Strategy meeting and initial child protection conference

A strategy meeting, sometimes called a strategy discussion, is where social care, police and health decide whether to start a section 47 enquiry Section 47 enquiry A section 47 enquiry is when social workers check whether a child may be at risk of serious harm. It is a formal step, not a decision that anything is wrong. Read the full definition of Section 47 enquiry . Parents are not usually part of this one.

An initial child protection Child protection The steps professionals must follow when they are worried a child may be at risk of serious harm. An enquiry is a check on whether a child is safe, not a verdict on you. Read the full definition of Child protection conference, or ICPC, comes later if the enquiry finds real cause for concern. This one you are invited to, and it decides whether your child needs a child protection plan Child protection plan A plan drawn up when a meeting decides a child needs protecting from harm. It says what must change, who will do what, and when it will be checked. Read the full definition of Child protection plan . It can feel like a room full of professionals discussing your family, so know your rights going in: you can ask to see the reports before the meeting, you can bring an advocate or supporter, and you can have your views recorded even where others disagree with them. If a plan is made, a smaller core group meets regularly to carry it out.