Child Protection Investigations
Information for Parents
This information is about child protection investigations and explains what it may mean for you.
We realise it may not answer all the questions you may have so if there is anything you do not understand or wish to discuss further the social worker carrying out the investigation will be able to help you.
 What is a child protection investigation?
Who is involved in the investigation and how is it carried out?
Who else may be involved in the investigation?
Will my child be taken away?
What will happen next?|
What is a child protection investigation?
A Local Authority’s Children and Families Service has a legal duty to investigate situations where there are concerns regarding a child's well being or safety.
Reports may be received from:
neighbours;
friends;
relatives;
professionals (such as teachers, doctors or social workers);
or from the child or the parents themselves.
They would normally tell you who has made the report unless it was made anonymously or if the person who made the report insisted on remaining unidentified.
Who is involved in the investigation and how is it carried out?
The investigation is usually carried out by two Social Workers from your local district office child protection team or by a worker and a police officer. All workers carry proof of identity, and you are entitled to ask to see it.
The investigation will involve:
Seeing the child and any other children living in the home. The social workers will have contacted you to discuss the concerns which have been raised.
Sometimes your child will need a medical examination and we hope to do this with your agreement. Where an examination is required it will be carried out by your family doctor or at a local hospital. We would encourage you to attend if you possibly can.
During the investigation you may be asked the same question by several different people and at different times. This is to try and get a complete picture and it does not necessarily mean that people do not believe what you have told them.
All of the information has to be checked very carefully and this means that the investigation can take several days.
Who else may be involved in the investigation?
In addition to speaking to your child and members of your family we will need to talk to other people who know your child. This could include teachers, your doctor, health visitors and other family members.
Will my child be taken away?
We try to keep families together if possible and we hope you will work with us and co-operate during the investigation. However, if we are worried about the immediate safety and welfare of your child (for example if there is an allegation of assault by a family member), we may want the child to be cared for by someone else for a while.
We would normally want to do this with your agreement but there might be times when we would need to apply to the Court for a legal order known as an Emergency Protection Order.
What will happen next?
Once enough information has been gathered the following things could happen:-
1. Everyone may agree that there is no cause for concern. When this happens we will let you know and
no further action will be taken.
2. We may have identified some things with which we can offer to help you or we might be able to refer you to someone else who can assist.
3. If there is still some concern there will be a Child Protection Conference. Your Social Worker will be able to explain what this means and will give you a leaflet that gives more information.
If at any stage you are seriously dissatisfied about how the investigation has been carried out and this cannot be sorted out to your satisfaction in discussion with the Team Manager or Service Manager, then you are entitled to make a complaint.
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