7.3 The Core Group

The Core Group is fundamental to the implementation and monitoring of any multi-agency Child Protection Plan.

The Core Group is responsible for developing the Child Protection Plan as a detailed working tool and implementing it within the outline plan agreed at the Initial Child Protection Conference.

Membership of the Core Group will be agreed at the conference and will include the Lead Social Worker and his or her Team Manager, the child where appropriate, parents, carers or other significant family members as appropriate and professionals who have direct contact with the family.

Although the Lead Social Worker has a lead role and the Core Group meeting will be chaired by Children's Social Care, all members of the Core Group are jointly responsible for the formulation of a detailed Child Protection Plan, for its implementation, for monitoring the progress of the plan and agreeing changes or refinements to the plan.

It is therefore important that agencies involved and in particular Core Group members, ensure that Core Groups are well attended, in order that this joint responsibility for the Child Protection Plan is effective and meaningful.

The Core Group must meet initially within 10 working days of the initial Child Protection Conference, and thereafter at a frequency agreed by the Core Group, every 4 weeks (20 working days), sufficient to promote effective work between the agencies, to monitor progress and agree changes to the Child Protection Plan.

Any member of the Core Group can convene a Core Group meeting if the Child Protection Plan is not being followed.

The Child Protection Plan should be updated and detailed by each Core Group meeting, identifying specific tasks required and who is responsible for undertaking the tasks. The updated Child Protection Plan and notes of the Core Group Meetings should be signed by the parents and professional involved and circulated to all Core Group members as soon as possible, within seven working days of the Core Group. A copy should also be sent to the Safeguarding Unit.