12.12 Discontinuing a child protection plan

The decision to discontinue a child protection plan will normally be made by a Review conference. A child may no longer need a child protection plan if:

• the review conference judges that the child is no longer likely to suffer significant harm and no longer requires safeguarding by means of a child protection plan
• the child has moved permanently to another local authority and a Transfer-in conference has taken place and, where appropriate, local authority children’s social care in the new area has confirmed responsibility for case management in writing)
• the child has reached 18 years of age (to end the child protection plan, the local authority should have a review around the child's birthday and this should be planned in advance)
• the child has been judged to have permanently left the UK (unless there are specific concerns that require the plan to continue)
• the child is no longer deemed at risk of significant harm due to becoming a Looked After Child (this decision could be made at a Review Conference or via formal correspondence with conference members (e.g. letter) dependant on local process)
• the child has died.

It is permissible for the local authority child protection manager to agree the discontinuing of a child protection plan without the need to convene a child protection review conference if one of these criteria has been met AND they have consulted with all relevant agencies present at the conference that first concluded that a child protection plan was required. The decision to discontinue the child protection plan must then be clearly recorded in the local authority children's social care child's record.

When a child protection plan is discontinued notification should be sent to all the agencies represented or who were invited to the initial child protection conference that led to the plan.

The discontinuation of the child protection plan does not necessarily mean that the family is no longer in need of services and/or support. When a decision is made to discontinue a child protection plan arrangements should always be in place to consider with the family what further help and support might be offered through a child in need/family support plan.