Briefing 7
Learning lessons from case file audits:
Core Groups
April 2013
This briefing for practitioners forms part of a set of messages from audits
undertaken by the Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire Safeguarding
Children Boards and is designed to improve practice and outcomes for
children and young people.
1
Core group meeting minutes need to begin with a summary of the reasons why
a child is on a child protection plan case.
2
The purpose of the meeting should be recorded i.e. to review the plan and
progress made in improving outcomes.
3
Progress in implementing the plan, outcomes achieved and evidence of the
impact of the plan and interventions in terms of reduction of harm should be
recorded in core group minutes.
Confirmation that an action included in a CP Plan has been completed with
reference to impact and change should always be recorded. This will enable
parents, family members and practitioners and managers to reflect on what
else needs to be done to reduce harm or risk of harm; how effective the plan
has been; what else needs to change and how this might be achieved by
developing the plan further.
4
5
Resilience factors or the lack of them should be identified when analysing
significant harm.
6
The views of children, young people, parents and carers should be sought and
included in the minutes.
7
A record of distribution of the minutes should be kept on the social work file to
evidence who has been sent the record of the meeting.
8
Core assessments should be shared with core group members to ensure that
there is a full and shared understanding of the needs and risks.
9
Practitioners and conference chairs should ensure that core groups are
scheduled at times and venues which as far as possible and as is reasonable,
accord with the family’s wishes.
10 Parental non-engagement should always be questioned and challenged and
the reasons for it understood by all agencies involved in the Core Groups.
11 All practitioners must take responsibility for chasing and obtaining the records
of meetings they consider they should have received and have not, to ensure
all agency case records are complete.
1