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2. CRITERIA FOR IDENTIFYING WHETHER A CASE IS SIGNIFICANT
A 'Significant' Case
15. A significant case need not comprise just one significant incident.
Criteria
16. Any of the circumstances below could suggest that a Significant Case Review ( SCR) may be required. An Initial Case Review ( ICR) should first determine whether an SCR is merited. The detail and level of review will depend on the individual case and circumstances. A review should not be escalated beyond what is proportionate taking account of the severity and complexity of the case.
17. What is provided in this section is a guide for helping CPCs, professionals, and all agencies make judgements about the way forward. The list should not be seen to exclude cases that may not precisely fit the criteria but which have nevertheless clearly triggered significant professional concern. These cases should be left to professional judgement and a CPC decision on how to proceed.
18. When a child dies and :
- Abuse or neglect is known or suspected to be a factor in the child's death;
- The child is on, or has been on, the Child Protection Register ( CPR) or a sibling is or was on the CPR. This is regardless of whether or not abuse or neglect is known or suspected to be a factor in the child's death unless it is absolutely clear to the Child Protection Committee that the child having been on the CPR has no bearing on the case;
- The death is by suicide or accidental death;
- The death is by alleged murder, culpable homicide, reckless conduct, or act of violence 5;
- The child was looked after by the local authority 6;
and , in addition to this, the incident or accumulation of incidents (a case) gives rise to serious concerns about professional and/or service involvement or lack of involvement.
19. When a child has not died but has sustained significant harm or risk of significant harm, under one or more of the categories of abuse and neglect set out in Protecting Children - A Shared Responsibility: Guidance for Inter-Agency Co-operation. Bear in mind that cumulative inaction or wrong action may be more difficult to evidence but nevertheless should be considered to the best extent possible,
and , in addition to this, the incident or accumulation of incidents (a case) gives rise to serious concerns about professional and/or service involvement or lack of involvement.
20. It is expected that CPCs would consider any request made to them for a review, even if the case had been considered at the Initial Case Review to require no further action (see Sections 3 and 4).
21. It would also be expected that any concerns raised by families and similar interested parties would be addressed through the normal complaints procedures for each agency involved.
Definition of a Child
22. For the purpose of this document a child is a person under the age of 18.
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