Child Protection Conference Team

The Child Protection Chair leads these meetings and helps professionals attending conference to reach a decision about threshold. The Child Protection Chair is responsible for providing oversight and monitoring the progress of the resultant child protection plan for the children allocated to them.  
The Child protection Chair is expected to escalate concerns relating to safeguarding, drift and delay or where processes are not being followed in a way which could lead to detrimental outcomes for the child, young person and/or their family. The Child Protection Chairs now also chair My Safety Meetings and oversee planning for children in care and care leavers; this service is soon to be offered to children and young people living within their families experiencing risk from outside of the home.

In addition to the above, the Child Protection Chair offers consultations and reflective case discussions, will support with visits to children and themed audits. 

Where we are based

The Child Protection Conference Team are based in Shire Hall. Although we are based in Gloucester, we offer a county wide service.

Who we are

The Child Protection Conference Team is comprised of 11 child protection conference chairs, 9 of which are full time; there are 2 full time service managers. The child protection conference team work closely with our business support team.

Skills you'll need

Our Child Protection Chairs are qualified social work professionals who all have extensive experience in social work practice; the majority have experience in managing other social work staff.

• Leadership skills
• Good oral and written communication
• The ability to support children, young people and their families to engage in their meetings
• The ability to remain child focused
• The ability to challenge poor practice, including practice which leads to drift and delay in addressing children’s needs
• The ability to challenge practice of Partner agencies and hold them accountable for delivery of services committed within the child protection plan
• Knowledge of relevant policies and procedures and the ability to apply these to practice
• The ability to chair complex meetings, focusing on risk and strengths; you would also need to be able to manage the emotions often exhibited within them.

Why you should join us

Verbal feedback from a maternal grandmother following conference:

“I had made the mother/YP feel comfortable which enabled her voice to be heard. That I had explained things well and that she was grateful for the effort made to establish a relationship with the mother/YP as well as herself prior to the meeting."

"Another family popped into the office to check if I am free to catch up with them; the CP plan ended in July and mum still reaches out to me for advice if she is unable to get hold of the SW. We talk about how well they are continuing to do as a family and what barriers there might be for them to overcome."

The social worker has recently recorded feedback received during a home visit “parents gave praise for conference chair – they said even though they don’t have conference now they still go and see her, or sometimes have seen her in Asda and she’s always friendly. They also said (Chair) was the first person they could call when Hunter rolled and cut his cheek, and she was really good”.

Text message from a dad following an ICPC:

“I just wanted to say thank you. Both Lola and I have come away from this feeling heard and validated. Your words alone towards me and my parenting has me in tears a couple of times. It was very cathartic”.

Email received by Child Protection Chair:

“Many thanks again for the way you chaired our conference. We were clearly very unhappy with Social Services prior to this meeting and very much appreciated your handling of our situation.”

We are proud of being part of an enthusiastic, outward looking team who are open and willing to learn and develop. We embrace systemic practice and pride ourselves on our supportive team culture, our willingness to be creative in what we do to improve our knowledge, practice, and outcomes for the families we are working with.

Get in touch

CPBusinessAdmin@gloucestershire.gov.uk

✉ Email: CPConferenceChairs@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Child Protection Conference Team,
Quality Assurance Team,
Gloucestershire County Council,
Block 5 Central, First Floor,
Shire Hall, Westgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 2TP

📞Tel: 01452 583636