Information for parents, carers and families

There will be a number of people at the meeting, some of whom you will have met before. Your social worker will be there. 

The conference will be chaired by an Independent Reviewing Officer from the Children's Standards Unit and there will be people who represent other organisations that may have had some involvement with you or your child, such as education, police, probation, or the health service.

Your child will be invited to the meeting if he or she wants to be there and is old enough to understand what it is about.

Should you attend

We think that it is very important that parents attend the Child Protection Conference. It is your child that is being discussed and you have a right to know what is being said. However, if you do not wish to come, you do not have to and it will not be held against you. It may also be possible for other family members to attend or share their views with the meeting and this will be discussed with you by your social worker with the decision being made by the chairperson of the meeting.

At the meeting you will be able to: 

• give your views about what is happening
• ask your questions
• say what help you think your family needs

Your views are very important in putting together a plan to protect your child and to help you, so we want you to be as comfortable as possible at the conference. You can ask a friend or relative to come with you to give you support or to help you put your point of view across. The person who comes with you may listen and observe, but not speak for you, although they may ask for a short break in the conference if this will help you. You may want to bring a solicitor with you, but you will need to arrange this with the chairperson who will make the decision. He or she can only be there to support you, not to represent you legally. 

There are some circumstances which might mean that it would not be advisable for you to attend all or part of the Child Protection Conference. If this is so, your social worker will talk to you about it.