Neglect and the Graded Care Profile
Neglect can have a huge impact on children. It often increases over time gradually and can be hard to detect so there’s a risk that agencies do not intervene early enough to prevent harm.
Neglect can lead to poor health, poor social and educational outcomes and can be fatal. It can also affect the development of a child’s brain and their ability to make secure attachments. This can then affect their emotional wellbeing and make it harder to successfully parent in the future.
Medway neglect strategy
The Medway Neglect Strategy was published in July 2021 and recognises the extent to which neglect features as a significant concern for children.
The strategy has been developed with multi-agency partners to set out Medway’s approach to child neglect. It identifies the key principles under which work around neglect should be undertaken and recognises key priority areas of work to ensure continual collective improvement within Medway’s response to neglect.
There is a 7-minute briefing suitable for anyone who meets children and families in Medway and we encourage everyone to read and share within their organisations.
Graded care profile 2 (GCP2)
The GCP2 is a practical tool developed by the NSPCC and here in Medway is the agreed partnership tool used to support practitioners measure the quality of care a child receives and is used where neglect is suspected or known. Using the GCP2 assessment tool allows parents and practitioners to identify specific areas of concern or in need of improvement. One of the benefits of the GCP2 tool is that provides a picture over time which is particularly important for understanding the impact of neglect.
The GCP2 reviews “what it’s like” for the child, not "why it’s happening" and helps professionals and parents to be clear as to what the basic needs of the child are, and to what degree they’re being met. This allows practitioners to make reasoned and clear judgements about neglect.
The GCP2 separates out different areas of parenting and the needs of the child.
These areas are:
- physical care
- care of safety
- emotional care
You can find out more about the GCP2 tool from the NSPCC.
GCP2 and contacts to Medway First Response Single Point of Access
From Monday 27 January 2025 where your organisation has practitioners trained to use the GCP2, and you are identifying emerging concerns for neglect where intervention is needed at Level 2 or 3 of the Medway Threshold Guidance, a GCP2 should accompany the contact into the Medway First Response Single Point of Access (SPA).
For more details on this change can be found here.
GCP2 training and embedding in practice
To become trained in this tool you to have completed the Graded Care Profile 2 training, this is a 1 day training course that we offer at the Medway Safeguarding Children Partnership (MSCP). Your organisation might also offer this training, ask your line manager and/or designated safeguarding lead.
The MSCP encourages organisations to complete a single agency implementation plan when deciding which roles are best placed to use GCP2 with families and how practitioners will be supported on an ongoing basis.
Practitioners are expected to record completed GCP2s as per their own organisations recording policy and procedures.
The MSCP monitors the completion of GCP2s via the multi-agency data dashboard overseen by the Performance Management and Quality Assurance sub-group.
Neglect champions network:
We host a regular meeting on Microsoft Teams for professionals to attend and promote best practice and share resources and updates. To join the network please complete the MSCP Neglect Champions network form.