Participation in the Child Protection Planning Meeting

Parents and carers or others with parental responsibilities should be invited to the Child Protection Planning Meeting. They need sufficient time and support before, during and after the meeting to understand shared information, including concerns and decisions. The Chair should meet with the family prior to the meeting.

The Chair should encourage the parent or carer to express their views, while bearing in mind that they may have negative feelings regarding practitioners’ intervention in their family. The Chair should make certain that parents/carers are informed in advance about how information and discussion will be presented and managed.

Parents/Carers may need to bring someone to support them when they attend the Child Protection Planning Meeting such as an advocacy worker. They may also request to bring a friend/family member and this will be at the discretion of the Chair. The support person is there solely to support the parent/carer and has no other role within the Child Protection Planning Meeting.

Any support required to ensure that parents /carers can fully participate in the meeting should be considered, for example an interpreter.

Children and young people should be invited to Child Protection Planning Meetings where it is appropriate but the following must be considered:

• The best way to give them information to help them understand and take part in the meeting
• The emotional impact of attending a meeting, as meetings can be disturbing or confusing for children who attend
• A decision not to invite the child or young person should be verbally communicated to them, unless there are reasons not to do so
• Professionals should agree who is best placed to prepare the child for the meeting such as Social Worker, advocacy worker, pastoral care teacher etc...
• The Chair should meet with the child individually prior to the meeting to explain the reason for the meeting and to gain their views This should take place regardless of whether the child is attending the meeting
• Where a child is not attending the meeting in person, the Social Worker must ensure that the child is comfortable with how they will be involved in the meeting—for example, a pre- meeting with Chair, virtual via tablet/phone, a written report by the child/advocate or a person of the child’s choice
• Meetings should be as child and family friendly as possible and arrangements in put place for a child to attend all or part of the meeting
• The Child Protection Planning Meeting should consider whether a child should attend the Core Group

Children, parents and carers should be provided with information in advance of the meeting. This can be provided electronically or as a printed copy.

The following information can be provided to children and families:

• Illustrated information for children and young people
• Illustrated information for parents / carers
• Summary for children explaining meetings, processes and timescales
• Summary for parents/carers explaining meetings, processes and timescales