What Happens Next

Stage 1 - Initial Assessment

All Referrals will be considered by a Social Worker in Children’s Services, and an Initial Assessment may be conducted.

It may be necessary to take immediate action to protect you or the child(ren) involved, in the extreme, this can result in children being temporarily cared for by a Foster Carer. If this happens to you and your brothers and sisters, you’ll usually be cared for by the same foster carers.

See the Cambridgeshire LSCB Brochure on Initial Assessment

Stage 2 – Strategy Discussion

If it looks like abuse has happened or might happen, the social workers and others, like teachers or the Police, will hold a meeting called a Strategy Discussion to decide whether a Child Protection Enquiry is necessary (see the next stage).

Stage 3 – Child Protection Enquiry

If a Child Protection Enquiry is started, this will involve a Social Worker and the Police assessing the concerns or allegations, the Child(ren) and Parents will be involved in this process.

See,Cambridgeshire LSCB Child Protection Enquiries Leaflet- Information for Parents and Carers

Stage 4: Initial Child Protection Conference

At the end of the Child Protection Enquiry, an Initial Child Protection Conference will be conducted, chaired by an Independent Manager. You might be invited to this meeting.

Click here to view the Child Protection Conference- A guide for parents

If you wish to complain about the way a Child Protection Conference has been conducted, you should talk to the Chairperson of the Conference, contact Cambridgeshire LSCB Business Manager (see Contact page) or see Child Protection Conferences: How to Complain.