National guidance for child protection in Scotland - Scottish ...

At each stage consideration must be given to whether emergency action is
required to protect the child or young person and to involving the child or young
person and their family.
It is good practice during this period to continue to work with the family. It is only
in exceptional circumstances that the family would not be informed, for example,
if the healthcare staff felt at personal risk or it may place the child at additional
risk or result in evidence being destroyed. Advice on this is available from the
child protection advisory team or social worker if staff are unsure what to do. The
next stage would be a joint investigation/assessment.
Joint Investigation/Assessment
Social work services and police have a clear statutory role in deciding whether an
investigation should take place. The purpose of joint investigations is to establish
the facts regarding a potential crime or offence against a child or young person
and to gather and share information to inform the assessment of risk and need
for that child or young person, and the need for any protective action.
It enables relevant information from key agencies to be considered. Healthcare
staff have a duty to share relevant background information regarding a child,
young person or family to inform whether an investigation is required or
immediate action is needed to protect the child, young person and any others in
the community. Healthcare staff need to be involved in planning all child
protection investigations to ensure appropriate decisions about the wider health
needs of the child or young person and whether or not a full medical examination
is required are fully considered. Decisions about whether or not a medical
examination is required should not be taken by police and social work staff
without consulting a suitably qualified health professional as identified and
agreed locally. In planning a medical assessment or forensic medical
examination, discussion with healthcare staff is essential in order that the welfare
needs of the child or young person are considered together with the need to
collect forensic evidence. Decisions about the nature and timing of medical
examinations should be made by appropriately trained paediatricians.
The process of responding to child protection concerns in diagrammatic form is
represented in Appendix 3. However, it should be noted that at any stage, the
process may be stopped if it is felt emergency measures are required to protect
the child or no further response under child protection is necessary.
Child Protection Case Conference
A core component of GIRFEC is the child’s plan. Within the context of child
protection activity, where the plan includes action to address the risk of
significant harm, it is known as a Child Protection Plan (CPP) and any meetings
to consider such a plan is known as a CPCC. Further detail on CPCCs is
contained in Part 3 of the National Guidance.
Healthcare staff may be invited to attend a CPCC where services and agencies
can share information, assessment and chronologies where there are suspicions
or allegations of child neglect.
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