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Child Protection Concerns

A Child Protection Conference is held when there are worries that a child may be coming to harm because of the way they are being looked after. It is a meeting between parents and professionals (people like doctors, health visitors, teachers and social workers) who know the child and their family.

Parents and carers are encouraged to attend and participate as it is recognised that they have an important part to play in the conference. If the child is old enough to understand what is going on, they can be invited to the conference. They may bring someone with them to support them.

The person in charge of the conference is known as the Child Protection Chair. It is their job to make sure that everyone has a chance to speak and focuses on the child’s care and safety.

The conference will decide how best to help and protect the child. They might agree a Child Protection Plan – this means working out and writing down what each of the people at the conference, including the child’s family, needs to do to help protect the child from harm.