Responsibility for undertaking s47 enquiries lies with LA children's social care in whose area the child lives or is found. 'found' means the physical location where the child suffers the incident of harm or neglect (or is identified to be at risk of harm or neglect), e.G.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom nursery or school, boarding school, hospital, one-off event, such as a fairground, holiday home or outing or where a privately fostered or looked after child is living with their carers.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom for the purposes of these procedures the LA children's social care in which the child lives, is called the 'home authority' and the LA children's social care in which the child is found is the child's 'host authority'.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

Whenever a child is harmed or concerns are raised that a child may be at risk of harm or neglect, the host authority is responsible for informing the home authority immediately.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom the home authority should be invited to participate in the strategy meeting / discussion to plan action to protect the child. Only once agreement is reached about who will take responsibility is the host authority relieved of the responsibility to take emergency and ongoing action.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom such acceptance should occur as soon as possible and should be confirmed in writing.

Each agency has a duty to assist and provide information in support of child protection enquiries.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom when requested to do so by LA children's social care, professionals from other parts of the local authority such as housing and those in health organisations have a duty to cooperate under section 27 of the children act 1989 by assisting the local authority in carrying out its children's social care functions.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom all schools and educational establishments have the same duty in line with the statutory guidance ' keeping children safe in education september 2018'.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

The social worker must contact the other agencies involved with the child to inform them that a child protection enquiry has been initiated and to seek their views.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom the checks should be undertaken directly with involved professionals and not through messages with intermediaries. The relevant agency should be informed of the reason for the enquiry, whether or not parental consent has been obtained and asked for their assessment of the child in the light of information presented.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

Emergency action may be necessary as soon as the referral is received from a member of the public or from any agency involved with children or parents.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom alternatively, the need for emergency action may become apparent only over time as more is learned about a child or adult carer's circumstances.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom neglect, as well as abuse, can pose such a risk of significant harm to a child that urgent protective action is needed.

Emergency action addresses only the immediate circumstances of the child/ren.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom it should be followed quickly by a s47 enquiry and an assessment of the needs and circumstances of the child and family as necessary. Where an EPO applies, LA children's social care will have to consider quickly whether to initiate care or other proceedings or to let the order lapse and the child/ren return home.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

A multi agency assessment should be initiated following referral and should continue whenever a s47 enquiry has commenced. The local assessment protocol will provide the framework for gathering and analysing information for the enquiry (see referral and assessment procedure ).Cognitive learning theory in the classroom the conclusions and recommendations of the enquiry should inform the assessment (see also child protection conferences, the child protection plan).Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

A multi agency assessment (see referral and assessment procedure) is the means by which section 47 enquiries are carried out. The assessment will have commenced at the point of receipt of referral and it must continue whenever the criteria for section 47 enquiries are satisfied.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom the conclusions and recommendations of the section 47 enquiry should inform the assessment which must be completed within 45 working days of the date when the referral was received.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

• agreeing who should be interviewed, by whom, for what purpose and when. The way in which interviews are conducted can play a significant part in minimising any distress caused to children, and in increasing the likelihood of maintaining constructive working relationships with families when a criminal offence may have been committed against a child, the timing and handling of interviews with victims, their families and witnesses can have important implications for the collection and preservation of evidence;

cognitive learning theory in the classroom

• agreeing, in particular, when the child will be seen alone (unless to do so would be inappropriate for the child) by the social worker during the course of these enquiries and the methods by which the child's wishes and feelings will be ascertained so that they can be taken into account when making decisions under section 47 of the children act 1989;

cognitive learning theory in the classroom

The way in which interviews are conducted can play a significant part in minimising any distress caused to children, and increasing the likelihood of maintaining constructive working relationships with families.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom when a criminal offence may have been committed against a child, the timing and handling of interviews with victims, their families and witnesses, can have important implications for the collection and preservation of evidence.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom see visually recorded interviews / achieving best evidence.

Where issues have significant medical implications, or a paediatric examination has taken place or may be necessary, a paediatrician should always be included.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom if the child is receiving services from a hospital or child development team, the meeting / discussion should involve the responsible medical consultant and, in the case of in-patient treatment, a senior ward nurse.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

The plan made at the strategy meeting / discussion should reflect the requirement to convene an initial child protection conference within 15 working days of the strategy meeting / discussion at which it was decided to initiate the enquiry (if there were more than one strategy meetings).Cognitive learning theory in the classroom in exceptional circumstances, such as fabricated and induced illness for example, enquiries will be more complicated and may require more than one strategy discussion.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom if the strategy meeting / discussion concludes that a further strategy meeting / discussion is required, then a clear timescale should be set and be subject to regular review by the social work manager bearing in mind the safety of the child at all times.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

Agency checks should include accessing any relevant information that may be held in one or more other countries. Practice guidance is available for social workers working on child protection cases and care orders, where the child has links to a foreign country in working with foreign authorities: child protection cases and care orders departmental advice for local authorities, social workers, service managers and children's services lawyers july 2014 (PDF).Cognitive learning theory in the classroom see also accessing information from abroad.

Section 47 enquiries should always be carried out in such a way as to minimise distress to the child, and to ensure that families are treated sensitively and with respect.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom LA children's social care should explain the purpose and outcome of s47 enquiries to the parents and child/ren (having regard to age and understanding) and be prepared to answer questions openly, unless to do so would affect the safety and welfare of the child.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

In other circumstances, the strategy meeting / discussion will determine, in consultation with the paediatrician, the need and timing for a paediatric assessment.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom where a child is also to be interviewed by police and / or LA children's social care, this interview should take place prior to a medical examination unless there are exceptional circumstances agreed with the police and social work service.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

A paediatric assessment should demonstrate a holistic approach to the child and assess the child's well being, including mental health, development and cognitive ability.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom particular attention to assessments of infants under the age of one, who can be divided into two groups: non-mobile and mobile or partially mobile are needed as there are certain injuries that do not usually occur as a result of an accident in non-mobile infants.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

The social worker should discuss the case with the child, parents and other professionals and determine whether support services may be helpful.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom they should consider whether the child's health and development should be re-assessed regularly against specific objectives and decide who has responsibility for doing this.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom arrangements should be noted for future referrals, if appropriate.

Where concerns are substantiated and the child is assessed to be at risk of significant harm, there must be a child protection conference within 15 working days of the strategy discussion, or the strategy discussion at which section 47 enquiries were initiated, if more than one has been held; suitable multi-agency arrangements must be put in place to safeguard the child until such time as the initial child protection conference has taken place.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom the LA children's social worker and their line manager will coordinate and review such arrangements.

Notification, verbal or written, of the outcome of the enquiries, including an evaluation of the outcome for the child, should be given to all the agencies who have been significantly involved, the parents and children of sufficient age and appropriate level of understanding, in particular in advance of any initial child conference that is convened.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom this information should be conveyed in an appropriate format for younger children and those people whose preferred language is not english. See working with interpreters / communication facilitators.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

Where LA children's social care have concluded that an initial child protection conference is not required but professionals in other agencies remain seriously concerned about the safety of a child, these professionals should seek further discussion with the LA children's social worker, their manager and/or the designated safeguarding professional lead.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom the concerns, discussion and any agreements made should be recorded in each agency's files.

If concerns remain, the professional should discuss with a designated / named / lead person or senior manager in their agency.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom if concerns remain the agency may formally request that LA children's social care convene an initial child protection conference. LA children's social care should convene a conference where one or more professionals, supported by a senior manager / named or designated professional requests one.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

The maximum period from the strategy meeting / discussion of an enquiry to the date of the initial child protection conference is 15 working days.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom in exceptional circumstances where more than one strategy meeting/ discussion takes place the timescale remains as 15 working days from the strategy meeting/discussion which initiated the s47 enquiries.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom A strategy meeting may agree an extended timescale in exceptional circumstances such as fabricated and induced illness for example.