Child protection and child in need

If a child is in immediate danger please call 999

Child protection

If a child is suffering or may be at risk of suffering, significant harm:

• Section 47 enquiries may be undertaken to investigate their circumstances and ensure they are provided with immediate protection, if needed.
• A Child Protection Conference may be convened to share information about the children and analyse their parent’s capacity to safely care for them within the context of wider family support and their environment.
• A Child Protection Plan will be made for children who need a multi-agency team of professionals to ensure that they are safe, protected from harm and their lived experience improves. This Plan will be reviewed regularly to ensure progress is being made.

Child in need

Children in need may be assessed under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989, in relation to their special educational needs, disabilities, as a carer, or because they have committed a crime. Where an assessment takes place, it will be carried out by a social worker. The process for assessment should also be used for children whose parents are in prison and for asylum seeking children.

A child in need assessment can lead to the development of a Multi-Agency Child in Need Plan which will ensure the children are provided with the support they need to improve their outcomes within agreed timescales. This Plan will be reviewed regularly to ensure progress is being made, if it is not a Child Protection Plan may be necessary.

For more information about thresholds of need and interventions/support available, please see the Barnet continuum of need.