This protocol is intended to apply to all voluntary and independent sector organisations in the bath and North East Somerset area. The protocol should be read alongside:
- Section 1.5 sharing information about children in need and their families
- Guidance on consultation with social services about children in need in section 2.
Organisations commissioned by Bath & North East Somerset Council should have a child protection policy in place.
Eligibility
Voluntary and independent sector organisations and their staff or volunteers should familiarise themselves with the definition of a child in need (see section 1.3).
Action
When a member of agency staff or a volunteer considers that a child or young person may be a child in need a number of levels of action are possible.
- The staff member or volunteer, in consultation with their manager or supervisor, considers that the child’s needs can be appropriately met by the organisation. No referral to social services is required if the need is adequately met by this response. Clearly there would need to be consultation with social services if the child was already allocated to a social worker.
- If the identified need cannot be met solely through the existing independent sector provision and requires additional input from another statutory or independent sector agency (e.g. Off the Record, Barnardos Family Centre, Education Welfare, GP. Locality Children’s Secondary Care Team) then consider whether to refer direct to the relevant service.
- Consultation with Social Services is appropriate when the action required to meet the child’s need is outside of the organisation’s service or the needs may be unclear. Consultation may lead to a referral being made (subject to the information sharing protocol – see section 1.5).
- A referral should always be made when safeguarding concerns exist, again subject to the information sharing protocol.
Feedback and contributions to assessment
When an independent sector agency refers a child or young person to social services feedback will be provided about the response.
If an initial assessment is carried out agency staff or volunteers may be asked to give information, usually verbally, to help with this assessment. Feedback will be given about the assessment outcome.
If a core assessment is carried out the agency may be asked to make a more comprehensive contribution depending on the level of involvement. This may include completion of the agency contribution to core assessment form.
Recording
All consultations, referrals, contributions to assessment and action under the child protection procedure should be recorded within and subject to the agency’s normal recording requirements.
Child's Developmental Needs. illustrative indicators that a child may be in need
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Not exhaustive |
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Children with chronic health problems. |
Children not attending school. |
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Children with emotional & behavioural difficulties |
Children who are inappropriately: washed, dressed, fed. |
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Disabled children |
Children with a history of abuse. |
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Children who are failing to thrive. |
Children.with developmental delay. |
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Children with communication difficulties. |
Children experiencing loss. |
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Children who present as tired/lethargic or withdrawn |
Young people who are parents themselves. |
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Children with low self-esteem. |
children who are in a 'caring' capacity. |
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Young people at risk of engaging in under age sexual activities. |
Young people who may be engaging in substance misuse. |
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children who present problems around personal hygiene/diet/dress. |
Children who are unable to form appropriate peer relationships |
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children who may be engaged in illegal employment/working hours. |
children experiencing harassment and/or bullying including racial harassment |
Domestic Violence requires referral to Social Services
Carer/Parenting Capacity: illustrative factors that a child may be in need
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Not exhaustive |
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Children who are inadequately supervised or left home alone |
Children whose carers resist agreed agency partnership support. |
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Children living with high criticism, low warmth. |
Children whose carers are unable to provide a safe/secure environment. |
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Children living in inconsistent, transient, family situations. |
Children who are under/over disciplined/stimlated. |
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Children whose carers/siblings are involved in substance abuse. |
Children living with domestic violence. |
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Children whose parents/carers/siblings have mental health problems. |
Children whose carers have learning difficulties. |
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Children who experience bonding and attachment problems |
Children whose parents separate (particularly unpredictably or repeatedly) |
Domestic Violence requires referral to Social Services
Family and environmental factors that may indicate a Child is in need
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Not exhaustive |
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Families living in areas with high incidence of crime and disorder. |
Families living in poverty and poorly resourced environments. |
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Families who present persistent neighbourhood nuisance. |
Families with low expectations of and/or opportunities for employment. |
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Families living in social/cultural isolation. |
Families living in temporary accommodation. |
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Families who are asylum seekers/refugees. |
Families who are victims of harassment and racism. |
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Families who lack support networks. |
Family in temporary accommodation |
Domestic Violence requires referral to Social Services
Children in need procedure
- Any private or voluntary organisation may be involved with a child who is in need including situations where child abuse or neglect is suspected. All such organisations in Bath and North East Somerset should consider referring such children to social services, and if the child is believed to be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm must make a referral.
- When a child appears to be in need, the protocol should be applied in deciding whether to consult with or refer to social services. The information sharing protocol applies – i.e. consent of parents should normally be sought to any referral, except where there is concern about significant harm and seeking consent may increase the risk to the child.
- Private or voluntary organisations providing care for children must keep up-to-date basic information about each child cared for, e.g. name, date of birth, emergency contact arrangements for parents, , significant health factors, ethnic/cultural/religious information etc..
- Parent(s)/carer(s) of children using care provided by a private or voluntary organisation should be advised that concerns about possible child abuse or neglect will be shared with social services.
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