CYP Now - No Further Action: Contextualising Social Care Decisions for Children Victimised in Extra-Familial Settings

This paper presents findings from one component of a study to understand and advance child protection responses to youth violence and exploitation (YVE).

The paper asks whether it is social workers’ role to prevent and intervene in cases of abuse of children – or to work with families. Picture: Adobe Stock, posed by model

The paper focuses on the decision-making processes of social workers regarding the level of support or further investigation needed for young people experiencing extra-familial risk – whether these cases are progressed towards a statutory child protection investigation and plan or receive a “no further action” (NFA) decision in the form of step-down from statutory services. Understanding this is critical to advancing local responses and tracking impact.

Child protection responses to extra-familial risks

Despite recent additions to statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (2017) suggesting social workers have a role to safeguard children in extra-familial contexts, there are limited policy or practice frameworks that support this shift.

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