CSC Child Protection Conference Chair

The Child Protection Conference Chair is a statutory role responsible for independently chairing Initial and Review Child Protection Conferences. The post holder ensures that assessments are rigorous, risks are clearly identified and that plans are proportionate, SMART and focused on improving outcomes for children. The role also includes providing professional challenge, monitoring drift and escalating concerns in line with statutory guidance and local procedures. The key responsibilities include:

• Independently chair Initial and Review Child Protection Conferences in line with statutory requirements, ensuring meetings are well-managed, child-focused and outcome-driven.
• Ensure that children, young people and families are enabled to participate meaningfully in conferences, and that the child's voice and lived experience are central to all decision making.
• Analyse risk, protective factors and professional assessments to support clear, evidence-based decisions regarding child protection planning.
• Maintain professional independence, providing appropriate challenge to practitioners and managers where practice, analysis or progress is insufficient.
• Identify and address any drift, delay, or risk in the child protection process from the point of S47 through to safety planning and child protection planning
• Promote effective multi-agency working, ensuring partner agencies contribute appropriately and are held accountable for their responsibilities within child protection plans.
• Contribute to quality assurance activity, audits, reviews and reflective learning to support continuous improvement in safeguarding practice.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, statutory guidance and best practice relating to child protection and safeguarding, applying this consistently in the role., Sefton Council strives to ensure that our workforce is inclusive and representative of our communities. A diverse workforce is important to us, our staff bring with them a wide range of experiences, views, ideas, and innovations, and we are committed to providing an environment that recognises, respects, and values everybody's identity, where individual differences are strengths and where everyone can thrive and maximise their potential. We are always open to learning and growing as an organisation, and we welcome new ideas and initiatives that promote equality, diversity and inclusion.
We are an Equal Opportunities Employer; all candidates will receive equal treatment. Our decision to appoint will be based upon whether an individual's skills, experience, qualifications, and abilities make them the most suitable candidate for the role. GUARANTEED INTERVIEW SCHEME Please note that all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for these jobs (as given in the Person Specification) and who want to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme will be invited to interview. If you are currently in care or have previously been in care, we provide a guaranteed interview scheme for care experienced people if you meet the essential requirements for the role. Consider registering for Sefton@work If you're an unemployed Sefton resident, register with our Sefton@Work service for free support to help you into employment. You may be eligible for extra assistance such as funding for travel, work clothing, or vouchers to make starting your new job easier. Call Sefton@Work on or visit to find out more and get started today!