How to Raise a Concern
The process is explained below in the Children’s Advice and Duty Service section.
If you have a concern about an adult in a position of trust see the section on Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) at the bottom of this page.
For information about Child Protection Conferences and Contextual Safeguarding Conferences, see the section at the bottom of this page.
DO NOT CALL CADS ABOUT EITHER OF THESE TOPICS
If you are a member of the public, please call Norfolk County Council’s Customer Services on 0344 800 8020.
Children’s Advice and Duty Service
Please can you ensure you seek consent for the referrals unless the concerns being raised suggest that the child/children or someone else (including the referrer) would be placed at risk of significant harm, or it might undermine a criminal investigation if the parents/carers are informed. Reasons for not seeking consent should be clearly stated when speaking with Children’s Advice and Duty Service and recorded on internal systems for your records.
When to Contact the Children’s Advice & Duty Service (CADS)
Child Protection or Immediate Safeguarding concerns
If there are concerns that a child may be suffering significant harm, a child with unexplained injuries, domestic abuse in the household or a child at risk of exploitation.
If you are a professional, i.e. working with a child or young person in a formal or voluntary setting and not a family member or member of the public, you can contact the Children’s Advice and Duty Service on their direct line: 0344 800 8021.
Please choose from the following options:
Press 1 -if the child or young person is currently being supported by a Social Worker or Family Practioner
Press 2 -your call relates to Child Exploitation
Press 3 -your call relates to Domestic Abuse
Press 0 -for Child Protection and immediate Safeguarding Concerns
(Please note, during busy periods, if your call is not answered within 40 minutes, a call back option will be offered).
If you have an emergency, please call 999.
Request a Consultation
If you feel a consultation is necessary, an initial conversation should take place with your Designated Safeguarding Lead prior to completing a Request for Support form, once received a Consultant Social Worker will call you.
When to complete a request for support form:
Request support for universal, community based early help and Family Help
Community-based support and targeted early help can be accessed via Request for support - Norfolk County Council. Early Help is designed to support children, young people, and families experiencing difficulties that may affect their wellbeing, development, or ability to flourish.
Universal services and community-based early help
Universal services and community‑based early help provide preventative support for children and families of all ages, strengthening resilience, improving outcomes, and reducing the risk of needs escalating. Delivered as a coordinated local system rather than a single service, this support is offered through universal provision such as education, health, and wider community services. It includes services like Best Start Family Hubs, youth and housing support, and after‑school provision.
Best Start Family Hubs offer a clear pathway from pregnancy to age 19 (or 25 for young people with SEND), bringing together multi‑agency partners to provide accessible, ongoing community support and to safeguard families, including those transferring from targeted or specialist services Contact a Best Start Family Hub - Norfolk County Council
Family Help – targeted early help, safeguarding, and promoting the welfare of children
Family Help is offered where universal services and community‑based early help have not achieved sufficient or sustained improvement, or where a child and family present with multiple, complex, or escalating needs. Delivered through a coordinated, multi‑agency approach led by Children’s Services and its partners, Family Help provides structured support to address identified risks and concerns. Family Help will only be initiated where there is an agreed Family Plan, or a Graded Care Profile (GCP) in cases of neglect, which has been shared with CADS.
Family Help is a voluntary, consent‑based approach that supports families to build capacity, improve outcomes, and reduce risks, including families in kinship arrangements and those requiring additional support during pregnancy, with the aim of preventing the need for statutory child protection intervention.
Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) Referrals
If you have concerns about an adult working with a child aged under 18 years those concerns must be reported to the appropriate service/authority – please see the LADO Practice & Process Guidance and Information Leaflets below.
Referrals/Consultation
Completed LADO referral forms should be sent to LADO@norfolk.gov.uk.
Practice & Process Guidance
- NSCP Protocol 8.3 – Allegations Against Persons who Work/Volunteer with Children
- The Management of Allegations Against People Working with Children Procedure
- Final LADO Process – Outcomes Definitions
Investigation Templates
- Investigation Plan & Investigation Report Templates – General
- Investigation Plan and Investigation Report Templates - Fostering Service
- Conducting Work Place Investigations and Investigation Report Template – Early Years Providers/Settings
Information Leaflets
- LADO Information Leaflet for Children & Young People aged 10+ years
- LADO Information Leaflet for Children aged under 10 years
- LADO Information Leaflet for People Referred to LADO
Other Applicable Practice Guidance
- Keeping children safe in after school activities, after school clubs and tuition; non statutory guidance for providers running out-of-school settings
- A Checklist For Parents When Choosing An Activity Person or Childcare Provider For Their Child
Any further queries about the LADO process can be sent to LADO@norfolk.gov.uk.
Child Protection Conferences in Norfolk
The Department for Education (DfE) is responsible for Child Protection in England. It sets out policy, legislation and statutory guidance on how the Child Protection system should work.
A Child Protection Conference is held where concerns of significant harm are substantiated, and the Children/Young Person is judged to be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. It may also take place where there are concerns about an unborn child.
The first meeting is called an Initial Child Protection Conference and any subsequent meetings are called Review Child Protection Conferences.
At the Child Protection Conference relevant professionals, in collaboration with parents and family members, will be asked to share information relating to the concerns of risk and harm for Children/Young People and the impact of this. Information about the strengths and safety in the lives of Children/YoungPeople are shared.
In England, this meeting must happen within 15 working days of a Strategy discussion being held.
Young People can attend the Child Protection Conference, or they can have someone speak on their behalf, such as a family member or independent Advocate.
If a Child Protection Plan is agreed family and professionals will produce an outline Child Protection Plan which the Core Group will develop and implement.
A Core Group comprises of family members and professionals.
All conferences are chaired by an Independent Child Protection Chairperson and are attended by a Social Worker from Norfolk County Council.
For further information on Child Protection Conference processes please click the links below:
- Agency Report To CP Conference With Chronology V7
- GP Report to CP Conference Template
- GP Practice Guidance For Report to CP Conference
- Practice Guidance Multi Agency Chronologies V7
- Multi-Agency Child Protection Conference Report Form (RCPC only where MAC not in use)
- Guidance regarding provision of agency reports to ICPC RCPC
- Guidelines for consideration of a Child Protection Plan
- 3.6 Initial Child Protection Conferences
- 3.8 Transfer in Child Protection Conferences
- 3.10 Child Protection Review Conferences
- 10.1 Complaints - Child Protection Conferences
Contextual Safeguarding Conferences
Background
Norfolk Child Protection Procedures are clear that an Initial Child Protection Conference (ICPC) must be convened when it is believed that a Child/Young Person is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm.
However, we are increasingly working with Children/Young People who have suffered or are at risk of suffering significant harm where the risk is attributed to Criminal and Sexual exploitation.
The Contextual Safeguarding Conference is a way of acknowledging, sharing, managing and reviewing the risk to the Child/Young Person in partnership with the Child/Young Person, Parent/Carer/Family Network and Partner Agencies. The aim is to develop a plan with measurable outcomes to reduce the risk to the Child/Young Person within appropriate timescales.
Framework
To ensure we can best address and meet the needs of children/young people who are being exploited, the Contextual Safeguarding Conference Guidance goes through the stages from ‘Assessment to Plan’.
Next steps
Whilst the attached guidance outlines the stages pre and post Contextual Safeguarding Conference, please contact the Independent Reviewing Team on 01603 222288 should you wish to discuss any aspect of the Contextual Safeguarding Conference process.