3 months of the first conference. Any further reviews take place at least every 6 months until the child protection plan ends.
No decisions about where a child lives or who a child lives with are made at a Child Protection Conference. Child Protection Conferences are about creating plans with the aim of ensuring that a child can safely remain at home with their family.
Working Together 2026 (GOV.UK) provides statutory guidance on how conferences should be conducted and who should attend.
Conference attendees
Conference attendees may include:
- the child or their representative - where possible and if age-appropriate, children are encouraged to attend their own conferences. An advocate may also attend on a child’s behalf. All children who are having an initial child protection conference are entitled to an advocate through the Speak Up service
- parents or those with parental responsibility
- members of the family’s network - other people who are important in the child’s life may also attend, for example stepparents or grandparents. Parents are also encouraged to bring along a supportive friend, family member or an advocate
- the child protection conference chair - the chair is independent of the child’s social work team and is there to ensure that all views in the conference are heard.
- Lead Child Protection Practitioner - there will generally be 2 practitioners at an Initial Child Protection Conference, the Lead Child Protection Practitioner who has carried out the assessment before the conference, and the Family Help Lead Practitioner who will continue to support your family
- police - police are expected to attend all initial child protection conferences, even if there has been no police involvement to date. The police are there to share any relevant information about the family’s situation. If there has been no police involvement, the police representative is there to listen to the information shared and provide their professional view at the end of the conference
- any other professionals involved with the child or family. If the child attends school or nursery, a representative is always expected to attend. Health visitors are expected to attend for children under 5. School nurses may attend for school-age children if health needs have been identified. GPs do not usually attend conferences but are expected to write a report. Paediatricians or other specialists may attend if the child has specific health needs. Other professionals may include mental health workers, midwives, probation workers, youth justice workers, housing services, domestic abuse services or alcohol and substance misuse services
- a minute-taker from the council’s business support team will also be present. They will take notes throughout the meeting which are shown live on the screen
As well as attending the conference, all professionals are expected to write a report, and these should be shared with parents at least 3 working days before the conference. The only report that isn’t shared is the police report, as this may contain confidential information about other parties.
What happens at the Conference
Child Protection Conferences in York have a set structure to ensure that all attendees have a chance to share their views. This includes the following.
Attendance
The chair asks everybody to introduce themselves.
Family and Network Details
The chair asks parents and the social worker to identify who is important in the child’s life. Parents are asked to identify any friends or family members who support them. Parents are asked if there are any professionals who they already work with who are particularly important to them or the child.
What has got us to this point?
The social worker (and sometimes the police) is asked to detail the first incident that brought the family to Children’s Social Care, the worst event that brought involvement from Children’s Social Care, and the most recent event that has led to the current child protection conference.
What is working well?
Parents and professionals are asked to identify strengths and safety that already exist for the child and their family.
What are we worried about?
Professionals are asked to discuss their worries for the child based on past or potential harm. They also look at aspects of family life which may make it harder for parents to keep the child safe in the future.
Child and parent’s involvement
The child’s and parent’s views of the conference and child protection plan should be noted.
Danger Statement and Safety Goal
The social worker shares their danger statement and safety goal with the conference. The danger statement should be a clear explanation of specific worries about a child's safety. The safety goal is a statement that describes the specific conditions within a family's life that will convince professionals that the child is safe enough for a case to be closed.
Scaling question
This is a clearly defined question where 10 is the best, most safe outcome and 0 is the worst, most worrying situation. All professionals are expected to give a scale, and parents are also invited to scale if they want to. Professionals and parents are also asked what needs to happen for them to move 1 point up the scale.
Conference decision
All professionals are asked whether they believe the child needs to be placed on a child protection plan. Families are present for this decision and can offer a view but are not part of the decision making.
Development of the plan
If the child is made subject to a child protection plan, an outline of the plan should be developed within the child protection conference.
Arrangements for future meetings
Dates, times and locations for the first core group and review conference will be set.
If your child has a Child Protection Plan
If your child is made subject to a Child Protection Plan, a lead social worker will be allocated to your family. This social worker is expected to visit your child every 10 working days.
A Core Group is formed, made up of family members and key professionals that work closely with you or your child. This group is responsible for ensuring the actions in the Child Protection Plan are achieved.
The first Core Group must take place within 10 working days of the Initial Child Protection Conference, and then at least every 6 weeks.
If you are not happy with the outcome of the conference you can talk to the chair, your child’s social worker or make a complaint to [email protected].
What our parent advocates want you to know
City of York Council has a team of independent parent advocates who have experience of navigating the child protection process or engaging with Children’s Social Care. Here are some things that they would like you to know before going into your child protection conference.
Your feelings about this conference are valid, and every parent going through the process probably feels the same as you do. You are likely to feel under attack, and it is scary. The process can be overwhelming, and you may feel isolated. We have been through the same thing and come out the other side. We know how you feel, and you are not alone.
Try not to take the things that professionals say too personally. It is not a personal attack on you as a parent; it is an assessment of the situation. It will be emotional but try to stay calm and listen to what professionals are saying. The aim of the conference is to help your family and to address the problems you are facing.
Professionals aren’t there just to tell you that you are doing a bad job as a parent. They want to understand the situation better so that you can get the right help.
Things will be said that will upset you. It’s okay to ask for a break if you feel like you need a minute to collect your thoughts.
Don’t be scared to use your voice and speak up during the conference. Answer questions as honestly and fully as possible so that professionals can understand what life is like for your family.
Ask questions if you don’t understand something or if you need more clarification.
You may hear triggering words like “abuse” or “neglect”. Professionals have to categorise the harm they believe is taking place but try not to take this personally. You are within your rights to challenge this or ask for more explanation.
It is understandable that you may be angry, but try not to go into the room already feeling defensive.
Take time to read through professional reports before the conference. They are the basis of everything that will be discussed on the day. Prepare anything you would like to say in advance, so you aren’t caught off-guard.
The conferences seem daunting at first, but they are your chance to hear from everyone involved at the same time and gives you your chance to vocalise the positive things you've done as well.
The conferences can be an opportunity to improve relationships with social workers and other professionals working with your family.
If you would like to have a telephone conversation with one of our advocates before you attend your conference, please talk to your child’s social worker or contact the Volunteer Service directly on email: [email protected], or telephone: 07542 510430, or 07901 813436.
Our advocates can also offer one-to-one support for parents throughout the child protection process. If you feel like this is something you may benefit from, please ask your child’s social worker to make a referral, or contact the Volunteer Service. Please note that we may not always have an advocate available, but we will endeavour to offer support to anyone who needs it.
Download a Child Protection Guide for Parents and Carers.
Download York's Parent Advocacy Programme brochure.
These files may not be suitable for users of assistive technology; request an accessible format.