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Contents

1. Initial Contacts 
2. Referrals 
3. Timescales 
4. Screening Process
5. Initial Disposal of Referrals 
6. Recording of Referrals  

1. Initial Contacts

An Initial Contact is made where Safeguarding and Family Support (Children's Services) is contacted about a child, who may be a Child in Need, and where there is a request for general advice, information or a service. 

At any time, an Initial Contact may become a Referral if it appears that services may be required for a Child in Need.

Any significant information received about a child who is an open case should be regarded as an Initial Contact, passed to the child's allocated social worker and recorded on ICS.

In all other cases, at the point when an Initial Contact is made, the duty worker should establish whether the enquiry can be dealt with by the provision of information and advice or re-direction to other agencies or services.

The duty worker should also check ICS records to see if the child or family is known and, if known, retrieve information on them.  Any such information should be passed to the allocated social worker if there is one, and otherwise to the duty social worker. 

2. Referrals

An Initial Contact will be progressed to a Referral where the social worker or manager in Social Care Direct considers an assessment and/or services may be required for a Child in Need.

The duty social worker will obtain as much of the following information as possible before sending the referral to the appropriate team in line with the Transfer Protocol for Fieldwork Services.  The appropriate team can be the Area Child Protection Team,  the Children with Complex Care Needs Team (dependent upon the needs of the child) or, in the case of Section 47 investigations, the Joint Investigation Team.

• Full names, dates of birth and gender of children;
• Family address and, where relevant, school/nursery attended;
• Identity of those with Parental Responsibility;
• Names and dates of birth of all members of the household;
• Ethnicity, first language and religion of children and parents;
• Any special needs of the children;
• Any significant recent or past events;
• Cause for concern including details of allegations, their sources, timing and location;
• The child's current location and emotional and physical condition;
• Whether the child needs immediate protection;
• Details of any alleged perpetrator;
• Referrer's relationship with and knowledge of the child and his or her family;
• Known involvement of other agencies;
• Information regarding parents' knowledge and agreement to referral.

A complete CAF Form is not a referral form to Children's Social Care although it may be used to support a referral or a specialist assessment. Referrers should be asked specifically if they hold any information about difficulties being experienced by the family/household due to domestic abuse, mental illness, substance misuse, and/or learning difficulties.

Referrers should also have the opportunity to discuss their concerns with a qualified social worker.

3. Timescales

Once received, all referrals must be written up and a decision made about their disposal within one working day. 

4. Screening Process

The following process applies to new cases of children previously unknown to the authority, and to closed cases.

The process of Referrals must include screening against the Threshold Criteria for Children in Need and must include internal (ICS) and agency checks to establish whether the family is previously known, and whether there is a Child Protection Plan in relation to the child and/or whether the child is Looked After.

The screening process should establish:

• The nature of the concern;
• How and why it has arisen;
• What the child's needs appear to be;
• Whether the concern involves Significant Harm;
• Whether there is any need for urgent action to protect the child or any children in the household.

This process will involve:

• Discussion with the referrer;
• Consideration of any existing records, including whether the child is the subject of a Child Protection Plan;
• Involving other agencies as necessary.

If there are indications that a child may be at risk of Significant Harm, the referral must be passed as a matter of urgency to the appropriate team in line with the Transfer Protocol for Fieldwork Services.  The appropriate team can be the Area Child Protection Team,  the Children with Complex Care Needs Team (dependent upon the needs of the child) or the Joint Investigation Team, so that the manager may authorise whatever actions are necessary to protect the child or others in the household from Significant Harm, which may result in the immediate provision of services.

If there is suspicion that a crime may have been committed including sexual or physical assault or neglect of the child, the Police must be notified immediately.

Personal information about non-professional referrers should not be disclosed to the parents or other agencies without the referrer's consent.

The parent's consent should usually be sought before discussing a referral with other agencies unless this may place the child at risk of Significant Harm, in which case the manager should authorise the discussion of the referral with other agencies without parental knowledge or consent.  The authorisation should be recorded with reasons. 

5. Initial Disposal of Referrals

The initial disposal of a Referral, which must be authorised by the manager, may be:

1. That the child does not appear to be a Child In Need, which will result in one of the following: the provision of information, advice, sign-posting to another agency and/or no further action. Follow child well being procedures, ensuring that the referrer (if it's a professional) will undertake a CAF or call a Child Wellbeing meeting. See Guidance on Child Well Being Meetings and Lead Professionals;
2. That the child appears to be a Child in Need with a moderate level of need, in which case, the referral will be passed to the appropriate team, in line with the Transfer Protocol for Fieldwork Services. The appropriate team can be the Area Child Protection Team, the Children with Complex Care Needs Team dependent upon the needs of the child where the manager may authorise an Initial Assessment;
3. That the child appears to be a Child in Need with a high level of need, in which case, the referral will be passed to the appropriate team, in line with the Transfer Protocol.  The appropriate team can be the Area Child Protection Team, the Children with Complex Care Needs Team dependent upon the needs of the child, and will initiate an Initial Assessment;
4. That it is suspected that the child is suffering or is likely to suffer from Significant Harm, in which case the referral will be passed to the Joint Investigation Team for urgent action (NB: if the child / young person has an allocated SW in the ACPT or LAC Service, then the S.47 will be passed to the Team in line with the Transfer protocol).  The responsible team will begin the Initial Assessment, with a view to conducting a Strategy Discussion, prior to a Section 47 Enquiry and Core Assessment commencing.

If there are indications that a child may be at risk of Significant Harm, the manager may authorise whatever actions are necessary to protect the child or others in the household from Significant Harm, which may result in the immediate provision of services.

Professional referrers should be advised of the disposal of the referral.

Feedback on the outcome of the Referral should also be provided to non-professional referrers in a manner consistent with respecting the confidentiality of the child. 

6. Recording of Referrals

All Initial Contacts and Referrals should be recorded on ICS - see Section 1 of the Universal Assessments Procedures/Guidance.

End