What is a strategy meeting?
The purpose of a strategy meeting or discussion is to allow the sharing of any information that is known by the professionals working with a particular child. These professionals might be social workers, the police, health professionals, teachers or any other relevant professionals. Strategy discussions help Children's Services to build as full a picture as possible of what has happened.
Family members are not invited to attend strategy meetings. However, unless a decision has been made that sharing information after the strategy discussion would place a child at greater risk of harm, any information that has been shared by professionals during a strategy discussion will be shared with appropriate family members.
During the strategy meeting the professionals will assess
If any criminal investigation needs to be undertaken.
If any immediate safeguarding measures need to be put in place.
If a Section 47 enquiry needs to be started, either by children's services, by the police or by both working together.
What is a Section 47 enquiry?
A Section 47 enquiry might also be referred to as a child protection enquiry, a child protection investigation, or a S47. This refers to section 47 of the Children Act.
When children's services or the police receive information that a child might either have suffered significant harm, or is likely to
suffer significant harm, they have a statutory duty to investigate this information. This investigation is called a Section 47 enquiry.
Section 47 enquiries can be led by either children's services or the police or by both working together. The first step in any enquiry is to gather information to clarify what has happened. Unless the professionals are very concerned about the information they have received, it is likely that in the first instance you will be contacted and asked what has happened.
If it is unclear if there is a risk to a child, or professionals are still concerned about any of the information they have received a strategy meeting will need to take place.
What happens next?
If it has been decided that there is no need to progress to a Section 47 enquiry, children's services will always try to work with those people who have parental responsibility and will try to get agreement from them before starting to collecting information. However, in line with the law and guidance, information can still be gathered even if those with parental responsibility have not given consent.
Possible outcomes of a Section 47 enquiry
- Initial child protection conference (ICPC)
If there is evidence that any of the concerns which have been raised can be substantiated and your child/ren are at risk of significant harm, it is likely that Children's Services will recommend that an ICPC takes place.
- Continue child and family assessment
If it is assessed that it may be helpful for a family to be offered additional support, Children's Services will continue their assessment and work with you to understand more about what is going on with your family and how we might be able to support you. Once the support needs have been identified, Children's Services will make a referral to the most appropriate service or organisation.
- No further involvement from children's services
If no risk is identified, the concerns are not substantiated and no additional support needs are identified, children's services will complete their work and a no further action letter will be sent out.
Most children seen by the children's services do not 'go into care'. This will only happen if a child/ren will be at serious risk if they stay living with their family. A social worker cannot decide to take away children; only a court or the police can do this. If a social worker feels that a child is at risk in your care, they will be open and honest with you and you will be told what your rights are in this situation.