A child protection conference is a meeting that is arranged when there are worries about your safety. 

It gives people who are close to you and work with you the chance to share information about: 

• what is working well for you and your family 
• what you are worried about 
• what other people are worried about  
• what needs to change

There will be an independent chairperson who will be in charge of the meeting. It is the chairperson’s job to make sure that everyone’s views are heard.

The conference is convened as a ‘hybrid’ meeting.  This is where your parents/carers are invited to attend the conference in person, along with your Social Worker and the Child Protection Conference Chair, with the wider professional network continuing to attend 'virtually'.

Do I have to go to the conference?

Some young people go to all of part of the meeting and some young people don’t. Every young person and every situation is different. Your social worker will talk to you about whether or not you want to go to the meeting. It is your choice, and your social worker will support you in whatever decision you make.

If you would like to attend the conference this could be in person or ‘remotely’ for all or part of the conference.  Your Social Worker will speak with you about how you would like to attend and any support you need to do so.

If you do not want to attend in person, you may wish to contribute to the meeting in anther way. This might be by sharing your wishes and feelings, writing a letter, email, text message; drawing a picture, recording an audio or video - prepared  alone or with support to be shared on your behalf.  You can also use Mind of My Own to share your views directly with the CP Chair.

Who will go to the conference

Your parents or carers will be asked to be there, and maybe another member of your family. All the adults who work with you and know you will be asked to come, to help the conference make the best decisions.

This will include people you know, like your social worker, your teacher and someone from health - like a school nurse or doctor. There will also be people you may not have met before - maybe someone from the police or a solicitor.

There is a person, called the 'chair', who leads the meeting and another person who takes notes. The Chair can meet with you before the conference to talk you through what happens and so that you can ask any questions you might have.

How to get extra support at the meeting

If you would like some additional support at the meeting or for someone to be at the conference to talk for you, you can ask for an advocate. Find out more about The Young Lives Foundation who offer advocacy services.

Feedback

We welcome your views on your experience of your conference and would invite you to complete the Childrens' Child Protection Conference Feedback Survey.  If you would like to complete this and need support doing so, please speak with your Social Worker/Teacher/Advocate. 

The information you provide which will be used to inform our practice and how we deliver our service. Whilst we may publish reports about this evaluation it will not be possible to identify any individuals from any information we release.

Complaints about the Conference

Children and Young People have a right to complain about the conference. People will listen. You can talk to your social worker or ask to talk to the CP Chair. You may also talk to the Safeguarding Manager. To obtain their details, please contact your social worker/Chair. If you prefer you may want to talk to someone you know or you could contact.