Child Protection and Welfare Practice Handbook - Health Service ...

Introduction to the Practice Handbook
Child protection
The process of protecting individual children identified as either suffering,
or likely to suffer, significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect.
Child protection concern
The term ‘child protection concern’ is used when there are reasonable
grounds for believing that a child may have been, is being or is at risk of
being physically, sexually or emotionally abused or neglected.
Child Protection Conference
A Child Protection Conference (CPC) is an interagency and interprofessional
meeting, convened by the designated person in the HSE. The purpose of
a Child Protection Conference is to facilitate the sharing and evaluation
of information between professionals and parents/carers, to consider the
evidence as to whether a child has suffered or is likely to suffer significant
harm, to decide whether a child should have a formal Child Protection Plan
and if so to formulate such a plan.
Child Protection Notification System
The Child Protection Notification System (CPNS) is a HSE Children and
Family Services’ record of every child about whom there are unresolved child
protection issues, resulting in the child being the subject of a Child Protection
Plan. The decision to place a child on the CPNS is made at a Child Protection
Conference.
Child Protection Plan
A Child Protection Plan is an interagency plan that sets out what changes
need to happen to make sure that the child or young person is safe and that
their needs are met. Agreed at the Child Protection Conference, the aim of
the plan is to reduce or remove the identified risks so that a decision can be
made to cease the Child Protection Plan. It will also list the support and help
to be given to the family by the different agencies and what the family is
expected to do to make the changes happen.
Child Protection Review Conference
Taking place at regular agreed intervals (but no later than 6 months after
the initial Child Protection Conference), the primary purpose of the Review
Conference is to determine whether the child remains at continuing risk of
significant harm and whether the child continues to require safeguarding
through a Child Protection Plan.
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