Strategy Discussion
Whenever there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer significant harm, there should be a strategy discussion involving LA children's social care and the police, and other bodies as appropriate (for example, children's centre/school and health), in particular any referring agency. The strategy discussion should be convened by LA children's social care and those participating should be sufficiently senior and able, therefore, to contribute to the discussion of available information and to make decisions on behalf of their agencies. If the child is a hospital patient (in- or out-patient) or receiving services from a child development team, the medical consultant responsible for the child's health care should be involved, as should the senior ward nurse if the child is an in-patient. Where a medical examination may be necessary or has taken place a senior doctor from those providing services should also be involved.