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3. INITIAL CASE REVIEW
23. An Initial Case Review ( ICR) is a process carried out by the Child Protection Committee ( CPC) after receiving a report of a possible significant case.
Stage 1 - Notification
24. Where a case arises which appears to meet the criteria set out in Section 2, the Reporting Officer must notify the CPC using the Initial Case Review ( ICR) Report template (see Annex 2). The Reporting Officer should notify the CPC within 1 working day of identifying the case, where this is feasible. It is understood that sometimes it may not be appreciated immediately that the case is significant.
25. The Reporting Officer should, at the same time, notify all other agencies or persons known to be involved with the child of their report to the CPC using the template at Annex 2. All these agencies or persons should submit their own report(s) to the CPC within 10 working days, also using the ICR Report template (see Annex 2).
26. If the Reporting Officer or agencies cannot reasonably complete the ICR Report for the CPC within the suggested times, that should not detract from agencies taking whatever urgent action is required to protect any other children who may be at risk.
Stage 2 - Gathering Further Information, if Required
27. The CPC will consider whether the information is sufficient to reach a decision on the need for an SCR or whether further information is required before a measured decision can be taken. In order to decide whether more information is necessary, the CPC may find that preparing a co-ordinated chronology brings out the need for such information.
28. If the CPC decides that more information is necessary, it will stipulate what this is, and will decide which agencies must provide it. This information should be provided within 20 working days, where this is feasible.
Stage 3 - Taking a Decision on Whether or Not to Proceed to a Significant Case Review ( SCR)
29. An SCR should only be undertaken when the criteria in Section 2 are met. If the ICR leads to the conclusion that an SCR is warranted, the CPC must initiate the SCR process as soon as possible.
30. In cases where it is contested within the CPC as to whether or not to progress to an SCR, the final decision rests with the CPC Chair.
31. In the case of a decision to proceed to an SCR, it is the responsibility of the CPC to advise the child and/or family/carers of the CPC's intentions.
A Note on Timescales
32. The assumption throughout this guidance is that the CPC should proceed as speedily as feasible at all stages of an ICR and SCR, and that agencies should proceed likewise. It is recognised that the complexity or circumstances of certain cases may result in the preferred timescales not being met. Where any of these deadlines have to be extended, for example in circumstances where other proceedings intervene, this should be recorded and a new deadline agreed by the CPC for appropriate follow up.
33. For every case, the CPC should agree a deadline for when reports should be produced in the light of the circumstances and context of that particular case.
Conducting an ICR
34. The ICR should deal with the following matters:
- A brief description of the case and the basis for referral;
- A co-ordinated chronology of events;
- A note of agency/professional involvement;
- A statement about the current position of the child, and if they are alive what actions have been or will be taken on their behalf;
- Any other formal proceedings underway;
- Any elements of poor practice;
- Any elements of good practice;
- Any particular sensitivities (e.g. from the PF or Police about cases where there are likely to be disciplinary proceedings);
- Lead contacts for each agency; and
- The CPC's decision as to whether or not to proceed to an SCR, with reasons.
Record Keeping on ICRs
35. An ICR should lead to a written record of the items considered in paragraph 34.
36. Each CPC should maintain a register of all potentially significant cases referred to it in order to:
- Evidence the decisions made;
- Monitor the progress of the reviews undertaken;
- Monitor and review the implementation of recommendations; and
- Identify contextual trends (e.g. prevalence of substance misuse).
37. The ICR may lead to a number of outcomes:
- No further review;
- No further review needed but follow-up action desirable;
- Initiation of local action to rectify an immediate issue; or
- An SCR, and the CPC to decide on which kind of SCR to commission.
38. In every case, the CPC should notify the Chief Officers Group of the outcome, by means of the written record described in para 35.
39. Other relevant interested parties should also be advised of the outcome of the ICR using the template at Annex 3.
An Operational Protocol for Managing ICRs
40. CPCs should develop a local operating protocol for handling ICRs to underpin this guidance. It should include who from the CPC structure has delegated authority to accept the initial notification and/or instruct any further information-gathering and/or make a decision on whether to proceed to an SCR. Each local ICR operating protocol should be agreed with the CPC's Chief Officers' Group. It should firmly reflect the national principles set out in this guidance but retain sufficient flexibility to suit local structures.
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