Core Groups
The Core Group is responsible for developing the Child Protection Plans as a detailed working tool, and implementing it, within the Outline Plan agreed at the Initial Child Protection Conference.
| Standard | Criteria | |
| 1 | Membership should be appropriate to the needs of the child and should be decided at the ICPC | Chaired by a Children’s Social Care representative. Attendees include: – The lead Social Worker – The child (if appropriate)Family Members – Professionals who have direct contact with the family – Specialists invited to provide advice or consultation |
| 2 | Core Groups are held within agreed timescales | The Core Group should meet within 10 days of the Initial Child Protection Conference Thereafter meet sufficiently regular to achieve the objectives set out in the plan at a minimum of once every six weeks. |
| 3 | The Core Group should address the areas of significant concern identified within the Outline Child Protection Plan and produce specific objectives that achieve lasting change | The Core Group develop, manage and monitor the progress of the plan against the specified objectives. Core Groups should be informed when any new information is received for the child or for a member of their family. In some cases a new referral may require the Core Group to reconvene to consider the information or the child’s next conference to be brought forward. |
| 4 | Accountability | – Agencies should be accountable for the decisions, recommendations and plans made at conferences – All agencies should comply with the NYSCP standards relating to Child Protection Conferences and Reviews -There should be written notes of the Core Group meeting, to include decision, agreed actions and refinements to the Child protection Plan -The notes are to be distributed to Core Group members, relevant family members and the Chair of the Conference -All information relating to the child/young person should be recorded in the case file on the case management systems of the relevant agencies -Where agency representatives, either in the Initial Conference, Core Group or Review Conference agree tasks, the respective agency is responsible for ensuring that the action is carried out within the timescales agreed -Issues arising from an agency’s inability to complete an agreed task should be notified to the lead Social Worker -Any professional disagreement should follow the NYSCP Professional Resolutions Practice Guidance and this should be monitored |
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