What is the child protection register?

All local authorities are responsible for maintaining a central child protection register for all children who are the subject of an inter-agency Child Protection Plan. This includes unborn babies. The register has no legal status. This is an administrative system for alerting practitioners that there is sufficient professional concern about a child to warrant an inter-agency Child Protection Plan. Local authority social work services are responsible for maintaining a register of all children in their area who are subject to a Child Protection Plan. Some authorities may choose to maintain a joint register with other authorities.

The decision to place a child’s name on the register should be taken following multi- agency assessment and a Child Protection Planning Meeting, as detailed in Part 3 of these procedures.

A child may be placed on the register if there are reasonable grounds to believe or suspect that a child has suffered or will suffer significant harm from abuse or neglect, and that a Child Protection Plan is needed to protect and support the child. When placing a child on the register, it is not necessary to identify a category of registration relating to the primary type of abuse and neglect. The local authority should ensure the child’s name and details are entered on the register, as well as record the areas of concern identified. The local authority should inform the child’s parents or carers verbally and in writing about the information held on the register and who has access to it.

If a Compulsory Supervision Order is likely to be required to meet the child’s needs for protection, guidance, treatment or control, or to ensure compliance, then a referral must be made to the Principal Reporter to allow consideration as to whether a children’s hearing should be arranged.

Police Scotland has developed a child protection flag for its interim Vulnerable Persons Database (iVPD). This alerts police call-handling staff and police officers attending incidents (whether physical or not) that there has been sufficient previous professional concern about a child to warrant placing them on the child protection register. It also provides details of the lead local authority contact. Local authorities continue to be responsible for maintaining a child protection register for children in their areas.

Removing a child from the child protection register

If and when the practitioners who are working with the child and family decide that the risk of significant harm to the child has been sufficiently reduced and the child or young person is no longer in need of a Child Protection Plan, the local authority should remove the child’s name from the child protection register. The decision to remove a child’s name will be made through a review CPPM at which all the relevant agencies are represented, as well as the child and their family. When a child’s name is removed from the register, the child and their family must be informed.

Removal of a child’s name from the register should not necessarily lead to a reduction or withdrawal of services or support to the child and family by any of the agencies. The risk of significant harm to the child may have receded, but the child may continue to require a range of support. This will form part of the single planning process for the child. At the point of de-registration, consideration should be given to whether a different lead professional should be appointed. If so, arrangements made for the transfer will be agreed. Following de-registration, the child’s plan will be amended to reflect the revised assessment of risk and need.

Where a child on the child protection register is deceased, the Keeper of the Register should be contacted to ensure the child’s name is removed from the register immediately.

The Keeper of the Register in Highland is the Principal Officer (Social Care) and can be contacted at: cpadmin.cpadmin@highland.gov.uk

Making use of the register

The register should be maintained by social work services. It is a distinct record. It must be securely kept, accurate at all times, and comply with the law. Social work services should ensure that local roles and systems provide for maintenance, management and appropriate 24-hour access for the purposes of child protection. Local areas should have in place mechanisms and arrangements for practitioners making an enquiry to the register, including criteria for when this should be done and by whom. Local protocols should be in place to make sure information is shared and every relevant system and organisation is alerted when there is a child protection concern.

The Scottish Government maintains a list of contact points for child protection registers in other parts of the UK. Local authorities should notify the Scottish Government of any changes so that the list can be kept up to date. All practitioners should notify the keepers of local registers of any changes to details relating to children named on the register.

The person(s) accountable for the register will be responsible for attempting to trace a registered child whose whereabouts become unknown, including notifications and alerts to other areas and services.

Movement of children who are on the child protection register

When families move between local authority areas the original local authority will notify the receiving authority immediately. A written notification must follow. The receiving local authority should immediately place the child’s name on their local register. Where possible, the original local authority should advise how long the child is expected to stay in the area.

The authorities should make each other aware when and why temporary registration is no longer required. Information pertinent to keeping a child safe must be shared. Where a Child Protection Plan is in place, the responsible authority for the child is, with few exceptions, the health board or local authority where the child resides.

If the child is temporarily residing in another local authority, preparatory communication between authorities is necessary. Arrangements must be agreed for the monitoring, supervision and implementation of the Child Protection Plan. If agreement cannot be reached about arrangements, senior managers should be involved to negotiate a resolution that prioritises the child’s safety.