Safeguarding guidance for early years settings

All Early Years providers should make every effort to attend case conferences / core group meetings and provide a comprehensive written report.

To support with this please access the additional document if needed:

Case conferences

Early years: your role, attending meetings and report writing

• Professionals should make every effort to attend case conference/ core group meetings, especially if you have direct contact and knowledge of the child and family.
• Be fully prepared for attendance at a range of meetings, including the following:
  • Strategy meetings
  • Case conference meetings
  • Core group meetings
  • Child in need meetings
• Consider any barriers to attendance and speak to the social worker and independent Chair to overcome these barriers. For example:
  • Ask if it is possible to attend via a Teams meeting, if unable to leave the setting
  • If the timing of the meeting impacts on lunch time cover, ask if this can be factored in when the next meeting is arranged
  • If, after making every effort to attend, this is still not possible, you should provide a comprehensive report. 

Writing reports for attendance at meetings

• Present the information using a professional template, which must be clear, concise, factual and backed up with evidence i.e. number of attendance opportunities against number of absences, how many existing injuries and any patterns noted.
• Do not use jargon or acronyms
• Provide as much detail as possible, including all the significant adults who drop off and pick up from the early years setting.
• Share the report with parents prior to any meeting, there should be no surprises.
• Exclude any sensitive information from the written report, for example any information from the police. Record sensitive information separately and discuss with the independent chair.
• If you have not seen the child/family since the last meeting still send in a report stating this.
• If unable to attend the meeting the report needs to be sent in plenty of time prior to the meeting. 

Sending the report

• The report must be sent securely
• Check the email address of the person who needs the report (usually conference Chair/social worker)
• Request a delivery and read receipt
• Follow up by phone call to ensure receipt of the report

During the meeting

• Include your professional opinion/judgement
• Listen to your gut instinct
• Listen to feedback from others (it’s ok if your gut is telling you something different to everyone else)
• Interpret the findings, ask more questions if needed
• Ensure you have a clear understanding of the concluding, closing summary of the meeting and understand your role and actions required moving forward