6.11 Protocol for the Management of Child Protection Assessments on Open Cases where Children are Admitted to John Radcliffe Hospital |
Contents
1. Introduction
There is an existing protocol for the management of Child Protection Assessments in relation to open cases. In such cases, the area Children’s Assessment Team would be notified of an incident e.g. an allegation against a foster carer or against another child in the placement. In such cases their role is to convene a Strategy Meeting and chair it. They may or may not be actively involved in the investigation but would provide advice and support to those who were. They would also review the action plan and ensure the investigation was completed appropriately.
2. JR Hospital
This protocol is designed to clarify roles and responsibilities and to effect a clear pathway for the exchange of good communication, expert opinion and information, where children known to Early Years and Family Support (including children with disabilities) are admitted to hospital with a serious injury.
Children attending outpatient clinics or being seen in A & E with minor cuts and bruises will not normally be dealt with under the terms of this protocol. Good sense and judgement must prevail and discussions can be held to establish the seriousness of such incidents in order to agree a way forward.
As is currently the practice, staff members in the Assessment Team based at the JR are able to assist fieldwork social workers seeking information and clarification from medical and nursing staff and from health records held at the hospitals. They can act as a link between the hospital and fieldwork teams.
3. Protocol
Should a child be admitted to hospital with an injury which appears to be non-accidental, the hospital team will either be notified by or will notify the child’s allocated worker immediately.
If the child is to return home or to a placement, the hospital team will provide a liaison role and assist with the collection of information as previously described.
Should the injury be significant and warrant a Child Protection Assessment, the hospital team will be responsible for the management of the investigation.
They will convene and chair Strategy Meetings which will include relevant hospital staff and the police. The allocated worker or someone else from the fieldwork team (Team Manager or senior practitioner) will also attend; advise on and help arrange other relevant attendees; share relevant information and be involved in the planning process.
The hospital team may complete the investigations where appropriate but will always act as liaison between fieldwork staff and medical / nursing staff in relation to good communication, the exchange of information and the clarification of decisions and plans.
They will review the strategy action plan and ensure that the investigation is completed in a timely and appropriate way.
They will ensure the child has a safe discharge and where appropriate meet with foster carers and provide relevant information.
They will ensure that the relevant paperwork is completed i.e. strategy form, CPI, Core Assessment Stage 1 Completion Form (where a case does not proceed to a Child Protection Conference) and update Framework-I. Should a member of the hospital team undertake the investigation, they will, in consultation with the allocated worker, prepare a report for conference.
The allocated worker will facilitate the medical examination and interview of siblings, explore placement options and arrange these where necessary. This will include kinship placements.
Should the child be transferred quickly to another hospital or specialist unit e.g. Stoke Mandeville, the hospital team will assist with the collection and transfer of information to the new social work staff responsible.
Should legal proceedings be deemed necessary to protect the child, the allocated worker would prepare the report in consultation with the hospital team. If the case needs to be discussed at the Care Proceedings Panel, the allocated worker will attend, having a more extensive knowledge of the situation.
Any financial support required would come from the allocated worker’s team budget (following discussion between Team Managers)
The hospital team will notify all parties i.e. health and fieldwork staff when their role is ended.
Hospital staff will not be involved in case management. This remains the responsibility of the allocated worker. However, the hospital Team Manager will take responsibility for decisions related to the investigation. This will usually be done in consultation with the allocated worker’s Team Manager but in emergencies this may not always be possible.
In situations where there may be a difference of opinion, and Team Managers are unable to reach resolution, the matter should be passed to the Service Manager for Assessments.
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