Quality standards for CP conferences for all professionals
Contents
Principles
Quality Standards for partner agencies
Principles for all agencies
Early preparation + sharing reports ; results in a concise focussed conferences,more likely to start on time and families know what is being discussed
Conferences are Child Focussed; what will change in the child’s world as a result of the CP plan?, what is the journey for this child?
Child’s Voice: children/young people attend where appropriate, advocates provided and direct work presented
Active participation of the parents and family in the conference process
Danger statement reflects the concerns and needs for this/these child/ren.
Safety Goals reflect the desired Outcomes for the children
Multi-Agency Signs of Safety/ SMART plans: parents and family need to be clear what needs to change for the child/ren to be safeguarded
Contingency plan; understood and explicit
Quality Standards for partner agencies
ActionPreparation: / Time-scale / What does good look like? / How is this monitored?
1. / Prior to the ICPC/Reviewprofessionals from partner agencies share reports with the family and send them to the QAU and allocated SW.
If the professional working directly with the family cannot attended they send a representative or send apologies
If they have any particular concerns e.g. confidential information, if all family members cannot be present at the same time, etc they advise the CPC and allocated SW in advance of the conference
The report is circulated to the child’s professional network using the e mail invitation received from QAU with due regard for data security. If there is no invitation then QAU to be contacted for assistance. / 2 days prior to initial CP Conference
2 weeks prior to 2nd or subsequent review conference
At least 1 day prior to the conference / The reports from partner agencies have been written and shared with the family/YP in good time and they have provided feedback.
The actions from the last review or CIN plan have been taken forward.
The CPC has been alerted to significant changes in the family circumstances.
All agencies see professional reports prior to the conference, to minimise time spent reading them on the day of the conference. / Parents yp feedback is recorded in the reports or at the conference
Actions agreed have been implemented.
Case by case evidence on file and through audits of the CP conference record
Feedback from the conference and observations
2. / Professionals arrive 30 mins before the identified start time to
-read any reports that have not been circulated.
-discuss any last minute issues with the CP Chair
-assist in the smooth running of the conference / 30 minutes before the Conference is due to start / Partner agencies in partnership with the CP Chair/SW to ensure all the preparation is completed and that the conferences runs efficiently, with parents and children able to participate fully. / Review of reasons for conferences starting late
Observations of conferences
Feedback forms from professionals and the family
The Conference
3. / Professionals present
- concisely what is going well and what they are worried about
- the wishes and feeling of the child if they have any information from their involvement
- Raises issues relating to religion, ethnicity, language, culture , educational needs, Learning difficulties and mental health where appropriate
- Raises Risks relating to drug misuse, domestic violence, mental health, CSE and sexual abuse explored where appropriate and contributes to the safety planning regarding these issues
- Contribute to the formulation of danger statements and safety goals
The conferences captures the child’s day to day life
Clearly identified needs in relation to education health, and the relevance of culture religion.
School attendance + attainment is recorded
Clearly recorded developmentalHealth assessments/interventions / Audit of conference records
Conference observations
Feedback forms
4. / Professionals assist in enabling the participation + engagement with the family and children/ypduring the conference in accordance with the Signs of Safety agenda / During the conference / Professionals are able to enter into conversations with families in the conference regarding safeguarding concerns / Observation
Feedback forms
5. / Professionals should assist in making clear SMART recommendations, with meaningful contingency plans / During the conference / CP plans are within the child’s timescale, measurable and understood by the child /family / Audit
Feedback forms
Escalations
6. / If the professional is aware of concerns about the child or their CP plan which have not been addressed by the allocated SW or CPC, they should escalate through the QA manager / At any time / Any concerns improve the safeguarding outcomes for the child/ren and also can improve multi agency systems in place to safeguard children. / Monitoring escalations from partner agencies
Children subject to a CP Plan for a second or subsequent time and children subject to a plan beyond the 2nd review ( 3rd conference)
7 / Professionals need to be aware of children who have previously been subject to a CP plan or who are subject to a plan beyond 12 months and monitor them as particularly vulnerable, ensuring effective attendance at conferences and provision of timely reports / Children identified within the agency / Agency has a system in place on relation to monitoring safeguarding outcomes for these children / Individual agency monitoring systems in place