Core Groups in Child Protection: Making Them Work

What is a Core Group?

The core group is the multi-agency group responsible for developing and implementing the child protection plan. It consists of the key professionals and family members who will work together to achieve the plan's objectives and reduce risk to the child.

While the child protection conference makes the decision about the plan, the core group does the day-to-day work of making it happen.

Purpose of Core Groups

Core groups have several key functions:

• Develop the outline child protection plan into a detailed working document
• Implement the plan—ensuring actions are completed
• Monitor progress and adjust the plan as needed
• Assess whether risk is reducing or increasing
• Keep the child's needs at the centre
• Prepare for review conferences

Core Group Membership

The conference decides core group membership. It typically includes:

• Social worker: Leads and coordinates the group
• Parents/carers: Central to the group
• Child: If age-appropriate
• School representative: Usually the designated safeguarding lead
• Health representative: Health visitor, school nurse, or other relevant health professional
• Other key professionals: Anyone with significant involvement

Timescales

• First core group: Within 10 working days of the initial child protection conference
• Subsequent core groups: At least every 4-6 weeks (more frequently if needed)
• Before review conference: Always meet to prepare for the RCPC

The Social Worker's Role

As the lead professional, the social worker is responsible for:

• Chairing (or arranging chairing of) core group meetings
• Convening meetings at appropriate intervals
• Ensuring the child protection plan is developed and reviewed
• Coordinating actions between meetings
• Keeping records of meetings and decisions
• Ensuring family participation
• Escalating concerns if the plan isn't working

Running Effective Core Groups

Before the Meeting

• Send reminder with date, time, venue (or video link)
• Share the agenda in advance
• Prepare an update on progress since last meeting
• Think about what's working and what isn't
• Consider what needs to be discussed

During the Meeting

• Start by reviewing the child's current situation
• Go through each action from the plan—is it done? Is it helping?
• Hear from each professional about their involvement
• Involve parents in discussion—what's their view?
• Assess whether risk is reducing, stable, or increasing
• Agree new or amended actions with clear owners and timescales
• Set the next meeting date

After the Meeting

• Circulate notes promptly
• Follow up on actions
• Update case records
• Contact members who couldn't attend to update them

Developing the Child Protection Plan

The first core group should develop the outline plan from conference into a detailed working document. The plan should include:

• What needs to change: Clear outcomes to be achieved
• Actions: Specific steps to achieve change
• Who: Named person responsible for each action
• When: Timescale for completion
• How we'll know: Evidence that change is happening
• Contingency: What happens if things don't improve

SMART Objectives

Plan objectives should be:

• Specific: Clear about what needs to happen
• Measurable: How will we know when it's achieved?
• Achievable: Realistic given circumstances
• Relevant: Directly addresses the identified risks
• Time-bound: Clear timescale

Family Participation

Meaningful family participation is essential:

• Parents should attend all core groups unless there are exceptional reasons
• Meetings should be scheduled at times parents can attend
• Parents should contribute to developing and reviewing the plan
• Language should be accessible, not jargon-heavy
• Parents' views should be heard and considered
• Parents should receive copies of meeting notes

When Parents Don't Engage

If parents don't attend or engage:

• Explore reasons for non-attendance
• Consider practical barriers (timing, transport, childcare)
• Consider emotional barriers (intimidating, anxious, hostile)
• Try different approaches to engagement
• Record attempts to involve them
• Consider what non-engagement tells you about risk

Children's Participation

Children should be involved in core groups where appropriate:

• Older children may attend all or part of meetings
• Younger children's views should be represented
• Consider separate time with the child before or after
• Use age-appropriate methods to gather views
• Explain decisions to children in ways they understand

Monitoring Progress

Each core group should assess:

• Are actions being completed?
• Is the family engaging with the plan?
• What changes are we seeing?
• Is the child safer than before?
• What does the child say about how things are?
• Do we need to adjust the plan?
• Are there new concerns?

When Things Aren't Working

If the plan isn't achieving progress:

• Be honest about the lack of progress
• Analyse why—is it the plan or the implementation?
• Consider whether the plan needs to change
• Consider whether more intensive intervention is needed
• Use contingency planning
• Consider bringing forward the review conference
• Consider legal advice if harm continues

Recording Core Groups

Core group records should include:

• Date, attendees, apologies
• Review of child's current situation
• Progress on each action from the plan
• Assessment of risk (increasing/stable/decreasing)
• New or amended actions agreed
• Views of family members
• Date of next meeting

Common Challenges

Poor Attendance

• Schedule meetings well in advance
• Consider different timings or locations
• Use video conferencing for those who can't attend in person
• Escalate persistent non-attendance to managers

Meetings Becoming "Tick-Box"

• Focus on outcomes for the child, not just completing actions
• Ask "Is the child safer?" at every meeting
• Challenge if things aren't progressing
• Keep the child's experience central

Conflict Between Professionals

• Focus on shared goal of protecting the child
• Hear all perspectives
• Agree a way forward
• Escalate unresolved disagreements appropriately

Conclusion

Core groups are where the child protection plan becomes reality. They require skilled chairing, consistent attendance, meaningful family participation, and a relentless focus on whether the child is becoming safer. When they work well, they are a powerful mechanism for coordinating multi-agency work and driving change. When they become routine or poorly attended, they fail children.

As the lead professional, investing in effective core groups is one of the most important things you can do to protect children on child protection plans.