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135 <div class="panel-body">
136 <h1>
136 Contacts and Referrals
136 </h1>
141 <div class="well">
142 <p class="bold">
142 RELEVANT PROCEDURES AND GUIDANCE
142 </p>
143 <p>
143 This chapter should be read in conjunction with:
143 </p>
144 <p>
144 <a href="https://www.proceduresonline.com/pancheshire/warrington/index.html">
144 Common Assessment Framework
144 </a>
144 </p>
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145 <a
href="https://www.warrington.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2020-03/threshold_of_need_guide_2017
.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
145 Threshold of Need Guide
145 </a>
145 </p>
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146 <a
href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-practitioners-information-shar
ing-advice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
146 DfE, Information Sharing Advice for Safeguarding Practitioners
146 </a>
146 </p>
147 </div>
154 <div class="section">
154 <h2 id="initialcon">
154 1. Initial Contacts
154 </h2>
155 <p>
155 An Initial Contact is made where Children's Social Care is contacted about a child, who may
be a child in need, and where there is a request for general advice, information or a
service.
155 </p>
156 <p>
156 All contacts need to be considered alongside thresholds for Children in Need and/or the CAF
criteria and a decision made within 24 hours regarding the level of response required. See
also
156 <a href="https://www.proceduresonline.com/pancheshire/warrington/index.html"
target="_blank" rel="noopener">
156 Pan Cheshire Safeguarding Board Procedures
156 </a>
156 .
156 </p>
157 <p>
157 At any time, an Initial Contact may become a Referral if it appears that services may be
required for a Child in Need.
157 </p>
158 <p>
158 Any significant information received about a child who is an open case should be regarded as
an Initial Contact, passed to the child's allocated social worker and recorded on the
electronic data-base.
158 </p>
159 <p>
159 The common assessment framework (CAF) is not a referral form, although it may be used to
support a referral or a specialist assessment.
159 </p>
160 <p>
160 In all other cases, at the point when an Initial Contact is made, the duty worker should
establish whether the enquiry can be dealt with by the provision of information and advice
or re-direction to other agencies or services.
160 </p>
161 <p>
161 The duty worker should also check the electronic data-base records to see if the child or
family is known and, if known, retrieve information on them. Any such information should be
passed to the allocated social worker if there is one, and otherwise to the duty social
worker. (See
161 <a href="#screen">
161 Section 4, Screening Process
161 </a>
161 .)
161 </p>
162 </div>
163 <div class="section1">
163 </div>
169 <div class="section">
169 <h2 id="referrals">
169 2. Referrals
169 </h2>
170 <p>
170 An Initial Contact will be progressed to a Referral where the social worker or manager
considers an assessment and/or services may be required for a Child in Need.
170 </p>
171 <p>
171 Referrers should have the opportunity to discuss their concerns with a qualified social
worker. The referrer should be asked specifically if they hold any information about
difficulties being experienced by the family/household due to domestic violence and abuse,
mental illness, substance misuse and/or learning difficulties.
171 </p>
172 <p>
172 Once the referral has been accepted by local authority children's social care the lead
professional role falls to a social worker.
172 </p>
173 <p>
173 The social worker should clarify with the referrer, when known, the nature of the concerns
and how and why they have arisen.
173 </p>
174 <p>
174 The social worker will arrange to visit or contact the referrer and obtain as much of the
following information as possible:
174 </p>
175 <ul>
176 <li>
176 Full names, dates of birth and gender of children;
176 </li>
177 <li>
177 Family address and, where relevant, school/nursery attended;
177 </li>
178 <li>
178 Identity of those with parental responsibility;
178 </li>
179 <li>
179 Names and dates of birth of all members of the household;
179 </li>
180 <li>
180 Ethnicity, first language and religion of children and parents;
180 </li>
181 <li>
181 Any special needs of the children including the means in which they communicate;
181 </li>
182 <li>
182 Any significant recent or past events;
182 </li>
183 <li>
183 Cause for concern including details of allegations, their sources, timing and location;
183 </li>
184 <li>
184 The child's current location and emotional and physical condition;
184 </li>
185 <li>
185 Whether the child needs immediate protection;
185 </li>
186 <li>
186 Details of any alleged perpetrator;
186 </li>
187 <li>
187 Referrer's relationship with and knowledge of the child and their family;
187 </li>
188 <li>
188 Known involvement of other agencies;
188 </li>
189 <li>
189 Information regarding parents' knowledge and agreement to referral.
189 </li>
190 </ul>
191 </div>
192 <div class="section1">
192 </div>
198 <div class="section">
198 <h2 id="timescales">
198 3. Timescales
198 </h2>
199 <p>
199 Once received, all Referrals must be written up and a decision made about their disposal
within one working day of the initial contact. (
199 <span class="bold">
199 Note
199 </span>
199 : This should be as soon as possible where it is evident the child is seen as requiring
immediate protection/urgent action.)
199 </p>
200 <p>
200 Within one working day, the social worker should make a decision about the type of response
that is required. This will include determining whether:
200 </p>
201 <ul>
202 <li>
202 The child requires immediate protection and urgent action is required;
202 </li>
203 <li>
203 There is reasonable cause to suspect that the child is suffering, or likely to suffer,
significant harm, and whether enquires must be made and the child assessed under section
47 of the Children Act 1989;
203 <br>
204 <br>
205 (See
205 <a
href="https://www.proceduresonline.com/pancheshire/warrington/p_ch_protection_enq.html#tim
escales" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
205 Pan Cheshire Safeguarding Procedures, Child Protection Enquiries - Section 47 Children
Act 1989 Procedure, Timescales for Section 47 Enquiries
205 </a>
205 );
205 <br>
206 <br>
207 </li>
208 <li>
208 The child is in need, and should be assessed under section 17 of the Children Act 1989;
208 </li>
209 <li>
209 Any services are required by the child and family and what type of services; and
209 </li>
210 <li>
210 Further specialist assessments are required in order to help the local authority to decide
what further action to take.
210 </li>
211 </ul>
212 </div>
213 <div class="section1">
213 </div>
219 <div class="section">
220 <h2 id="screen">
220 4. Screening Process
220 </h2>
221 <p>
221 The following process applies to new cases of children previously unknown to the authority,
and to closed cases.
221 </p>
222 <p>
222 The process of Referrals must include screening against the Threshold Criteria for Children
in Need and/ or CAF and must include internal electronic database and agency checks to
establish whether the family is previously known, and whether there is a child protection
plan in relation to the child and/or whether the child is looked after.
222 </p>
223 <p>
223 The screening process should establish:
223 </p>
224 <ul>
225 <li>
225 The nature of the concern;
225 </li>
226 <li>
226 How and why it has arisen;
226 </li>
227 <li>
227 What the child's needs appear to be;
227 </li>
228 <li>
228 Whether the concern involves significant harm;
228 </li>
229 <li>
229 Whether there is any need for urgent action to protect the child or any children in the
household.
229 </li>
230 </ul>
231 <p>
231 This process will involve:
231 </p>
232 <ul>
233 <li>
233 Discussion with the referrer;
233 </li>
234 <li>
234 Consideration of any existing records, including whether the child is the subject of a
Child Protection Plan;
234 </li>
235 <li>
235 Involving other agencies as appropriate and in accordance with
235 <a
href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-practitioners-information-sh
aring-advice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
235 Information Sharing Advice for Safeguarding Practitioners, DfE:
235 </a>
236 <ul>
237 <li>
237 Consent from the parent or carer should normally be sought;
237 </li>
238 <li>
238 However, the Data Protection Act should never be a barrier to 'sharing information
where the failure to do so would result in a child or vulnerable adult being placed at
risk of harm' or indeed on those occasions where seeking consent might increase the
risk of harm;
238 </li>
239 <li>
239 Information should always be 'necessary and proportionate'.
239 </li>
240 </ul>
241 </li>
242 </ul>
243 <p>
243 If there are indications that a child may be at risk of Significant Harm, the manager may
authorise whatever actions are necessary to protect the child or others in the household
from Significant Harm, which may result in the immediate provision of services (see
243 <a
href="https://www.proceduresonline.com/pancheshire/warrington/p_ch_protection_enq.html#strat
egy_discuss" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
243 Pan Cheshire Safeguarding Procedures, Child Protection Enquiries - Section 47 Children Act
1989 Procedure, Strategy Discussion/Meeting
243 </a>
243 ).
243 </p>
244 <p>
244 If there is suspicion that a crime may have been committed including sexual or physical
assault or neglect of the child, the Police must be notified immediately.
244 </p>
245 <p>
245 Personal information about non-professional referrers should not be disclosed to the parents
or other agencies without the referrer's consent.
245 </p>
246 <p>
246 The parent's consent should usually be sought before discussing a referral with other
agencies unless this may place the child at risk of Significant Harm, in which case the
manager should authorise the discussion of the referral with other agencies without parental
knowledge or consent. The authorisation should be recorded with reasons.
246 </p>
247 </div>
248 <div class="section1">
248 </div>
254 <div class="section">
255 <h2 id="disposal">
255 5. Initial Disposal of Referrals
255 </h2>
256 <p>
256 The initial disposal of a Referral, which must be authorised by the manager, may be:
256 </p>
257 <ol>
258 <li style="list-style-type:lower-alpha">
258 That the child does not appear to be a child in need, which will result in one of the
following: the provision of information, advice, sign-posting to another agency and/or no
further action;
258 </li>
259 <li style="list-style-type:lower-alpha">
259 That the child appears to be a Child in Need with a moderate level of need, in which case,
the manager may authorise an assessment;
259 </li>
260 <li style="list-style-type:lower-alpha">
260 That the child appears to be a Child in Need with a high level of need, which must result
in an Assessment;
260 </li>
261 <li style="list-style-type:lower-alpha">
261 That it is suspected that the child is suffering or is likely to suffer from significant
harm, which will result in an Assessment, with a view to conducting a strategy discussion,
prior to a section 47 enquiry commencing.
261 </li>
262 </ol>
263 <p>
263 If there are indications that a child may be at risk of Significant Harm, the manager may
authorise whatever actions are necessary to protect the child or others in the household
from Significant Harm, which may result in the immediate provision of services. There should
be consideration of a Strategy Discussion and of a multi-agency response (see
263 <a href="p_sec_47_enq.html">
263 Child Protection Enquiries (Section 47) Procedure
263 </a>
263 ).
263 </p>
264 <p>
264 Professional referrers should be advised of the disposal of the referral.
264 </p>
265 <p>
265 Feedback on the outcome of the Referral should also be provided to non-professional
referrers in a manner consistent with respecting the confidentiality of the child.
265 </p>
266 <p>
266 The child and family must be informed of the action to be taken.
266 </p>
267 <p>
267 The child should be seen as soon as possible if the decision is taken that the Referral
requires further assessment.
267 </p>
268 Where requested to do so by local authority children's social care, professionals from other
parts of the local authority such as housing and those in health organisations have a duty to
cooperate under section 27 of the Children Act 1989 by assisting the local authority in
carrying out its children's social care functions.
268 </div>
269 <div class="section1">
269 </div>
275 <div class="section">
276 <h2 id="recording">
276 6. Recording of Referrals
276 </h2>
277 <p>
277 All Initial Contacts and Referrals should be recorded on the electronic database.
277 </p>
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