Strengthening families: a new approach to child protection in Harrow

1. Presentation by: Barbara Houston Child Protection Conference Chair Strengthening families: a new approach to child protection in Harrow

2. Key Messages from research: Professionally dominated Parents passive and ‘tested’ for co-operation Insufficient time spent on planning Plans of poor quality and no feasibility discussion Reviews – little reappraisal of earlier decisions The traditional conference model and practice:

3. Have a greater focus on planning Enable families and children to present their views Ensure all views are grounded in evidence Promote discussion and explore dissent Place a strong emphasis on relationships Reduce power inequalities Build on strengths Research suggests conferences should:

4. Understanding the position of each family member… Finding Exceptions… Discovering Strengths and Resources… Focusing On Goals… Scaling Safety and Progress… Assessing willingness, confidence and capacity… Key Elements of Signs of Safety

6. Reports Pre-meetings with families Multi-agency meeting with parents attending Decisions about harm Protection plan Strengthening Families Model: More Similarities than differences

7. Focus on building safety for children at risk of harm Visible and transparent analysis of the information presented to the meeting Analysis of risks as well as safety/protective factors Engages professionals and parents as part of the solution Key differences between the 2 conference formats:

8. Seeks cooperation thus highlights lack of cooperation The plan is owned by the conference and is not the work of the chair – improved working together in core group Clearer about outcomes which indicate effective safeguarding – better chance of change or timely decision making. Active participation by children and young people Key differences: Continued

9. Share information contained within their reports with the family and the Chair prior to the Conference [two days before an Initial Conference and five days before a Review Conference]. Families should not be subject to surprises at meetings which may impact on their ability to take part. Avoid reading out reports in full and instead to contribute pertinent information at each of the information-sharing, risk assessment and planning stages. Clearly and succinctly articulate information about strengths as well as concerns and what needs to happen. Be respectful of the child’s and family’s wishes and understanding and conduct themselves in a way that would maximise family participation Expectations of Professionals

10. Initial training for partner agencies took place in October in respect of the new model. Partners and conference attendees have been provided with a letter outlining the planned changes Advocates for children will be identified. In the meantime Social Workers have been ascertaining the wishes of children and young people to present to Conference using newly revised consultation forms From November 2012 Initial CP Conferences have been conducted using the Strengthening Families Model. Those cases will continue using the same model. Next Steps

11. Multi Agency forms should be completed and sent to CPCONFERENCETEAM@harrow.gov.uk.cjsm.net two days prior to the conference for initials. This is a secure email address. The same multi agency forms should be completed for review conferences for consistency Attendees to arrive half-an-hour prior to the conference Conferences will start at 10:00 am in the morning and at 2:00 pm in the afternoon. Next Steps Continued