5.6 What Happens Next? (Following a Referral)

Children’s Social Care will complete triage of the referral in accordance with Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023) to determine whether a referral should be responded to on the basis that the child is in need of support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 or in need of protection under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989. 

A referral to Children’s Social Care becomes a ‘contact record’ a decision on the outcome of the contact will be reached within 24 hours.

A manager within the Children's Help and Advice Team (CHAT) will review the following and allocate a social worker to complete enquiries including the following:

• The nature of the concern;
• How and why it has arisen;
• What the child’s and family’s needs appear to be;
• Whether the concern involves actual or likely Significant Harm;
• Whether there is any need for any urgent action to protect the child, any other child in the same household or any child in contact with an alleged perpetrator.

The social worker should provide you with the following when completing enquiries:

• Their name and designation;
• Clarify information that the referrer is reporting directly and information that has been obtained from a third party;
• Discuss whether there are concerns about maltreatment and if so, what is their foundation;
• Clarify who has and who has not been told about the referral, and if the concern has been discussed with the parents. Obtain the views of the parents in relation to the concern.
• Clarify the whereabouts of the child;
• Discuss whether it may be necessary to consider taking urgent action to ensure the safety of the child or any other child in the same household or who is in contact with an alleged perpetrator;
• Agree how to re-contact the referrer if further clarification is required;
• Clarify the extent to which the referrer’s anonymity can be maintained (if this is an issue in the case of a non-professional referrer);
• Clarify expectations about how and when feedback is to be given.

At the end of any discussion about a child, the referrer (whether a professional or a member of the public or family) and the Children’s Social Care social worker should be clear about timescales and any proposed action and who will be taking it, or if no further action will be taken. The outcome should be recorded by the Children’s Social Care and by the referrer (if a professional in another service) on the child’s ‘contact’ form on the child’s electronic file.

Children’s Social Care should acknowledge receipt of a telephone call referral within ONE working day. This is an automated response sent to the referrer once a referral has been submitted.  If the referrer has not received an acknowledgement within THREE working days they should make contact with the Children's Help and Advice Team (CHAT).  Referrals from professionals will also subsequently receive the outcome of the referral.

The worker completing the enquiries will also consider whether there are other children in the same household, the household of an alleged perpetrator or elsewhere, who should be considered as the subject of a referral. 

The worker completing the enquiries will also:

• Check whether there has been any previous involvement with the Children’s Social Care Services in relation to the child or children concerned and any other members of the household;
• Identify other agencies or persons who may hold relevant information;
• Consult other agencies as appropriate (including the Police if any offence has been or is suspected to have been committed)

Parents should be informed of the intention to make a referral and their permission sought to share information with other agencies unless to do so would:

• Prejudice any investigations or enquiries;
• Be prejudicial to the child’s welfare and/or safety;
• Cause concern that the child would be likely to suffer Significant Harm as a result.

See also Information Sharing Procedure.

In these circumstances, a manager from the Children’s Social Care Services may decide to consult other relevant agencies without seeking parental consent. Any such decision must be recorded as to why consent has been dispensed with.

The social worker will gather information from across the partnership in order to make an evidence based multi-agency decision. This will be undertaken through a CHAT enquiry. The outcome of the CHAT enquiry will be relayed by the professional from their agency based in CHAT.

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

• The threshold criteria for social care intervention is not met, which will result in one of the following: the provision of information, advice, sign-posting to another single agency, redirection to early help gateway or no further action;
• Threshold criteria is met under s17 Children Act, and Children’s Social Care Services will commence a Child and Family Assessment;
• That it is suspected that the child is suffering or is likely to suffer from Significant Harm, a strategy meeting to consider threshold for Section 47 Enquiry.

The responsible manager is required to inform any professional referrer of the outcome of their referral including where no further action is to be taken within one working day. 

If the referrer has not received an acknowledgement within 3 working days, he/she should contact the manager in the Children’s Help and Advice team.

In the case of a referral by a member of the public, appropriate feedback should be given at the point of referral in a way which will respect the confidentiality of the child, where possible.

The referrer should keep a written record of:

• The child's account;
• Discussions with the parent;
• Discussions with managers;
• Information provided to the duty social worker;
• Decisions taken (clearly timed, dated and signed);
• Records should be reviewed with regular intervals to ensure that decisions taken are followed through.

The decision about future action will take account of any discussion with the referrer, consideration of information held in existing records and information sharing between professionals in Children's Social Care.  Information is shared confidentially by all professionals who form part of Children's Social Care. 

The decision for no further action to be taken, which must be authorised by the manager, may be:

• The threshold criteria for social care intervention is not met, which will result in one of the following: the provision of information, advice, sign-posting to another single agency, redirection to early help gateway or no further action;
• Threshold criteria is met under s17 Children Act, and Children’s Social Care Services will commence a C&F Assessment;
• That it is suspected that the child is suffering or is likely to suffer from Significant Harm, a strategy meeting will be arranged to consider the threshold for a Section 47 Enquiry.

The responsible manager is required to inform any professional referrer of the outcome of their referral including where no further action is to be taken within one working day. 

In the case of a referral by a member of the public, appropriate feedback should be given at the point of referral in a way which will respect the confidentiality of the child.

Where there is a risk to the life of a child or the possibility of immediate harm, the Police officer or social worker must act urgently to secure the safety of the child.

Immediate protection may include:

• An alleged abuser agreeing to leave the home;
• The removal of the alleged abuser;
• A voluntary agreement for the child to move to a safer place;
• Application for an Emergency Protection Order;
• Removal of the child under powers of Police Protection;
• Gaining entry to the household under Police powers.

The agency taking protective action must always consider whether action is also required to safeguard other children in the same household or in the household of/in contact with an alleged perpetrator or elsewhere.

Children’s Social Care Services should only seek the assistance of the police to use their powers of Police Protection in exceptional circumstances where there is insufficient time to seek an Emergency Protection Order or other reasons relating to the child’s immediate safety.

When immediate protection action is taken prior to a strategy meeting, a strategy meeting will take place as soon as practicable. 

Where a child/ is or children are afforded immediate protection by an Emergency Protection Order or Police Protection the local authority has a duty to initiate Section 47 Enquiry.

The possible outcomes are as follows:

• Intervention is not required – screening has been completed and information provided if required. The family do not require any support or help from Children’s Social Care
• Early Help – screening has been completed and the family required advice and support from a targeted or multi-agency plan.
• Children and Family Assessment is agreed under section 17 of the Children’s Act – this results in a referral being completed to Children’s Social Care
• Child/ren is at risk of significant harm and a strategy meeting is required this results in a referral to Children’s Social Care.