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Contents

See Flowchart in Initial and Core Assessments Guidance

1. Contacts
2. Referrals
3. Screening Process
4. Timescales
5. Outcome of Referrals
6. Recording Contacts and Referrals

1. Contacts

A Contact is made where Children's Services is contacted about a child, who may be a Child in Need, and where there is a request for general advice, information or a service.   Contacts will generally be dealt with in the Referral and Assessment Team, unless they are made out of hours. 

At any time, a Contact may become a Referral if it appears that services may be required for a Child in Need.

At the point when a Contact  is made, the duty worker will establish whether the enquiry can be dealt with by the provision of information and advice, in which case an Information and Enquiry Letter will be sent to the enquirer, or re-direction to other agencies or services.

Where the Contact appears to be a request for services for a Child in Need, the duty worker should take basic information from the person making the enquiry.

The child’s name must be checked against the electronic recording system to establish whether the family is previously known, or if the child is the subject of a Child Protection Plan or Looked After.  If known, all information on them should be retrieved and passed to the duty manager for a decision to be taken about future action. 

Any significant information received about a child who is an open case will be recorded on the electronic recording system by the duty worker and passed to the child’s allocated social worker.

2. Referrals

A Contact will be progressed to a Referral where the duty social worker/manager considers an assessment and/or services may be required for a Child in Need.

Referrals from other agencies (except the Police) will be made on Enfield's Inter Agency Request for Assessment/Service Form, unless made in an emergency, in which case the Form will be sent within 48 hours of the Referral.  All Referrals must be acknowledged (in writing or by telephone) within one working day.

Referrals and notifications from the Police will be made on Form 87a, and the duty manager will decide if the information sent should be treated as a Referral.

Referrers should have an opportunity to discuss their concerns with a qualified social worker.

On receipt of a Referral either by phone, fax or letter, the duty social worker will obtain as much of the following information as possible from the referrer:

• Full names, dates of birth and gender of children
• Family address and, where relevant, school/nursery attended
• Identity of those with Parental Responsibility
• Names and dates of birth of all members of the household
• Ethnicity, first language and religion of children and parents
• Any special needs of the children
• Any significant recent or past events
• Cause for concern including details of allegations, their sources, timing and location
• The child’s current location and emotional and physical condition
• Whether the child needs immediate protection
• Details of any alleged perpetrator
• Referrer’s relationship with and knowledge of the child and his or her family
• Known involvement of other agencies
• Information regarding parents’ knowledge and agreement to Referral

Referrers should be asked specifically if they hold any information about difficulties being experienced by the family/household due to domestic abuse, mental illness, substance misuse, and/or learning difficulties.

3. Screening Process

The process of Referrals must include screening against the Prioritisation Criteria for Children In Need with internal and agency checks undertaken as necessary. 

The screening process should establish:

• The nature of the concern
• How and why it has arisen
• What the child’s needs appear to be
• Whether the concern involves Significant Harm
• Whether there is any need for urgent action to protect the child or any children in the household

This process will involve:

• Discussion with the referrer
• Consideration of any existing records, including the Record of Children with a Child Protection Plan
• Involving other agencies as necessary

If there are indications that a child may be at risk of Significant Harm, the manager may authorise whatever actions are necessary to protect the child or others in the household from Significant Harm, which may result in the immediate provision of services.

If there is suspicion that a crime may have been committed including sexual or physical assault or Neglect, the Police must be notified immediately.

Personal information about non-professional referrers should not be disclosed to the parents or other agencies without the referrer’s consent.

The parent’s consent should usually be sought before discussing a Referral with other agencies unless this may place the child at risk of Significant Harm, in which case the manager should authorise the discussion of the Referral with other agencies without parental knowledge or consent.  The authorisation should be recorded with reasons.

4. Timescales

Any member of staff who receives information relating to a child, who may be a Child in Need, must redirect the information to the Referral and Assessment Team or allocated social worker, if known. The information must be redirected immediately and within one hour at the very longest. 

Once received, all Contacts and Referrals must be written up and a decision made about their outcome within 24 hours. 

5. Outcome of Referrals

The outcome of a Referral, which must be authorised by the manager, may be:

1. That the child does not appear to be a Child in Need (Level 1 of the Prioritisation Criteria for Children In Need); which will result in one of the following: the provision of information, advice, sign-posting to another agency and/or no further action.
2. That the child appears to have a low level of needs or risks which are unlikely to escalate (Level 1 of the  Prioritisation Criteria for Children In Need).  In these circumstances the manager may authorise an Initial Assessment.
3. That the child appears to have moderate to high needs (Level 2 or 3 of the Prioritisation Criteria for Children In Need, which must initiate an Initial Assessment.)
4. That it is suspected that the child is suffering or is likely to suffer from Significant Harm (Level 3 of the Prioritisation Criteria for Children In Need).  In these circumstances, the Manager must arrange an Initial Assessment, with a view to conducting a Strategy Discussion/Meeting, prior to the commencement of a Core Assessment incorporating a Child Protection Enquiry.

Professional referrers should be advised of the outcome of the Referral as soon as practicable and within 24 hours at the latest. 

Feedback on the outcome of the Referral should also be provided to non-professional referrers in a manner consistent with respecting the confidentiality of the child.

6. Recording Contacts and Referrals

All Contacts and Referrals should be recorded on ICS.

End