Child Protection Procedures - East Ayrshire Council

SECTION 2
Investigation of Suspected Abuse
Professional Responsibilities
2.1 Professional Responsibilities in the Investigation of Suspected Abuse
N.B.
The actions outlined for East Ayrshire Council employees should at all times be
considered as procedures and any decision taken not to follow these
procedures must be approved by an appropriate line manager and recorded.
2.1.1 While all agencies have a role to play in protecting children, it must
be clearly understood by all agencies and individual professionals
that statutory responsibility for investigation rests solely with the
Police and the Social Work Department; the Police to investigate any
possible criminal offence, the Social Work Department to protect the
child.
2.1.2 It is incumbent upon all professionals to report suspected cases of
abuse to the Social Work Department without delay, (it is recognised
that agencies should have their own internal procedures for reporting
and consultation, including details of contacts in other agencies, e.g.
Police/Social work; however, any such procedure should not
compromise a swift response).
2.1.3 The main emphasis of the Police is on investigation. The main
emphasis of Social work is on protection although in practice their
roles may overlap.
2.2 Professional Responsibilities on Suspicion of Abuse
2.3 Social Work
(a)
(b)
Any suspicion of abuse coming to the attention of the Social Work
Department will be investigated as a matter of the highest priority on
the same working day, unless a Team Leader, or other appropriate
senior officer of the Social Work Department, decides otherwise.
The reasons for such a decision will be clearly recorded on the case
file (within one working day).
All staff members of the Social Work Department must report a
suspicion of abuse to a Team Leader in the appropriate local office.
That Team Leader will be responsible for the case up to the point of
the Case Conference unless the Team Leader decides otherwise.
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