From 1 January 2008, Waltham Forest no longer maintains a Child Protection Register. Instead, we keep a list of children for whom there are child protection plans. This is in line with changes in statutory guidance and has happened in all local authorities in England. This page explains how the new arrangements will work.

Why has the change happened?

Lord Laming’s Inquiry that followed the death of Victoria Climbie recommended the abolition of the Child Protection Register, but also clearly stated that children who were at risk of, or suffered, significant harm should continue to have a Child Protection Plan that ensured their safety and welfare. This was because Lord Laming had found during the course of his Inquiry that too many professionals working with children at risk of harm were concentrating on “Do we, or do we not, register on the Child Protection Register?” rather than on “What is the best plan for this child that ensures their safety and welfare?”

What has changed?

From 1st January 2008 Waltham Forest Children’s Services no longer keeps a ‘child protection register’, but keeps a list of children who are the subject of Child Protection Plans. The Child Protection Conference will continue to decide if the child/ren being considered are suffering (or are likely to suffer) significant harm. For those children for whom it is agreed there is a likelihood of significant harm, a Child Protection Plan will be put together. For those not at risk of harm, but require services to support them and their family, a Child in Need Plan will be put together.

Appropriate workers will still be able to check if a child is subject of a child protection plan by contacting 020 8496 8279.or 8285 There will no longer be a Custodian of the Child Protection Register, but a Designated Manager responsible for the maintenance of the list of children who are the subject of Child Protection Plans.

This change follows Government guidance in Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2006.

It has been made to focus workers and families on the child protection plan and the day-to-day actions everyone needs to take to safeguard the child. This is what keeps children safe and makes a difference to their lives.

What will stay the same?

All the duties described in guidance and legislation (see references) remain, including:

For all workers and volunteers

  • Being able to recognize and report a child who may be suffering harm through abuse or neglect
  • Listening to children and their parents
  • Assisting Children’s Services in any enquiries about a child who may be suffering harm (Sec. 47 Enquiries)
  • Knowing when to share information to safeguard any child
  • Knowing how to escalate concerns if you think another agency’s response is inadequate
  • Being open and honest with children and their families and listening to their views, including considering any cultural differences
  • Arranging for interpretation, translation and other services to enable everyone top participate in the safeguarding process
  • Contributing to core assessments on any child who may be suffering harm in line with the Framework for Assessment, 2000.

If there is to be more focus on the Child Protection Plan will Child Protection Conferences last a lot longer?

No. In Waltham Forest we have been using a format for Child Protection Plans for some months that is very similar to that contained within the electronic social care system (known as the Integrated Children’s System) – which is the system that will be used to enable abolition of the CPR. So there will be no change in how long conferences last.

Child Protection Plans

A child protection plan is a working tool that should enable the family and professionals to understand what is expected of them and what they can expect of others. The aims of the plan are:

  • To keep the child safe
  • To promote their welfare
  • If it can be done safely, to support their wider family to care for them

It is the responsibility of the core group (including family members) to develop & implement the plan as a detailed working tool. It is the role of the key worker to co-ordinate the plan, including keeping the child up to date with the plan and finding out what their views are.

Effective plans should:

  • Identify any further assessments needed
  • Identify the root causes of the harm to the child, based on assessments so far
  • Set out specific and achievable child-focused outcomes (both long and short term)
  • Set out what both the family and workers involved need to do to stop the child suffering harm
  • Identify how the child will be involved in the plans
  • Set out which workers will be checking the child is safe and well on a day to day basis
  • Include a contingency plan, i.e. what should be done if the child protection plan is not working
  • Decide when the child protection plan will be reviewed
  • Decide who will be in the Core Group, when the first meeting will be and how regularly the group will meet

If you work with children, and have any further queries, please contact your designated member of staff for Child Protection.

If you are a designated member of staff for Child Protection, or, work for an organisation without a designated member of staff, please contact the Child Protection and Safeguarding service on 0208 496 8279/8285 and ask to speak to the Duty CP Co-ordinator or the Principal Manager (Lucy Erber)