What Happens at a Child Protection Conference? Plans, Thresholds and Your Role
A child protection conference is a multi-agency meeting held after a section 47 enquiry under the Children Act 1989. It decides whether a child is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm and needs a child protection plan. In England the initial conference should take place within 15 working days of the strategy discussion. Parents and, where appropriate, the child can take part, alongside the social worker and the practitioners who know the family, such as the school’s designated safeguarding lead (DSL), health visitor, GP and police. This guide explains each step, the thresholds and your role.
On this page
- 1What is a child protection conference and where does it fit in the process?
- 2What is the threshold for a child protection conference?
- 3How soon is a child protection conference held, and what happens next?
- 4Who attends a child protection conference, and what does each agency do?
- 5What happens at an initial child protection conference?
- 6What can parents and carers expect, and what are their rights?
- 7How do you prepare a report for a child protection conference?
- 8Can you share information for a conference without consent?
- 9What is the role of a school DSL or setting at a child protection conference?
- 10What is in a child protection plan, and what does the core group do?
- 11How do review conferences work, and how does a child protection plan end?
- 12What mistakes do practitioners make at child protection conferences?
- 13What checklist should a practitioner invited to a conference use?
- 14How does this differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
- 15Which training helps staff prepare for child protection conferences?
- 16Frequently asked questions
- It follows a section 47 enquiry. The initial conference should take place within 15 working days of the strategy discussion, and sooner if the case is urgent.
- The test is significant harm. The conference decides whether the child is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm and, if so, agrees an outline child protection plan.
- Parents are partners. They can bring a supporter or advocate, and the chair should meet the family beforehand to explain the process.
- Reports need facts, not labels. Cover facts, observations, what the child said, what you have done and your view on risk, by the chair's deadline.
This guide is for school, early years, health and youth staff who may be invited to a conference or asked for a report. It follows England, with a short section on the other UK nations. Our guides to what safeguarding children means and early help and Family Help cover the earlier stages. General information, not legal advice. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
What is a child protection conference and where does it fit in the process?
The statutory guidance, Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 (published 18 March 2026), says an initial child protection conference “brings together family members (and the child where appropriate), with the supporters, advocates, and practitioners most involved with the child and family, to make decisions about the child’s future safety, health and development”. It is a decision-making meeting, not a court hearing. If it decides a child needs a plan, children’s social care decides whether legal action is needed. The usual route looks like this:
- Concern or referral. Anyone with a concern about a child’s welfare should consider a referral to children’s social care, and make it immediately if the child may be suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm (Working Together 2026, paragraph 164).
- Strategy discussion. Children’s social care, the police, health and others such as the child’s school meet to share information, and the local authority decides whether to start section 47 enquiries.
- Section 47 enquiry. A social worker leads an assessment, sees the child and talks to the family and the practitioners who know them. The assessment should reach a decision on next steps within 45 working days of the referral.
- Outcome. If concerns are not substantiated, the child may still be a child in need or get other support. If they are substantiated and the child is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm, the lead practitioner convenes an initial child protection conference.
- Conference and plan. The conference decides whether the child needs a child protection plan. If so, an outline plan is agreed and a core group is set up.
- Reviews. Review conferences continue until the child no longer needs the plan.
The Department for Education’s Children in need statistics for the year ending 31 March 2025 (published 30 October 2025, last updated 11 September 2026) record over 230,000 section 47 enquiries and over 72,000 initial conferences in England: conferences were nearly one third (31%) the number of enquiries.
What is the threshold for a child protection conference?
The threshold is “significant harm”. Under section 47 of the Children Act 1989, a local authority must make enquiries where it has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm, so that it can decide whether to act to safeguard or promote the child’s welfare. It must also, so far as reasonably practicable, find out the child’s wishes and feelings and give them due consideration.
The Act sets no numerical test. Section 31 defines “harm” as ill-treatment or the impairment of health or development, including impairment from seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of someone else. Where the question turns on health or development, the child is compared with a similar child. Working Together 2026 (paragraph 242) says significant harm can include sexual, physical or emotional abuse, neglect, domestic abuse, criminal exploitation, trafficking, online abuse and radicalisation. Practitioners should weigh severity, duration and frequency, the degree of threat or coercion and the cumulative impact of events, and tell poverty apart from neglect.
In plain English:
- Child in need. Under section 17, a child who is unlikely to achieve or maintain a reasonable level of health or development, or whose health or development is likely to be significantly or further impaired without services, or who is disabled. Support is voluntary and planned with the family.
- Child protection. A child who is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm. The local authority must make enquiries, and the conference decides whether a protection plan is needed.
Our early help guide compares the levels side by side. One wording point: the Wales procedures below ask whether a child is at “continuing risk of significant harm”. The England guidance asks whether the child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, and the review conference asks whether that is continuing.
How soon is a child protection conference held, and what happens next?
Working Together 2026 says the initial conference “should take place within 15 working days of a strategy discussion, or the strategy discussion at which section 47 enquiries were initiated if more than one has been held”. Its flow chart says “most recent”, so check your local procedure. Timing “should depend on the urgency of the case”, and for an unborn baby the guidance says to consider a conference before the birth.
| Step | Timescale in England (Working Together 2026) |
|---|---|
| Initial assessment after a referral | Within one working day of the referral |
| Assessment to reach a decision on next steps | No longer than 45 working days from the referral |
| Initial child protection conference | Within 15 working days of the strategy discussion |
| First core group meeting | Within 10 working days of the initial conference |
| First review conference | Within three months of the initial conference |
| Later review conferences | At intervals of no more than six months |
| Child moves permanently to another local authority | The receiving authority convenes a conference within 15 working days of being told |
If children’s social care decides not to hold a conference, other practitioners with serious concerns “have the right to request” one. Safeguarding partners should have a quick way to resolve differences of opinion.
Who attends a child protection conference, and what does each agency do?
The lead social worker considers who to invite, including which practitioners have specialist knowledge and whether the referrer should come. In practice the room usually includes:
| Who | What they usually bring |
|---|---|
| Chair | Runs the meeting fairly, draws out views independently, meets the child and parents beforehand and records decisions. Should be independent of operational and line management responsibility for supporting the child. |
| Social worker (lead practitioner) | Presents the reason for the conference, the child’s needs, parental capacity and family context, the analysis and the local authority’s recommendation. |
| Parents, carers and family network | Their own account, strengths and what help they think would make a difference. They may bring a family member, friend, supporter or advocate. |
| The child | Where appropriate, attends or has their views put by an advocate or another trusted person. |
| School, college or early years setting | Attendance, learning, behaviour, what staff have seen and heard, what the child has said and how the family engages. Usually the DSL or a deputy. |
| Health practitioners | Health visiting, school nursing, GP, midwifery, paediatric, mental health, sexual health or substance misuse information, as relevant. |
| Police | The position on any criminal investigation and relevant information about adults connected to the child. |
| Others, as relevant | For example probation, housing, youth justice, adult mental health, substance misuse or domestic abuse services. |
The agency roles come from the Working Together 2026 descriptors for the conference and the strategy discussion. Attendees should be able to “critically assess and challenge their own and others’ input”. Local procedures decide quorum.
What happens at an initial child protection conference?
Working Together 2026 lists the conference tasks as appointing a lead statutory body (children’s social care or the NSPCC) and a lead social worker, identifying the core group, setting timescales for core group meetings, the plan and reviews, and agreeing an outline plan with clear actions, including “how much improvement is needed, by when”.
The England guidance leaves the running order to local procedure. The Wales Safeguarding Procedures and the Northern Ireland manual (linked below) give a typical shape: introductions, apologies and confidentiality; a summary of reports; the events leading up to the conference and the section 47 findings; the views of the child and family; an analysis of the future risk; then the decision and recommendations. Participants decide whether the child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. If not, a plan to secure the child’s welfare is agreed, such as a child in need plan or early help. If so, an outline plan is prepared and a core group set up.
On disagreement, the Welsh procedures say dissenting views should be recorded in full. England leaves the detail to local procedure, so say clearly and calmly what you think and why.
What can parents and carers expect, and what are their rights?
The guidance sets expectations for practitioners more than it lists rights for parents. It says parents need to understand “what is happening, what they can expect from the help and support provided, what is expected of them” (paragraph 19), and describes a culture of “no surprises”. Its third principle commits practitioners to telling parents who will attend, whether the child will be invited and the format, explaining that they can bring a family member, friend or supporter, preparing them with suitable information and access arrangements, and helping them understand the issues, possible decisions, timescales and outcomes.
For the conference itself, the lead practitioner should make sure parents understand the purpose and who will attend, give information about advocacy agencies, and explain that the family may bring an advocate. The chair should meet the child and parents in advance. Material should be jargon-free, with professional interpreters rather than family members where needed. A plan can lead to pre-proceedings if the likelihood of significant harm does not reduce, and practitioners should explain that clearly. Whether a parent attends all or part of a conference, and how to complain or challenge a decision, are set by local procedures, so we state no single national rule.
The child’s voice matters too. Working Together 2026 says practitioners “take care to ensure that children know what is being discussed about them, and their family, where this is appropriate”, and the lead practitioner should help prepare a child who attends or sends views through someone else. Record what a child tells you in their own words, note who heard it, and never promise confidentiality you cannot keep.
How do you prepare a report for a child protection conference?
Working Together 2026 says involved practitioners should “contribute to the information their agency provides ahead of the conference”, “offer clear analysis based on their perspective”, and consider, with the police and the chair, “whether the report can and should be shared with the parents and if so when”. It sets no national deadline, so follow the date the chair gives you; the Wales Safeguarding Procedures, for comparison, ask for written reports 2 working days before. Write as if the parents will read it. A short template for school, health or early years staff:
- Who you are. Your role, how long you have known the child and family, and how often you see them.
- Facts. What happened, with dates and sources: attendance, injuries, incidents, what was reported and by whom.
- Observations. What you personally saw and heard, including how the child presents and relates to adults and peers.
- What the child said. Their words, who they said them to, when and in what context, without leading or interpreting.
- What you have done. Concerns raised, support offered, whether the family took it up, and what changed.
- Your view on risk. Your analysis: what worries you and why, strengths and protective factors, and what would need to change.
Keep it short enough to summarise aloud in two minutes. The Wales procedures ask practitioners to distinguish fact, observation, allegation and opinion, which is sound practice anywhere. Tell the chair beforehand about anything sensitive.
Can you share information for a conference without consent?
Usually yes. Working Together 2026 (paragraph 32) says the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 support sharing relevant information to keep children safe, that fears about sharing “must not be allowed to stand in the way”, and that consent is not needed to share for safeguarding where there is a lawful basis, such as “legal obligation” or “public task”.
From 30 September 2026, section 16LA of the Children Act 2004 adds a duty (England and Wales) for bodies listed in section 11(1), and designated childcare or education agencies, to share information relevant to a child’s welfare where it may help another listed body perform its safeguarding functions, unless disclosure would be more detrimental to the child. Check the Secretary of State’s guidance and your employer’s policy on whether your setting is covered. Share what is relevant and proportionate, and tell your DSL or manager.
What is the role of a school DSL or setting at a child protection conference?
In a school or college the DSL usually attends. Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026, Annex B, expects DSLs and deputies to have “a working knowledge of how local authorities conduct a child protection case conference and a child protection review conference” and to be able to attend and contribute effectively. Our guides to the designated safeguarding lead, the deputy DSL and KCSIE cover the wider role.
Before the meeting, a good DSL builds a dated chronology from the child protection file and talks to the staff who know the child best. Afterwards they share the outcome on a need-to-know basis, update the records and attend core group meetings if named in the plan. A nursery manager, health visitor or youth work lead does the same. Our Safeguarding Children (Advanced) Level 2 course covers thresholds, referrals and recording, which a good report builds on. If you cannot attend, tell the chair early and send your report with a named person who can answer questions. Concerns about adults are handled differently: see low-level concerns in schools.
What is in a child protection plan, and what does the core group do?
The plan aims to keep the child safe from harm inside and outside the home and online, promote their health and development, support the family to safeguard the child, and set out what each agency will provide. It should be “specific, achievable, and relevant to the likelihood of significant harm”, and the social worker explains it to the child in a way that matches their age and understanding.
The core group is the working team of the lead social worker, the family and the practitioners with a role in the plan. It should meet within 10 working days of the conference. It develops the outline plan, sets out what needs to change, by how much and by when, and carries out and reviews the plan.
DfE figures show nearly 50,000 children on a child protection plan in England at 31 March 2025, with neglect (50%) and emotional abuse (37%) the most common initial categories. The Working Together 2026 conference text does not itself list categories, so check your local procedure.
How do review conferences work, and how does a child protection plan end?
A review conference follows the same procedures as the initial one. It reviews whether the child “is continuing to suffer or is likely to suffer significant harm” and how far the plan outcomes have been met, and decides whether the plan continues or changes. The first review is within three months of the initial conference, then at intervals of no more than six months.
A plan should end if the child is no longer suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, if they move permanently to another local authority (once that authority holds its own conference), or if they reach 18, die or leave the UK permanently. The lead practitioner should then consider what support is still needed. Working Together 2026 says this may include Family Help under section 17 or universal or early help, and the Family Help lead practitioner should stay involved in decisions where the child was already known to services.
If the plan is not working, the authority may decide the threshold for care proceedings is met in principle and start pre-proceedings, described as the final opportunity for parents to avoid care proceedings. It can also start proceedings at any stage. Under section 31 a court can make a care or supervision order only if the child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm attributable to the care given, or to the child being beyond parental control.
What mistakes do practitioners make at child protection conferences?
- Presenting opinion as fact. “Mum is neglectful” is a judgement. “Three of the last ten mornings he arrived without breakfast or a coat, on these dates” is a fact you can support.
- Sending reports late, or not at all. The chair cannot read what arrives in the room, and the family cannot respond to it.
- Not attending. Involved practitioners should attend when invited and take part in decision-making.
- Assuming someone else has shared the concern. The standards say never to assume information has already been shared.
- Staying silent when you disagree. Challenge constructively, and use the partners’ escalation process if needed.
- Forgetting the follow-up. Plans fail when agencies miss core group meetings or do not report changes.
What checklist should a practitioner invited to a conference use?
- Do I know the date, venue (or link) and the chair’s deadline for reports?
- Have I built a dated chronology from my own records?
- Have I separated facts, observations, what the child said and my opinion?
- Have I written the report assuming the parents may read it?
- Have I flagged anything sensitive to the chair, such as a risk if information is shared?
- Have I told my DSL, manager or supervisor?
- Can I summarise my report in two minutes and give a view on risk?
- If I cannot go, have I told the social worker and sent my report?
- After the meeting, have I recorded the outcome and diarised the core group and review?
How does this differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
The main text is for England. The law, terms and timescales differ elsewhere, so use the local procedures where you work. The table summarises each nation’s official guidance as we found it on 28 October 2026.
| Nation | Name and source | Key points |
|---|---|---|
| Scotland | Child Protection Planning Meeting (CPPM). National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2021, updated 2023 | Replaces the term “case conference”. It decides whether the child is at risk of significant harm and needs a Child Protection Plan; if so the child’s name goes on the child protection register. Appendix D says a CPPM will follow within 28 calendar days if a child protection investigation has progressed, a core group meets within 15 working days, and the plan is reviewed within six months. It also asks whether a referral to the Principal Reporter is needed. |
| Wales | Initial child protection conference. Wales Safeguarding Procedures, section 3 part 2 (last updated February 2021) | Held within 15 working days of the last strategy discussion or meeting. Decides whether the child is at continuing risk of significant harm and whether to register them on the child protection register. Written reports are due to the chair 2 working days before the conference. |
| Northern Ireland | Child Protection Case Conference. SBNI Procedures Manual | Must take place within 15 working days of the start of the Article 66 investigation. Decides whether to place the child’s name on the Child Protection Register. First core group within 10 working days; a review date within three months of registration. |
In each nation the child and family are expected to be invited and supported to take part. Terms such as “register” and “category” still appear in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Check the latest version on the linked site before relying on a timescale.
Which training helps staff prepare for child protection conferences?
Awareness training gives staff the grounding for a good report; attending conferences also needs local procedures, supervision and experience. Three Nexis CPD courses fit this topic:
Together they cost £18 rather than £27 under the pay-for-2-get-3 offer, and employers training 5 or more staff pay £6 a course place on our team plan. These are awareness-level CPD courses, not regulated qualifications, and they do not replace your organisation’s safeguarding procedures, your local safeguarding partnership’s training or specialist practical training. If you take one, start with Safeguarding Children (Advanced) Level 2: 20 questions, 80% to pass, and an instant certificate.
Safeguarding Children (Advanced) Level 2
100% online, at your own pace. Pass the assessment and your verifiable certificate is emailed instantly.
Frequently asked questions
What happens at an initial child protection conference?
A chair brings together the family, the social worker and the practitioners most involved to decide whether the child is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm. If so, the conference agrees an outline child protection plan, a lead social worker and a core group.
How long after a strategy discussion is the conference held?
Working Together 2026 says the initial conference should take place within 15 working days of the strategy discussion, and sooner if the case is urgent.
Can parents attend and bring someone with them?
Parents are normally invited, and the guidance says the family may bring an advocate, friend or supporter. The chair should meet the child and parents beforehand to explain the process.
What is the difference between a child in need plan and a child protection plan?
A child in need plan supports a child under section 17 of the Children Act 1989 and is agreed with the family. A child protection plan follows a conference that decides a child is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm.
Do I have to attend a child protection conference if I am invited?
Working Together 2026 says involved practitioners should attend when invited and take part in decision-making, and Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 expects school DSLs to be able to attend and contribute. If you cannot go, tell the social worker or chair early and send your report.
How does a child protection plan end?
A plan ends when the child is judged no longer to be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, when the family moves permanently to another authority which holds its own conference, or when the child reaches 18, dies or leaves the UK permanently.
General information, not legal advice. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999. This guide reflects the sources named above as checked on 28 October 2026. Arrangements vary by area, so follow your local safeguarding partnership procedures. Nexis CPD courses are CPD-accredited awareness training, not regulated qualifications, and they do not replace your organisation’s safeguarding procedures or local multi-agency policy.