Your child's protection plan
This page is for you if your child has a child protection plan.
A child protection plan means that professionals are concerned about your child’s safety. Because of these concerns a formal plan has been put in place. The plan is there to keep your child safe and to support you and your family.
This page explains what the plan means and what you can expect.
A note about how Darlington works
Darlington is changing the way child protection is delivered.
Some teams now use a new approach. In these teams Child Protection enquiries are led by a Lead Child Protection Practitioner (LCPP) and work as part of a Multi-Agency Child Protection Team (MACPT).
Other teams still work in the usual way. These Child Protection enquiries are led by a Social Worker, with support from an Independent Child Protection Chair (CP Chair) and their team manager.
Whichever team is working with your family, your rights stay the same.
On this page, we use the words “your lead professional”. This means the main person supporting you, no matter which team you are in.
At your first meeting, your lead professional will:
- introduce themselves
- explain their role
- tell you how they will support you
All teams will move to the new way of working by January 2027.
The plan sets out:
- what the concerns are
- what needs to change to keep your child safe
- what support will be provided to help your family
- who is responsible for what
- how progress will be reviewed
What the plan means
The plan is not a punishment. It is an agreement between you and your family and the professionals involved.
It sets out how everyone will work together to:
- keep your child safe
- make sure your family gets the right help in place
A qualified Social Worker is responsible for the child protection work with your family.
Depending on which team you are working with, this may be:
- a Lead Child Protection Practitioner (LCPP), or
- a Family Help Lead Practictioner and their manager, working with an Independent Child Protection Chair
They will explain how things are organised for your family
Other professionals from health, education, and other services will also be part of the team supporting your family.
A core group will be set up. This will include you and a smaller group of people of the professionals most involved with your child and family.
It will usually include:
- your lead professional
- other professionals (for example, a teacher or health visitor)
- sometimes family members or others supporting you.
What the core group does
The core group meets once a month to review how things are going against the plan
While your child is on a child protection plan, your lead professional will visit your home at least every 10 working days. These visits are to check on your child’s safety and wellbeing and to offer support.
Some visits will be planned and arranged in advance. Some visits may be unannounced. This allows your lead professional make sure your child is safe outside of planned visits.
We ask you to:
- work with us and follow the plan as best you can
- attend core group meetings
- allow your lead professional to visit your home
- tell your lead professional if anything changes, for example, if things become more difficult
- let us know if there are any changes to who lives in or regularly visits your home
If you are finding things difficult
If you are struggling to keep to something in the plan, please tell your lead professional.
- It is okay to ask for help
- Being open and honest really helps
We would rather work through any problems with you than not know about them.
You can expect:
- to be treated with respect
- to have our concerns and thinking explained clearly
- to have your views listened to and taken seriously
- to be told what support is available and to receive it
- to receive reports before every conference
- to be fully involved in decisions about your child
If support is not provided
If support in the plan has not been given, you can speak up.
You can:
- talk to your lead professional’s manager
- contact the LCPP or CP Chair directly
It is important to raise concerns so we can put things right.
A review child protection conference will take place after 3 months. Then at least every 6 months until the plan ends.
What happens at a review
At each review it will be decided whether:
- the plan should continue (if there are still concerns)
- the plan can move to less support, such as a Child in Need plan
- the plan can end (if concerns have been resolved)
Your involvement
You will be invited to every review conference. You should receive all reports before the meeting.
You can find more information about what to expect and how to prepare on our child protection conference page.
You have the right to disagree with the plan or with any decisions made.
You can:
- raise your concerns at a core group meeting or conference
- make a formal complaint
- get free independent legal advice. You may be able to get legal aid
It is okay to speak up if you do not agree. Your views are important.