Section 47 Investigations

Course Outline:

This training will assist social workers to carry out their Section 47 role to best practice, in line with the relevant law, evidence and procedures. At all times they need to be alert to Best Practice within current policy and procedure.

Social workers who undertake Section 47 investigations may find their reports being scrutinised by managers, other agencies, the family court or within a child safeguarding partner review. It is essential, therefore, that social workers who conduct such investigations do so professionally throughout the whole process of fact finding, analysis and assessment and always strive to secure relevant, reliable and accurate evidence.

This training will consider all stages of the investigatory process and serves to illustrate the importance of reliability, credibility and weight of all of the information obtained.

The training will also illustrate how important it is to distinguish between facts and inferences/assumptions and how first-hand evidence/information will always be the most reliable. The child’s voice must be heard and their wishes, feelings and needs ascertained alongside the views, wishes and feelings of siblings, parents and other family members.

All Section 47 investigations must take place within the legal framework set out in the Children Act 1989 and in accordance with the Human Rights Act 1998.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the relevant law
• Recognise roles and responsibilities whilst undertaking section 47 enquiries
• Understand the role of s20 and emergency measures in potential outcomes
• Implement the guidance for both social care and medical assessments
• Recognise different types of evidence
• Collect and present reliable and credible evidence
• Present evidence to best practice standards
• Accurately present the child's voice, having followed best practice in interviewing children — in accordance with ABE principles
• Distinguish between fact, inference and opinion