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Children at risk of significant harm
Some children are physically, sexually or emotionally abused.
There are others who suffer neglect, which can lead to long-term
difficulties through into their adult lives.
Medway Council has a duty under the Children's Act 1989
(www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/41/contents)
to investigate all situations where there is reasonable cause to
suspect that a child is suffering or is likely to suffer harm, so
that it can decide what action, if any, it needs to take to protect
the child or promote their welfare. It may be that the situation is
not thought to be serious enough to need the use of formal
procedures and that by providing help and support the child can be
protected.
Social workers will work with other professionals carrying out
any investigation if it is necessary. The aim is always to try to
keep the child within their own family and the council will try to
work with the parents and sometimes the extended family, to draw up
a plan to keep the family together.
In some cases this may not be possible and the children may be
accommodated by the council at the parents’ request. Children can
only be removed against the wishes of their parents by a court
decision, after considering the views of the children and their
parents or very occasionally by the police using their emergency
police protection powers.
If you have a concern about a child, please go to
the child protection page.
Child protection enquiries and investigations: Information
for parents, an information leaflet for parents whose children
are subject to child protection concerns, is available on the
Medway Safeguarding Children Board (MSCB) website (www.mscb.org.uk/Files/Publication/).
For more information about safeguarding children, visit the MSCB
website (www.mscb.org.uk/).
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