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Child Protection
Register
A Child Protection Conference may decide
that a child’s name should be put
onto the Child Protection Register.
The Register is a list of children who
are known or believed to have been abused
or injured in some way, or who are thought
to be at risk of injury, abuse or neglect.
The Register is kept by the Social Services
Department. It is strictly confidential
and information from it is available only
to professional people such as Health
Visitors, Teachers, Doctors, Police Officers
and Social Workers.
If your child’s name is placed
on the Register it does not mean that
it will stay on forever. A Review Conference
will be held in about three months to
consider whether your child’s name
should stay on the Register. If the decision
is yes, then the matter will be considered
again in six months. Once it is felt your
child is no longer at risk their name
will be taken off the Register.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can children be taken away?
Social Workers cannot take a child away
against the wishes of the parent(s) simply
because the child’s name is on the
Register. In serious cases, a Conference
may recommend that the matter is brought
before a court.
Children can only be removed from their
home by Order of the Court. In an emergency,
the Police or Social Services can seek
a Court Order to remove a child from home
on a short term basis. However it is rare
for children to be removed.
Do families have to have a social
worker?
The Social Services Department will arrange
for a Social Worker, known as the “key
worker”, to visit you regularly.
He/she will be responsible also for keeping
in touch with other professional workers
involved with you.
The Social Worker will collect information
to help everyone involved understand your
situation, so it is in your interest to
work closely with them. You do not have
to see the Social Worker unless a Court
Order says you must. However, if there
are serious concerns about a child and
the parents refuse to allow a Social Worker
to see their child/ren, the Social Services
Department would have to consider whether
to involve a Court or the Police.

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