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

Social Work Procedures and Practice
Pre-birth risks and concerns can lead to a pre-birth Child Protection
Conference
On occasion, the likelihood of significant harm to an unborn child may be
indicated by the parent’s background or current behaviour. Examples of
circumstances where this may be the case include:
where parents have a criminal conviction for harming another child;
• where another child has been removed from the care of one of the
• parents through civil proceedings although no criminal conviction was
achieved;
where a parent’s lifestyle is such that there is considered likelihood of
• significant harm to the child, such as severe emotional, behavioural or
mental health difficulties or dependencies on drugs, alcohol or other
substances.
Practice Note: Guidance on written reports for a
Child Protection Conference
• As with all report writing, a report for a Child Protection Conference
should be accurate, concise and clear.
• All reports, either now or in the future, may become available to
be read by clients and should be written accordingly.
• A written report is a professional document which may some time
in the future be required in Court.
• The written report must be factual and accurate, and not contain
gossip or unfounded opinion.
• Identify all sources of information.
• It is preferable to use descriptive language rather than a label,
e.g. ‘On four of my last six visits, Mr B had been drinking excessively
and was incoherent’ rather than ‘Mr B is an habitual drunk’.
• Use plain, non-technical language and avoid professional jargon
where possible.
• It is acceptable, and often desirable, to include professional
judgement in a report. In this case:
— separate between the professional judgements and facts in
the report;
— clearly identify statements, where relevant, as the
judgements of the writer;
— base judgements on fact and establish this link in the report.
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