Whenever there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm, there should be a strategy discussion/meeting.
Where there is a likelihood of serious immediate harm, agencies should act immediately to secure the safety of the child (whether at a single-agency or multi-agency level). In these cases, a strategy discussion should take place as soon as possible after action has been taken. See Appendix 3: Immediate Protection’.
For children where a strategy discussion is identified as being required by the Front Door (so they were not currently open to statutory services) and for children where there was existing involvement from the Assessment and Intervention Service, the strategy discussion/meeting should be co-ordinated and chaired by a Children’s Assessment & Intervention Team Manager for the child’s local area locality. For children already open to statutory services, the strategy discussion should be held by their relevant team manager.
For children who are open to Children and Families, DCS Social Work Teams and CIC would have strategy discussions held by their relevant TM.
The purpose of a strategy discussion is to determine the child’s welfare and plan rapid future action if there is reasonable cause to suspect the child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm.
A local authority social worker, health practitioners and a police representative should, as a minimum, be involved in the strategy discussion. Other relevant practitioners will depend on the nature of the individual case but may include those who have concerns about the child and/or those involved in the child’s life, for example:
- the practitioner or agency which made the referral
- the child’s school or nursery
- any health or care services the child or family members are receiving
- youth justice practitioner and/or youth worker
- adult mental health, substance misuse and/or domestic abuse specialist
- British Transport Police representative
- In the case of a pre-birth strategy discussion/meeting this should involve the midwifery services.
- In the case of sexual abuse this should involve SARC.
All attendees should be sufficiently senior to make decisions on behalf of their organisation and agencies. They should be sufficiently skilled and experienced to prepare for and engage with the strategy discussion and be able to critically assess and challenge their own and others’ input.
In strategy discussions where the presenting issues are complex and perplexing, you may have a LA solicitor in attendance; they should give a legal view once all information has been shared and a summary given.
Professionals participating in strategy discussions/meetings must have all their agency’s information relating to the child available to be able to contribute to the discussion/meeting, and must be sufficiently senior to make decisions on behalf of their agencies.
In some circumstances strategy discussions by telephone may be adequate to plan an enquiry and must include the agencies directly involved with the child. For telephone strategy discussions, all agencies should make a record of the outcome of the telephone discussion and actions agreed at the time. The record of the notes and decisions authorised by the Children’s social care manager should be circulated as soon as practicable to all parties to the discussion. Strategy Discussions that take place via the telephone, should however, be an exception to the rule and every effort should be made for professionals to be together in person or in the same virtual environment.
Some examples of circumstances where a strategy discussion/meeting should be considered:
- Any new referrals in respect of a child where there are concerns that a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm;
- When new information on an existing case in Children’s social care indicates that a child is likely to suffer significant harm;
- Any new information that a child may be likely to suffer, or has suffered significant harm through being sexually abused/exploited; undergoing FGM or being exposed to radicalisation;
- When an adult or young person assessed as presenting a likelihood of harm to children has moved into, or is about to move into, the child’s household or such a person is regularly visiting or about to have sustained contact with the child;
- When the likelihood of significant harm to an unborn child may be such as to indicate the need to develop a Child Protection Plan before birth;
- When the death of a child in family, in which abuse or neglect is suspected, is confirmed and there are other children in the household;
- When a child lives in, or is born to, a household in which resides another child who is currently the subject of a Child Protection Plan.
This is not an exhaustive list.
A strategy discussion/meeting should be used to:
- Share available information;
- Agree the conduct and timing of any criminal investigation;
- Decide whether an assessment under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989 (Section 47 Enquiries) should be initiated, or continued, if it has already been initiated following an earlier Strategy discussion/meeting;
- Consider the assessment and the key action points, if already in place;
- Plan how the Section 47 Enquiry should be undertaken (if one is to be initiated) including the need for any medical assessment, and who will carry out what actions, by when and for what purpose;
- Agree what action is required immediately to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child, and/or provide interim services and support. If the child is in hospital, decisions should also be made about how to secure the safe discharge of the child;
- Agree, in particular, when the child will be seen alone, if appropriate for the child, by the social worker during the course of these enquiries and agree the methods by which the child’s wishes and feelings will be ascertained so that they can be taken into account when making decisions;
- In the light of the race, ethnicity, beliefs and culture of the child and family, consider how these should be taken into account and to establish whether an interpreter will be required; and
- Consider the needs of other children who may be affected (e.g. siblings and other children, such as those living in the same household, and/or in contact with alleged abusers);
- Determine what information from the strategy discussion/meeting will be shared with the family, unless such information sharing may place a child at increased likelihood of significant harm or jeopardise police investigations into any alleged offence/s;
- Determine if legal action is required;
- Consider the views and wishes of the child/ren.
It is the responsibility of the chair of the strategy discussion/meeting to ensure that the decisions and agreed actions are fully recorded using an appropriate form/record. All agencies attending should take notes of the actions agreed at the time.
A copy of the record should be made available for all those, who had been invited or involved, as soon as practicable by Children’s social care.
Timescales:
Initial strategy discussions/meetings should be convened promptly:
- Same day for referrals made to the Front Door.
- Within one working day for open cases held by the team managing the case.
And in cases of suspected recent sexual abuse (within 10 days) contact SARC immediately to discuss forensic timescales that may indicate a child needs to be seen urgently and not delayed until after convening the strategy discussion.
Decision Making:
Chair will lead a threshold discussion; this is to include seeking the views of the professionals present. The decision making is focused on the need or not for a Section 47 enquiry and must be based on a threshold that a child/children are suffering or is/are likely to suffer significant harm.
If a Section 47 enquiry is required, the Strategy Discussion should decide if it is a Joint or Single agency investigation.
If a Section 47 is not required, the Chair will facilitate a discussion to determine if Child in Need or Targeted Early Help is to be offered.
It will be a rare occurrence that a Strategy Discussion will conclude with No Further Action or step down to Early Help / Universal Services on the basis that the Strategy Discussion was called due to concern of significant harm.
The Chair will make the overall decision regarding the outcome for a child / children subject of a Strategy Discussion.
The Chair should also facilitate and with the support of those in attendance create a Safety Plan where one is required and a SMART plan outlining clear next steps.
NB: Strategy Discussion do not have the function or purpose to determine if an ICPC is required. The Section 47 investigation determines if an ICPC is required. Predetermination is not good practice and an inappropriate use of a Strategy Discussion.
Outcomes:
When the outcome of the Strategy Discussion is finalised, if professionals in other agencies remain seriously concerned about the safety of a child, these professionals should seek further discussion with the social worker, their manager and/or the designated safeguarding professional lead. The concerns, discussion and any agreements made should be recorded in each agency’s files. This should be actioned within a timescale commensurate with the need to safeguard the child and in accordance with the Conflict Resolution Policy.
In exceptional circumstances, enquiries may be more complicated and may require more than one strategy discussion/meeting. If the strategy discussion/meeting concludes that a further strategy discussion/meeting is required, then a clear timescale should be set and be subject to regular review by the social work manager bearing in mind the safety of the child at all times. Where there is more than one Strategy Discussion it should be noted that any Initial Child Protection Conference should be held within 15 working days of the Strategy Discussion which initiated the Child Protection Enquiry.
If the conclusion of the strategy discussion/meeting is that there is no cause to pursue the Section 47 Enquiry then consideration should be given to continuing a multi-agency assessment to meet the needs of the child for any early help support services or to provide family support services to them as a child in need.
For information on electronic and digital recording of meetings, see related guidance in the Child Protection Conferences Procedure, Membership of Child Protection Conference.
- Planning your S47 enquiry (please read in conjunction with Child Protection Enquiries – Section 47 Children Act 1989 (trixonline.co.uk)
The Strategy Discussion is an opportunity for initial planning across the partnership with key tasks, dates and named individuals agreed – What, When and Who.
For example:
ABE interview would be a joint task for Police and Children’s Social Care
Child Protection medical would be Children’s Social Care and Paediatrician and possibly the Police depending on the significant harm or likelihood of significant harm.
Chronology of concern would likely be a task for each individual agency with a lead professional being identified to collate and combine all of these to one master document.
Within your planning consider if there was anyone identified as not present who should have been, and any further information you need to gather from whom, identify who is going to be responsible for sourcing this information and feedback.
Appendix 1: Agenda for Strategy discussions
- Welcome to the meeting.
My name is (name and role), I am here to chair today’s strategy discussion in respect of (name all of the children to be discussed). This is a confidential meeting; information shared here today may not be shared outside of this meeting without first discussing this with me, the chair or (name the police officer in attendance) from the police.
- Introductions.
Each person introduces themselves.
- Reason for the meeting.
Summary of why the meeting has been called or invite the referring professional to provide a summary for you.
- Discuss each child in turn ensuring you cover:
- Social care history
- Education / nursery history
- Health history
- Criminal history/intel
- Anything else of relevance from (for example but not limited too) Housing, Adult Social Care, Disability Team, Probation etc.
It is important information is holistic and balanced, record positive information as well as concerns:
- What’s working well (resilience factors for each child)
- What are we worried about and what evidence do we have for these concerns (what are the risks and evidence for these)
- What do we need to know (what are we unsure of)
For each adult discussed there should be consideration of harmful and protective factors, the impact this has on the child and parenting / caring capacity.
- Chair’s summary
Provide a summary of the findings from the meeting and give an overview of the evidence heard and subsequent concerns. Depending on the complexity of the concerns and number of children you may wish to do a summary for each child, especially if concerns / thresholds differ.
Please refer to separate guidance for Fabricated and Induced Illness and Child Trafficking.
Appendix 2: Checklist for Strategy Discussions
- Chairing the Meeting
- Responsibility: Social work team manager.
- Timing
- Held the same day. Or in line with Devon’s Policy Guidance. Record rationale if not within timescales.
- Attendees
- Children’s Social Care, including residential or fostering service if the child is in care and the Youth Justice Service if involved.
- Police
- Health
- Any other key professionals such as Education, Nursery Staff, Key workers
- Introduction
- Apologies.
- Consider quoracy (must include representatives from Children’s Social Care, the Police, and Health).
- Family Details
- Verify accuracy (names, dates of birth, addresses, household members).
- Meeting Status
- Notify attendees of meeting details.
- Confidentiality statement.
- Purpose
- Share and record the reason for the strategy discussion.
- Information Sharing
- Share available information, this should include consideration of historical information in respect of the child/family in context with the reason for the strategy discussion.
- Protective Factors and Strengths
- Identify and record.
- Risk Assessment
- Determine if the child(ren) has suffered or there is a likelihood of suffering significant harm.
- Section 47 Enquiries
- Decide initiation and whether single or joint agency.
- Plan the enquiry (information required, how it will be obtained).
- Interviews
- Agree on who, by whom, for what purpose, and when.
- Arrange for the child(ren) to be seen alone by Children’s Social Care.
- Coordination
- Coordinate enquiries by Police, Health, and Children’s Social Care to minimise distress and preserve evidence.
- Medical Investigations
- Consider the need for and plan any required.
- Cultural Considerations
- Consider race and ethnicity.
- Determine if an interpreter is needed.
- Disabilities
- Consider any disabilities and required adaptations/adjustments.
- Safety Plan
- Identify immediate and short-term actions required to support the child(ren).
- Ensure an appropriate Safety Plan is in place outlining who will do what and by when.
- Information Sharing with Family
- Determine what will be shared.
- Record rationale for decisions.
- Legal Action
- Consider the need for LPM.
- Review Actions
- Determine how actions will be reviewed.
- LADO Referral
- Consider if needed.
- Agency Views
- Capture different views and how any disagreements will be resolved.
Appendix 3: Immediate Protection
Where there is a likelihood of harm to the life of a child or a likelihood of serious immediate harm, whether from inside or outside the home, the local authority, the police (including British Transport Police) or NSPCC should use their statutory child protection powers to act immediately to secure the safety of the child, as set out in Section 46 of Children Act 1989.
If it is necessary to remove a child from their home, a local authority must, wherever possible
and unless a child’s safety is otherwise at immediate likelihood of harm, apply for an Emergency Protection Order (EPO). Police powers to remove a child in an emergency should be used only in exceptional circumstances where there is insufficient time to seek an EPO or for reasons relating to the immediate safety of the child.
An EPO, made by the court, gives authority to remove a child, or prevent a child being removed from a hospital or other place the child is being accommodated, and places them under the protection of the applicant.
When considering whether emergency action is necessary, the local authority or the police
should always consider the needs of other children in the same household or in the household of an alleged perpetrator.
The local authority in whose area a child is found in circumstances that require emergency action (the first authority) is responsible for taking emergency action. If the child is looked after by, or the subject of a child protection plan in another authority, the first authority must consult the authority responsible for the child. Only when the second local authority explicitly accepts responsibility (to be followed up in writing) is the first authority relieved of its responsibility to take emergency action.
Multi-agency working
Planned emergency action will normally take place following an immediate strategy discussion. Social workers, the police or NSPCC should:
- initiate a strategy discussion to discuss planned emergency action. Where a single agency has to act immediately, a strategy discussion should take place as soon as possible after action has been taken
- see the child (this should be done by a practitioner from the agency taking the emergency action) to decide how best to protect them and whether to seek an EPO
- wherever possible, obtain legal advice before initiating legal action, in particular when an EPO is being sought
Related information: For further guidance on EPOs see Chapter 4 of the statutory guidance
document for local authorities, Court orders and pre-proceedings (DfE, April 2014).