The List of Children with a Child Protection Plan

The List of Children with a Child Protection Plan is a highly confidential list of children who are known or believed to have been abused or injured in some way, or who are thought to be at risk of injury, abuse or neglect and have a protection plan in place.

 

It used to be called the Child Protection Register.

 

A Child Protection Conference may decide that a child or childrens' name(s) should be added to the List of Children with a Child Protection Plan and that a Child Protection Plan be produced to protect and safeguard the child or children concerned. 'The List' is kept by the Sheffield Safeguarding Children Service.  It is strictly confidential and information from it is available only to professional people such as health visitors, teachers, doctors, police officers and social workers.

 

If your child’s name is placed on the List it does not mean that it will stay on forever.

 

Core Group meetings will take place every month following the Initial Case Conference, to discuss the progress of the Child Protection Plan.

 

 

As a parent or carer you will be encouraged to be fully involved in these meetings and in helping to make sure the Child Protection Plan successfully safeguards your child(ren).

 

The core group meetings will make sure the Child Protection Plan is progressing and they will be less formal meetings of all those relevant key professionals who have contact with you and your family.

 

 

Social workers cannot take a child away against the wishes of the parent(s) simply because the child’s name is on the List. In serious cases, a Conference may recommend that the matter be brought before a Family Court.

 

Children can only be removed from their home by Order of the Court.  In an emergency, the Police or the Children's Social Care may seek a Court Order to remove a child from home on a short term basis. However, it is rare for children to be removed.

 

Children's Social Care will arrange for a social worker, known as the “key worker”, to visit you regularly.  He or she will be responsible also for keeping in touch with other professional workers involved with you.

 

The social worker will collect information to help everyone involved understand your situation, so it is in your interest to work closely with them. You do not have to see the social worker unless a Court Order says you must.  

 

However, if there are serious concerns about a child and the parents refuse to allow a social worker to see their child or children, Children's Social Care would have to consider whether to involve a Court or the Police.