Child protection refers to the processes involved in consideration, assessment and planning of required action, together with the actions themselves, where there are concerns that a child may be at risk of harm. Child protection guidance provides overall direction for agencies and professional disciplines where there are concerns that a child may be at risk of harm. Child protection procedures are initiated when police, social work or health professionals determine that a child may have been abused or may be at risk of significant harm. Child protection involves:

• immediate action, if necessary, to prevent significant harm to a child

• inter-agency investigation about the occurrence or probability of abuse or neglect, or of a criminal offence against a child. Investigation extends to other children affected by the same apparent risks as the child who is the subject of a referral                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
• assessment and action to address the interaction of behaviour, relationships and conditions that may, in combination, cause or accelerate risks                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
• focus within assessment, planning and action upon listening to each child’s voice and recognising their experience, needs and feelings                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
• collaboration between agencies and persistent efforts to work in partnership with parents in planning and action to prevent harm or reduce risk of harm                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
• recognition and support for the strengths, relationships and skills within the child and their world in order to form a plan that reduces risk and builds resilience

Child protection is part of a continuum of collaborative duties upon agencies working with children. The Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) approach promotes and supports planning for such services to be provided in the way which best safeguards, supports and promotes the wellbeing of children, and ensures that any action to meet needs is taken at the earliest appropriate time to prevent acute needs arising. The planning of systems should ensure that action is integrated from the point of view of recipients.

Child protection processes fall at the urgent end of a continuum of services which include prevention and early intervention. The GIRFEC principles and approach are consistently applicable. Children who are subject to child protection processes may already be known to services. They may already have a child’s plan in place. Child protection processes should build on existing knowledge, strengths in planning and partnerships to reduce the risk of harm, and to meet the child’s needs.

Preventative and protective work may be needed at the same time. Preventative, restorative, supportive, collaborative and therapeutic approaches do not stop because compulsory measures or urgent protective legal steps are taken. A tailored blend of care and professional authority may be needed whether a child at risk is at home with family or accommodated, or when the child is to transition between placements or to be reunified with birth family after a placement away from home.

The level of risk a child is exposed to can shift, often rapidly, as circumstances change or information emerges. Services may be organised in response to ‘thresholds’ of risk. However, the way children and families act and think is not bound within such categories. Safe systems allow for a degree of flexibility as professional understanding of need and risk evolves. Safe systems ensure sufficient continuity of support when the immediate urgency to protect is alleviated. Safety may depend upon accessible support when need arises over the longer term. Appendix E signposts UNCRC articles. Protection of children from all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence is inextricable from protection of the full range of each child’s UNCRC and human rights.