torquay social services policy... ppo

Police Protection

Policy statement

Children’s services policy is to work with the police in a co-ordinated and timely manner.

Policy status

• The Children Act 1989

Key Points

1. Whenever a police officer has reasonable cause to believe that a child would be at risk of significant harm unless action is taken immediately they may, with the agreement of an officer of inspector rank or above:
   • remove the child from the situation and take them to a place of safety
   • take action to prevent the child’s removal from a place where they are safe.
2. This should only be used in situations of dire emergency and when it is not appropriate to apply to court.
3. There should be liaison between children’s services, our legal team & the police to determine whether to take the child into police protection, or apply for an emergency protection order.
4. When a police officer has taken such action the child is deemed to be in police protection. No legal order is necessary.
5. The child may be in police protection for no longer than 72 hours.
6. The responsibilities of the police officer taking the child into police protection include:
   • notifying the police ‘designated officer’
   • informing the local authority children’s services department
   • informing the child (depending on capacity to understand) of the steps taken and the reasons for them, and attempting to discover the wishes and feelings of the child
   • taking whatever steps are reasonably practicable to inform the child’s parents, anyone else with parental responsibility and anyone the child was living with immediately prior to being taken into police protection.
7. The responsibilities of the designated officer include inquiring into the case and releasing the child from police protection unless they feel the risk of significant harm continues.
8. There are occasions when it is appropriate for children’s services to contact the police and request that the child be taken into police protection.
9. When a child is placed in police protection the police do not acquire parental responsibility but the designated officer must do whatever is reasonable to promote the child’s welfare.
10. Where a child is placed in local authority accommodation while subject to police protection, the local authority must allow contactwith the following people providing it is considered both reasonable and in the child’s best interests:
    • the parents
    • anyone else with parental responsibility
    • anyone the child was living with prior to the police protection
    • anyone with an order allowing them contact with the child.
11. If the child is not in local authority accommodation then it is the role of the designated police officer to allow such contact.
12. When the local authority children’s services department is notified that a child has been placed in police protection they should undertake enquiries under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989 to determine whether an application for any order should be made or whether the parents would agree to children’s services accommodating the child if appropriate.

Standards

• The police notify children’s services ideally before (or as soon as possible after) a child has been taken into police protection.
• Liaison between the police and children’s services ensures that the child is placed somewhere suitable as soon as possible after being taken into police protection.
• The child is appropriately informed of the steps taken and reasons for them as soon as possible after being taken into police protection.
• The child’s wishes and feelings are ascertained as soon as possible.
• The child’s parents, anyone with parental responsibility, anyone the child was living with prior to police protection being taken out, should be notified that the child is in police protection.
• All steps and decisions are clearly recorded and placed on the child’s file including written evidence of police protection.

Police protection procedure

Task	Responsible Officer	Record	Timescale
Children’s services will be notified in the event of a child being taken into police protection.	Designated police officer	Copy of police protection form	Immediately
Work in partnership with the Police to identify a place of safety for the child. There should be exploration of family and friends options before considering local authority accommodation.	Social worker	PARIS	Immediately
If the child is placed with the local authority, they are a looked after child and these procedures should also be followed	Social worker	PARIS	Immediately
Undertake a s.47 investigation.	Social worker	PARIS	As per child protection procedures
Convene a legal gateway meeting to decide on appropriate legal action (which could include an emergency protection order or care order).	Social worker/Legal services	PARIS	Immediately
Notify police of outcome of the s.47 investigation and explain any further action to be taken by children’s services.	Service manager/social worker	PARIS