Child Protection Guidance 2021

Part 3: Identifying and responding to concerns about children 92 National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2021 Version 1.0 September 2021 3.21 In all investigations, decisions and plans, the additional support needs for each child must be taken into account, including: • health concerns • emotional distress • speech and language • translation requirements • risk of self-harm • additional supports relating to disabilities and all protected characteristics 3.22 The racial and cultural context in which the harm has arisen must be considered in IRD, preparatory to investigation and next steps in engagement or support. Core professionals 3.23 Practitioners in police, social work and health must participate in the IRD; and Education/ELC may have an essential contribution. Information gathering should involve Education/ELC; and other services working together to ensure child safety, as appropriate. This may include Third Sector services. IRD participants must be sufficiently senior to assess and discuss available information and make decisions on behalf of their agencies. They must have access to agency guidance, training and supervision in relation to this role. 3.24 Social work services have lead responsibility for enquiries relating to children who are experiencing or are likely to experience significant harm and assessments of children in need. The police have lead responsibility for criminal investigations relating to child abuse and neglect; and share responsibilities to keep the child safe. A designated health professional will lead on the need for and nature of recommended health assessments as part of the process. 3.25 These are separate but interconnected processes which require joint information gathering, information sharing, assessment and decision-making. Core agencies must plan together to ensure co‑ordinated action. 3.26 It will usually be appropriate to involve and integrate additional information relevant to the task from a named person or other professionals who know the child well at the IRD stage. Education, and early learning and childcare, however provided, are critical sources of contextual information about each child of nursery or school age. 3.27 Core agencies and relevant services consulted at the IRD stage must research the information systems available to them in order to share necessary, proportionate and relevant information for the purpose of effective decision-making. Timing 3.28 The IRD must be convened as soon as reasonably practical. Where there is a risk to the life of a child or the likelihood of immediate risk or significant harm, intervention must not be delayed pending receipt of information gathering/sharing. 3.29 The IRD process may have to begin outwith core hours, with a focus on immediate protective actions and interim safety planning. A comprehensive IRD must be completed as soon as practical. This should normally be on the next working day.