What is an Initial Child Protection Conference (ICPC)?

An Initial Child Protection Conference usually happens within 15 days. It’s a chance for everyone involved in your child’s life—or the children you care for—to come together and share their views.

This could include teachers, doctors, the police, your child’s social worker, and their manager. You can bring someone with you for support, like a family member or an independent advocate who works for a separate organisation.

At the meeting, everyone gets to share their thoughts about what’s going well, what risks there might be, and what your child and family need. The meeting is led by an Independent Conference Chair, whose job is to make sure everyone is heard and that the meeting stays focused on what’s best for your child.

At the end, the group will decide if your child’s name should be added to the Child Protection Register. If it is, a Child Protection Plan will be created during the meeting.

What you think your child and family need to stay safe really matters and should be part of the plan. If you think you need any extra support to help make changes, this is a good time to say so. And if anything in the plan doesn’t make sense or feels hard to follow, please raise it during the meeting.

We understand these meetings can feel worrying, which is why you can have an advocate with you for support.