Meetings

PREpare meetings are called this because they are about Partnerships, Relationships and your Empowerment.

They are a special type of meeting to help you and your family talk openly about your worries and what is working well in a space where you may feel more comfortable. They are much less formal.

We offer PREpare meetings because we understand that most of our meetings are quite formal and have a lot of professional people there. This can mean families find these very stressful, and it can make it hard to get your points across and feel confident to say what you think. A PREpare meeting can help you get ready for bigger meetings and be clearer on what you want to happen.

Before the meeting

• One of our PREpare staff will get in touch and help you decide who you want to attend your meeting. They are called a facilitator, and it is their job to organise the meeting and take notes so we can remember and share what you said
• Together, we’ll make a plan about the best way to involve children in the meeting and to make sure that their views can be heard
• We will arrange a meeting that is somewhere easy for you to get to, is comfy and feels safe, and is at a time that suits everybody
• We aim to only have your PREpare facilitator, your social worker and review officers, unless YOU decide that you want others to attend

At the meeting

• We start with a cuppie and a biscuit! It is important that everyone feels welcome and relaxed as they can
• Everyone will talk about what is going well and also what their worries are
• Your social worker will talk about the plans in place right now and how we hope to help you and your family
• We then talk about what needs to change to keep your children safe and improve your situation
• We make sure your views, and the views of your children are heard so that everyone involved is clear on what you and your family think

After the meeting

• The PREpare facilitator will write up what happened at the meeting. You will get a copy of that record
• A summary of what happened goes to all the professionals involved with you and your family and it will be used to help them understand what you and your family want at other meetings such as your Child Protection Planning Meeting

If we think you and your family need some support to make things better, we may decide to hold a Child’s Planning Meeting. At this meeting we will talk about what is going well for you and your family and what support you need for the things that are not going as well.

You should know what is going to be said – there should be no surprises. Your social worker will talk to you about the meeting before and answer any questions you may have.

How your meeting takes place

We know it can be difficult to hear professionals talk about you and your family so we want to make sure your meeting takes place somewhere safe and comfortable. Your social worker will talk to you and your family about how you would like your meeting to take place and we will try our best to make this happen unless there is a good reason not to (we wouldn’t have your meeting somewhere public because we wouldn’t want everyone to hear what is being said). For example, your meeting can be;

• in a social work building
• at your school
• online
• hybrid (some people online and some together face to face)

Who comes?

Your social worker or family support worker will explain who will come to your meeting. Usually this would be you, your parents and any professional involved in supporting you and your family or who has important information to share. 

Sometimes your parents cannot join the same meetings and that’s okay, we’ll work out with them the best way for them to both be involved and hear the information shared in the meeting.

You will be asked what you and your family think about the help you are getting from the workers around you. It’s important we know what you think, so we can make sure the help is right for you. Your social worker will tell you all the different ways you can share your views at your meeting.

Before your meeting

• Your social worker will make sure that you know who has been invited.
• You can chose how you would like your meeting to take place.
• Your will know what your social worker will say at the meeting; sometimes your social worker will write a report or if the meeting has to happen quickly they will talk about your family, what is happening and what help you need.
• You can let your social worker know if you would like someone you know and trust to support you.
• Your social worker will offer you an advocate who can help you to share what you think is going well, what is not going so well and what you would like to happen.

During your meeting

• You will be introduced to everyone.
• The reasons for the meeting will be explained.
• You will have an opportunity to share your views.
• Professionals will talk about your family, what is happening and what help you need.
• You will know what your family and professionals will do to help and this will be put together by everyone there and called your Child’s Plan.

After the meeting

• You will get a letter to explain what happened at your meeting called a My Plan letter.
• Adults who attended your meeting will get a copy of the meeting minute (a written version of what was said in your meting) and a copy of your Child’s Plan; if you would like a copy just ask your review officer.
• Your Child’s Plan will be looked at your next Child’s Planning Meeting to make sure that it is working and make any changes needed.

There are different Child’s Planning Meetings depending on the legal order which is in place for your child;

No Legal Order (section 22)

If you live at home with parents and you are not on a legal order through the Children’s Hearing, the meeting may be chaired (led) by your social worker, team leader or a senior practitioner.

Your social worker will let you and your family know how often these meetings will take place.

Legal Order in place or/and you do not live with parents

72 Hour Meeting; Within 72 hours of you living somewhere else (with other family members/friends/foster family or residential care) if your move was not planned. This will be chaired by the social work team involved with your family.

After the 72 Hour meeting your Child’s Planning Meeting’s will be chaired by a Review Officer.

These meetings will happen;

• First meeting: within 3 weeks of you moving somewhere else or from when your hearing order was made.
• Second meeting: 3 months later.
• Third meeting: 3 months from this (around 6 months from when you moved from your family or your hearing order began)
• Then every 3 to 6 months unless there is a change to your legal order.

Meetings can happen more often if needed.

This meeting is to talk about significant risks of harm for children and young people.

It is chaired by a review officer and professionals involved decide if a child’s name is “placed on the child protection register”. For this to happen professionals at the meeting must think that the child is at “significant risk of harm from abuse or neglect”.

Who comes?

Your social worker or family support worker will explain who will come to your meeting. Usually this would be you, your parents and any professional involved in supporting you and your family or who has important information to share.

Police are always invited to Child Protection planning Meetings and will share information about your family or any concerns that might affect your family.

Sometimes your parents cannot join the same meetings and that’s okay, we’ll work out with them the best way for them to both be involved and hear the information shared in the meeting.

You will be asked what you and your family think about the help you are getting from the workers around you. It’s important we know what you think, so we can make sure the help is right for you. Your social worker will tell you all the different ways you can share your views at your meeting.

Before your meeting

• Your social worker will make sure that you know who has been invited.
• Your social worker will ask you how you would like your meeting to take place and we will do it this way unless we have a good reason not to.
• Your will know what your social worker will say at the meeting and your family will see your social worker’s report.
• You can let your social worker know if you would like someone you know and trust to support you.
• Your social worker will offer you an advocate who can help you to share what you think is going well, what is not going so well and what you would like to happen.

During your meeting

• You will be introduced to everyone.
• The reasons for the meeting will be explained.
• You will have an opportunity to share your views.
• Professionals will talk about your family, what is happening and what help you need.
• Professionals will say whether they think your name should be placed on the Child Protection Register.
• If you have not been referred to the Children’s Reporter, professionals will decide if they think this is needed.  
• You will know what your family and professionals will do to help and this will be put together by everyone there and called your Child Protection Plan (if your name is on the Child Protection Register) or a Child’s Plan if you need extra help from social work but your name has not been placed on the Child Protection Register.

After the meeting

• You will get a letter to explain what happened at your meeting called a My Plan letter. This will tell you how to contact your review officer.
• Adults who attended your meeting will get a copy of the meeting minute (a written version of what was said in your meting) and a copy of your Child Protection Plan or Child’s Plan; if you would like a copy, just ask your review officer.
• Your Plan will be looked at your next meeting to make sure that it is working and make any changes needed.
• As part of your Child Protection Plan a Core Group will be formed. The Core Group will involve your family and everyone working directly with your family. They will have the first Core Group Meeting within 10 days of your Child Protection Planning Meeting and then get together regularly until your next Child Protection Planning Meeting.

If your name was placed on the Child Protection Register, another Child Protection Planning Meeting will happen just before 6 months. Sometimes an early meeting will happen at around 3 months if things are going really well for your family and workers think that your name should be removed from the Child Protection Register.

This is a multiagency meeting for young people aged between 12 and 17 where there are concerns about serious risk of harm to themselves or to others. This may include alleged Harmful Sexual Behaviour, alleged Violent Behaviour and other serious risk-taking behaviours which may include serious incidents of self-harm, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, exploitation, fire-raising and stalking.

Where we think a young person may met the criteria to be supported under CARM a safety plan will be put in place until we hold a CARM meeting. The safety plan may cover current living arrangements, changes to education, employment or training placements where necessary, support the young person and their family to keep themselves and others safe in the community, which can include the use of social media. We may ask to see you and your family more often. We will consider if a referral to the Children’s Reporter is needed.

We have worked with young people and their families to provide you with some more information which you may find useful to know: CARM information card (PDF)

If it is agreed at the CARM meeting a young person meets the criteria for CARM the professionals will work with the young person and their family to agree a CARM Plan which will offer care for the young person, whilst focussing on reducing the risk of harm they pose towards themselves and/or others. This may be the same or have similar tasks as agreed in the initial safety plan or may include direct work with the young person to look at their harmful behaviours.

This work may be called a Start – AV assessment, or an AIMS 3 Assessment. You can ask your social worker for more information about these and why we think they are suitable. The CARM plan may also include direct work with parents, or any other children within the family to help reduce the risk of serious harm displayed by the young person. 

All plans will be shared with the young person, their parents (up until 16 years old and thereafter where permission is given by the young person) and all other professionals involved in keeping the young person and the community safe.

This meeting is a ‘mini meeting’ of the Child Protection Planning Meeting or the CARM. 

This meeting would happen every four to six weeks.

During it we will look over what has been happening for you and your family and make changes to the plan if needed.

For information about the children's hearings system, visit Children's Hearings Scotland.

This meeting is to talk about significant risks of harm for babies who are not born yet.

It is chaired by a review officer and professionals involved decide if your unborn baby’s name is “placed on the child protection register”. For this to happen professionals at the meeting must think that the child is at “significant risk of harm from abuse or neglect”.

Who comes?

Your baby’s social worker or family support worker will explain who will come to your baby’s meeting. Usually this would be both parents and any professional involved in supporting your family or who has important information to share.

Police are always invited to Child Protection planning Meetings and will share information about your family or any concerns that might affect your family.

Sometimes both parents cannot join the same meetings and we will work out the best way for both parents be involved and hear the information shared in the meeting.

You will be asked what you think about the help you are getting from the workers around you. It’s important we know what you think, so we can make sure the help is right for you. Your social worker will tell you all the different ways you can share your views at your meeting.

Before your meeting

• Your social worker will make sure that you know who has been invited.
• Your social worker will ask you how you would like your meeting to take place and we will do it this way unless we have a good reason not to.
• Your will know what your social worker will say at the meeting and your family will see your social worker’s report.
• You can let your social worker know if you would like someone you know and trust to support you.
• Your social worker will offer you an advocate who can help you to share what you think is going well, what is not going so well and what you would like to happen.

During your meeting

• You will be introduced to everyone.
• The reasons for the meeting will be explained.
• You will have an opportunity to share your views.
• Professionals will talk about your family, what is happening and what help your baby needs.
• Professionals will say whether they think your baby’s name should be placed on the Child Protection Register.
• Professionals will decide if they think your baby should be referred to the Children’s Reporter once your baby is born. 
• You will know what your family and professionals will do to help and this will be put together by everyone there and called the Child Protection Plan (if your baby’s name is on the Child Protection Register) or a Child’s Plan if you need extra help from social work but your baby’s name has not been placed on the Child Protection Register.

After the meeting

• Everyone who attended the meeting will get a copy of the meeting minute (a written version of what was said in your meting) and a copy of the Child Protection Plan or Child’s Plan.
• Your Plan will be looked at your next meeting to make sure that it is working and make any changes needed.
• As part of your Child Protection Plan a Core Group will be formed. The Core Group will involve your family and everyone working directly with your family. They will have the first Core Group Meeting within 10 days of your Child Protection Planning Meeting and then get together regularly until your next Child Protection Planning Meeting.

If your baby’s name was placed on the Child Protection Register, another Child Protection Planning Meeting will happen just before 6 months. Sometimes an early meeting will happen at around 3 months if things are going really well for your family and workers think that your name should be removed from the Child Protection Register.