Anyone suspecting that a child may be suffering harm has a duty to take appropriate action. A child may come into contact with a wide range of statutory and voluntary agencies, all of which may possess some, but not all, information about the child. The underlying Symposium: social paediatrics is of a cooperative interagency working to protect children.
The ‘Working Together’ document16 sets out how agencies and professionals (health, education, police, social services, probation, and others working with children) should work together. The guidance applies to the statutory, voluntary and independent sectors.
The social services departments of local authorities are the lead agency in child protection, and coordinate the child protection process.
Any report of a significant child protection concern is investigated according to the process laid out in ‘Working Together’. Under section 47 of CA89, health agencies (and other agencies) are under a duty to help a local authority with its enquiries in cases ‘where there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm’. Medical examination of the child and sharing of reports and information should not take place without appropriate consent but, if parents withhold consent, a court order permitting examination is needed (emergency protection, section 8 or interim care order). It is good practice to attempt
to engage parents’ as well as children’s consent to the process.
As part of child protection procedures, a child assessment order may be made under section 43 to compel the parent of carer to allow the child to be examined during a period of seven days.