Glossary: Child Protection Enquiry

A Child Protection Enquiry (usually referred to as a Section 47 Enquiry) is required if there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is suffering or is likely to suffer Significant Harm.

This normally occurs after an Initial Assessment and a Strategy Discussion/Meeting.

Section 47 Enquiries are usually conducted by a social worker, jointly with the Police, and must be completed within 15 days of a Strategy Discussion/Meeting.

At that stage, an Initial Child Protection Conference is convened to establish whether the child is at continuing risk of Significant Harm. If so a multi-agency Child Protection Plan is drawn up for the child.

(Definition provided by tri.x)