Section 47 Enquiries
Scope of this chapter
Where a Section 47 Enquiry is carried out, it should also be read in conjunction with the Local Safeguarding Children Partnership Procedures.
Related guidance
- Underlying Principles and Values (Greater Manchester Safeguarding Children Procedures)
- Agency Roles and Responsibilities Procedure (Greater Manchester Safeguarding Children Procedures)
- Section 47 Enquiries Procedure (Greater Manchester Safeguarding Children Procedures)
- Cross-border Child Protection Cases: The 1996 Hague Convention
Amendment
In November 2023, minor amendments were made in line with local practice.
This section should be read in conjunction with Local Safeguarding Partnership Procedures and the Greater Manchester Safeguarding Children Procedures:
- Agency Roles and Responsibilities Procedure;
- Information Sharing and Confidentiality Procedure;
- Part 3, Managing Cases where there are Concerns about a Child's Safety and Welfare - Procedures;
- Part 4, Children in Specific Circumstances.
The objective of the Section 47 Enquiry is to determine whether action is required to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child. The decision to initiate a Section 47 Enquiry will be taken by the team manager after a Strategy Discussion/Meeting and where such a decision is made the Section 47 Enquiry must be completed within 15 working days.
The social worker, when conducting a Section 47 Enquiry, must assess the potential needs and safety of any other child in the household of the child in question. In addition, Section 47 Enquiries may be required concerning any children in other households with whom the alleged abuser may have contact.
The child must always be seen and communicated with alone in the course of a Section 47 Enquiry by the Lead Social Worker, unless it is contrary to his or her interests to do so. The Strategy Discussion/Meeting will plan any interview with the child. The Record of Section 47 Enquiry and Reports to Child Protection Conferences should include the date(s) when the child was seen alone by the Lead Social Worker and, if not seen alone, who was present and the reasons for their presence.
Before a child is seen or interviewed parental permission must be gained unless there are exceptional circumstances that demonstrate that it would not be in the child’s interests and to do so may jeopardise the child's safety and welfare. Relevant exceptional circumstances would include:
- The possibility that a child would be threatened or otherwise coerced into silence;
- A strong likelihood that important evidence would be destroyed; or
- That the child in question did not wish the parent to be involved at that stage, and is competent to take that decision.
In such circumstances, the social worker must take legal advice about how to proceed and whether legal action may be required, for example through an application for an Emergency Protection Order or a Child Assessment Order.
The outcome of a Section 47 Enquiry must be endorsed by the team manager.
A Section 47 Enquiry may conclude that concerns were unsubstantiated, concerns were substantiated but the child is not judged to be at continuing risk of suffering Significant Harm, or the concerns are substantiated and the child is judged to be at continuing risk of suffering Significant Harm.
- No Further Action
Enquiries have revealed that there are no causes for concern. The child may be a Child in Need but the family do not wish for services to be provided, in which case the case will be closed; - Family Support to be provided
Enquiries have revealed that there are no causes for concern but that there are needs that could be met by the short term provision of services either under section 17 of the Children Act 1989 or by signposting the family to another agency. The family are willing for a short-term package of support to be provided, or continue to be provided.
- Enquiries have confirmed that the child suffered Significant Harm, but it has been agreed between the agencies most involved and the child and their family that a plan for safeguarding the child’s future safety and welfare can be developed and implemented without having an Initial Child Protection Conference or a Child Protection Plan. This decision must be endorsed by a suitably experienced and qualified social work manager.
- Enquiries have revealed that the child may continue to suffer or to be at risk of suffering Significant Harm;
An Initial Child Protection Conference must be considered at the Strategy Discussion/Meeting where the decision to initiate a Section 47 Enquiry was made. The request to convene the conference must be supported by a team manager. For the detailed procedure in relation to Child Protection Conferences, see the Local Safeguarding Children Partnership Procedures; - Where immediate protective action is required, the advice of Legal Services should be sought;
- The C&F Assessment should be completed within 45 working days of the commencement of the Section 47 Enquiry;
- Consideration should be given by the date of the Initial Child Protection Conference where one is convened to whether the Assessment had been completed or what further work is required before it is completed.
The social worker should record the C&F Assessment on a C&F Assessment Record.
The completed Assessment must be approved by the Team Manager.
The child (depending on age and understanding) and parent should be given a copy of the record.
The C&F Assessment is deemed completed once the assessment has been discussed with the child and family and authorised by the manager.
Where a Section 47 Enquiry is conducted (see Section 1, Conducting Section 47 Enquiries), the social worker should record their actions/information gathered during the course of the enquiry and its outcomes on a Record of Section 47 Enquiries, which should be approved by the team manager.
Last Updated: December 12, 2023
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