Concerns About a Child/ Making a Referral

CHILDMINDERS

WHAT TO DO IF: YOU HAVE CHILD PROTECTION CONCERNS; AN ALLEGATION IS MADE AGAINST A PERSON WORKING WITH CHILDREN.

Referral to Children and Families Service If you consider that a referral needs to be made to the Children and Families Service you should contact the Customer ContactScreening Team 01609 780780and then follow your referral up in writing (see attached.)
Outside of office hours you should call the Emergency Duty Team 01609 780780
The referrer should:

State why they are concerned and any current issues suggesting immediate risk of harm
Share their knowledge of the child(ren) and family and any other agency involved
State if the child’s parent’s/carer’s are aware of the referral and their expectations
Record their concerns and actions and follow the referral up in writing within 48 hours(see attached)
Give details of where they can be contacted that day.

Advice If you have child protection concerns i.e. you consider that a child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm you can, if you wish, discuss your concerns with and seek advice

For Childminders contact an Area Prevention Manager:

District / Area Prevention Manager / Contact number
Craven / Caroline Porter / 01609 532412
Ripon & Rural Harrogate / Jon Coates / 01609 532323
Harrogate Town & Knaresborough / Rachel Copping / 01609 533446
Richmondshire / Jos Mortimer / 01609 533682
Hambleton North / Sharon Jones / 01609 536468
Hambleton South / Margaret Mitchell / 01609 536206
Selby Town / Pat Scully / 01609 532385
Tadcaster & Rural Selby / David Fincham / 01609 534022
Whitby & The Moors / Diane Leith / 01609 532479
Ryedale / Stuart Davidson / 01609 536009
Scarborough Town / Liz White / 01609 533139
Scarborough South & Filey / Simone Wilkinson / 01609 532927

Allegations against childmindersincluding assistants/volunteers who work with children:

In the event of an allegation being made against a person who works with children that they have:

Behaved in a way that has harmed or may have harmed a child
Possibly committed a criminal offence against or related toa child
Behaves towards a child or children in a way that indicates s/he would pose a risk of harmto children

You should contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO):

Craven / Harrogate / Selby / Rosemary Cannell
Susan Crawford / 01609 534974
01609 532152 / 07715 540723
07813 005161
North / White Horse / Coast / Karen Lewis
Dave Peat / 01609 534200
01609 535646 / 07715 540711
07814 533363

Ofsted should be informed of: any significant event which is likely to affect suitability to care for children; any allegation of serious harm or abuse by a person looking after children, whether that be on the premises or elsewhere: 0300 1231231 or 0300 123 4666

Child subject to a Child Protection Plan: As a professional you should be made aware if a child in your setting is subject to a child protection plan. If you have not and suspect that this may be the case you can call the Children’s Database Enquiry Line. 01609 536462. If the child is subject to a CP plan or is an open case to Children’s Social Care you will be given information and the name and contact number of the social worker who is assigned the case.

REFERRAL FORM TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SERVICE

This form should be used for referrals to child protection, child in need, Disabled Children’s Service and Children and Families Service Prevention

Please send the completed form to children& if you are using secure email then children&

If you have concerns that a child or young person has suffered or is likely to suffer significant harm, telephone Children and Families Service immediately to discuss your concerns with a Social Worker or manager at the Customer Contact Screening Centre on 01609 780780 or contact the Police if you feel the child is at imminent risk and this is an emergency. You should then complete this form to confirm your referral within 24 hours of your telephone call.
A ‘child in need’ is defined under the Children Act 1989 as a child who is unlikely to achieve or maintain a satisfactory level of health or development, or their health and development will be significantly impaired without the provision of services; or a child who is disabled.
Section A: The Child or Young Person being Referred (If you are referring more than one child, please complete this for one of the children in detail)
Family Name: / First Name(s):
D.O.B (or expected date of delivery): / Gender: / Male Female Unborn
Home Address: / Postcode:
Telephone:
Current Address ( if different from above): / Postcode:
Telephone:
NHS Number:
Child/young person’s ethnicity:
White
White British
White Irish
White any other background / Black or Black British
Caribbean
African
Any other Black background / Mixed
White and Black Caribbean
White and Black African
Any other mixed background / Asian or Asian British
Indian
Pakistani
Bangladeshi
Any other Asian background / Other Ethnic Groups
Chinese
Any other Ethnic Group
NOT KNOWN
Child/young person’s first language or preferred means of communication: / Is an interpreter or signer required? / No Yes
Details:
Child/young person’s religion / Child/young person’s nationality: / Immigration status:
Is the child/ young person disabled? / No / Yes / Details:
Is there a concern with regards to Child Sexual Exploitation? / No / Yes / Details:
Is there a concern with regards to radicalisation? / No / Yes / Details:
Is the child/ young person privately fostered?A private fostering arrangement is essentially one that is made privately for the care of a child under the age of 16 (under 18, if disabled) by someone other than a parent or close relative (grandparent, brother, sister, uncle/ aunt or step-parent), with the intention that it should last for 28 days or more. Private foster carers may be from extended family, a friendof the family, the child’s friend’s parents or someone willing to privately foster. / No Yes
Is the child adopted? / No / Yes
Section B – Household Details
If you are also referring a sibling of the child in Section A, please list them in this section and indicate that you are also referring them. Please also list the names and details of all children and adults who are currently residing in the home.
Family Name / First Name / DOB / Age / Relationship to the Child in Section A / Also referring to Children & Families
(must be under 18) / Contact Number
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Section C – Details of Any Other Relevant Adults
Please provide details of the parent(s) of the child and/or any other person(s) who have parental responsibility. Where applicable please also provide details of how they may be contacted.
Family Name / First Name / Address / Telephone/Contact Number / Relationship to the Child in Section A / Parental Responsibility?
(Yes/No)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Section D – Consent to make Referral to Children and Families or Prevention Services or the Disabled Children Service
If a practitioner believes a child is at risk of significant harm they have a duty to make a referral to Children and Families Service. These referrals do not require consent but it is good practice to inform an adult with parental responsibility that the referral is being made, UNLESS doing so would place the child at risk of significant harm or may lead to the loss of evidence, for example destroying evidence of a crime or influencing a child about a disclosure made. For all other referrals consent should always be sought from an adult with parental responsibility for the child/young person (or from the young person themselves if they are competent) before passing information about them to Children and Families Service.
How has consent been obtained? / Verbal / Written / Not Applicable / Not Obtained / Date consent obtained:
Have you informed Parent about your concerns? / Yes
Who has consent been obtained from / Parent / Person with parental responsibility / Child/Young Person
If yes, what is the Parent/Carer/Child’s view of the referral:
If no, explain the risk of significant harm or the circumstances that have prevented you from obtaining consent:
Section E – Referrer Details
Date of referral: / Time of referral: / Referral is a follow up to a Telephone Call / This is a new Referral
Name of Referrer: / Role/Relationship to child:
Agency Name (if any): / Address of Referrer:
Telephone: / Postcode:
Mobile: / E-mail:
Section F – Reason for Referral
In this section you need to tell us why you are referring this child to us now.
The following information will help us to assess what action may be necessary. Please give as much concise and evidence based information as possible to help us in our assessment.
What are you worried about? / What is going well for the child? / What needs to change or would help this child?
What support is already in place for the child?
Has a Common Assessment been completed?
Yes, if so please attach to this referral No
Section G – Services Working with the Family
Role / Full Name / Telephone / Email Address / Address and Postcode
Lead Professional
GP
Dentist
Health Visitor/Midwife
Nursery/School
Youth Justice Service
Prevention Service
Other, please specify

Please send the completed form to Children& or if you are using secure email then Children&

CSC Referral Form v1.1 March 2014