The child protection conference is the interagency forum where:
• concerns about children can be shared
• a decision made as to whether further protective action is required
• a child protection plan formulated.
The child’s name is placed on the Child Protection Register if a child protection plan is needed. The categories of abuse are neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. Children can be registered under more than one category. The decision to register is taken at an initial child protection conference.
An interagency child protection plan is drawn up for each child on the register; this describes in detail how the child will be protected
and how health and development will be promoted. The progress of the plan is monitored at ‘core group’ meetings and six-monthly
child protection review conferences, at which a child may be deregistered if there is no longer a need for a child protection plan.