Child protection

Social Services has a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare and safety of children in need. To do this, children's services aims to work with parents and families in the best interests of the children by listening to their views when making decisions.

Where we believe that if a young person or child appears to be at risk of harm, we have a duty by law to investigate their situation. We talk to the child or young person, their family and all of those agencies who are directly involved.

In some situations we will also involve the police. If the assessment indicates that the child is at risk of harm – this can be physical, emotional, sexual or neglect – a child protection case conference may be called. This is a meeting of all key agencies involved with the child.

The case conference can decide to place the child on the Child Protection Register. This is a confidential list held by all local authorities of children about whom there are child protection concerns.

A plan is made at the conference which sets out what action needs to be taken by all the agencies and the family to meet the child's needs and reduce the areas of risk and concern.

Most children on the child protection register remain at home with their families and, with the support from children's services, the difficulties are dealt with and the child's name is removed from the register.

It is only when there are great difficulties and the child's needs cannot be met by their family, that social services needs to arrange for them to stay elsewhere. When this happens, we will always look for alternative carers within the family.

If you are concerned that a child or young person is being harmed through abuse or neglect you should contact the social services assessment team on 020 7364 5006.

Alternatively you can speak to a police officer, teacher, health visitor, doctor or the NSPCC.

Pid No: 310