Resolution of Professional Differences including Escalations
Effective partnership working is key to keeping children and young people safe from harm. The Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership celebrates the outstanding safeguarding work completed by practitioners across services and encourages constructive challenge as part of our culture of learning and partnership working.
The first part of this procedure sets out how professionals can recognise good practice undertaken by their multi-agency colleagues.
The second part of this procedure sets out the expectations and pathways for managing differences of professional opinions in the child/young person’s best interest. Its focus is on resolution, rather than investigation or adjudication.
The procedure can be used between any agencies working to safeguard children and young people within Hertfordshire. It promotes emergency action when needed but allows time for reflection and opportunities for discussion and review in non-urgent situations.
It can be used in relation to specific concerns about individual children/young people/families or in relation to thematic issues. It may relate to where one or more professionals are concerned about a decision that has been made, the progress of agreed plans, resource, or capacity issues.
Agencies will need to consider how they track resolution activity so they can be assured that issues have been resolved.
Working together to safeguard children - GOV.UK states:
“Safeguarding partners and relevant agencies must act in accordance with the arrangements for their area and will be expected to understand each other’s differences of views and resolve such differences locally. Lead Safeguarding Partners should therefore agree a system to resolve disputes and issues between partners within multi-agency safeguarding arrangements.” (Page 42, Para 110.)
Children's Social Care National Framework 2023 highlights:
“All organisations, including safeguarding partners and relevant agencies, should use the National Framework to:
- raise aspirations for what high-quality support and practice with children, young people and families can achieve;
- establish a shared approach and strong relationships across agencies, so everyone can engage constructively in delivering effective support to children, young people and families;
- embed voices of children, young people and families in the design and delivery of services and support;
- determine the right support, challenge, and accountability across agencies so that everyone can work towards the goal of seeing families thrive, and understand the impact of their services in helping to deliver that ambition. (Page 16).
This procedure should not be used where there are concerns about a professional’s suitability to work with children/young people and these concerns should be notified to the Local Authority’s Designated Officer (LADO).
Importance of Professional Curiosity
Professional curiosity is the capacity and communication skill to explore and understand what is happening with a child, adult, or family. It involves enquiring more deeply and using proactive questioning and challenge. Exercising professional curiosity is crucial in seeking resolution to professional differences as it ensures that practitioners do not make assumptions or take things at face value. Instead, they actively seek to understand the underlying issues and dynamics at play.
Barriers to professional curiosity include disguised compliance, the ‘rule of optimism,’ normalisation, confirmation bias, and professional deference. Overcoming these barriers requires practitioners to be alert to risks, aware of assumptions, and confident in managing tension and uncertainty.
Supporting professionally curious practice involves:
- Playing ‘devil’s advocate’ and asking ‘what if?’ questions to challenge and support practitioners;
- Presenting alternative hypotheses and providing opportunities for group supervision to stimulate debate and curious questioning;
- Encouraging practitioners to review records, check facts, and engage fully with the people they are working with;
- Monitoring workloads and supporting practitioners to manage stress and pressure.
Developing curiosity skills includes being flexible, open-minded, and not taking things at face value. Practitioners should actively seek full engagement, take responsibility for their safeguarding role, and use their communication skills to explore case history and gather information from various sources.
It is important to recognise and celebrate the great work that is achieved by multi-agency professionals working with our children, young people, and families. This may include using Good Practice Bulletins based on compliments received, using the Partnership’s website, newsletters, etc., to recognise and celebrate good practice.
If you would like to raise a compliment with the HSCP please send to AdminHSCPHSAB@hertfordshire.gov.uk
There is a clear expectation that any differences of opinion are resolved, in a timely manner, at professional level through discussion, exploration, and negotiation. If resolution cannot be achieved within a timescale that is acceptable based on the risk to the child/young person then this should be raised with a line manager.
Following the discussion with their professional, the line manager will need to decide if the matter requires further resolution. If this is required, the line manager will discuss and seek to resolve the matter with the line manager or equivalent of the other agency.
The discussion and resolution (if agreed) should be recorded by the managers in the relevant case records, where it is appropriate to do so. If the matter relates to a thematic/systemic issue, then it may not be appropriate/applicable to record this on the child/young person’s record. Please consult your line manager if you are unsure.
The matter should be resolved, wherever possible, within three working days of being brought to their attention, or sooner if urgent and must be in line with the timescales for the child.
Where the resolution is not agreed at Stage 1, the first-tier manager should raise the matter to the relevant second tier manager (for example a Service Manager).
The second-tier manager should review the information and engage their practitioner and first tier manager to gain a clear picture of the matter.
If agreed by the second-tier manager, they should raise the matter with their equivalent in the other agency.
The discussion and resolution (if agreed) should be recorded by the second-tier managers in the relevant child/young person’s record where it is appropriate to do so. If the matter relates to a thematic/systemic issue, then it may not be appropriate/applicable to record this on the child/young person’s record. Please consult your line manager if you are unsure.
The matter should be resolved, wherever possible, within six working days of the original matter being raised or sooner if urgent and must be in line with the timescales for the child/young person.
If unresolved at Stage 2 please raise with the relevant third tier manager. They may need to involve practitioners and managers to ensure clear understanding of the issues and concerns. It is the responsibility of individual agencies to identify the appropriate manager.
If agreed by the third-tier manager, they should raise the matter with their equivalent in the other agency.
The discussion and resolution (if agreed) should be recorded by the third-tier managers in the relevant child/young person’s record where it is appropriate to do so. If the matter relates to a thematic/systemic issue, then it may not be appropriate/applicable to record this on the child/young person’s record.
The matter should be resolved, wherever possible, within ten working days of the original matter being raised, or sooner if urgent and must be in line with the timescales for the child/young person
HSCP must be sent an email at Stage 3 detailing the complaint and subsequent outcome to AdminHSCPHSAB@hertfordshire.gov.uk The manager initiating the Stage 3 resolution is responsible for making this notification.
It is not the role of the Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership to resolve the issues; they should be notified of these so they can track any practice or systemic issues. It is a statutory requirement for the Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership to report to HSCP Executive on any escalations raised and discussed across the Partnership.
Agencies will need to consider how they track resolution activity so they can be assured that issues have been resolved.
In the unlikely event that the issue is not resolved then the third-tier manager will need to raise this to the relevant senior director of their agency. The senior director may then wish to raise this with their equivalent in the other agency.
Stage Four must be completed within 12 working days of the original matter being raised or sooner if urgent. Details should be recorded on the relevant case files, where it is appropriate to do so. If the matter relates to a thematic/systemic issue, then it may not be appropriate/applicable to record this on the child/young person’s file.
HSCP must be copied into emails at Stage 4 Complaint via this email AdminHSCPHSAB@hertfordshire.gov.uk The Stage 4 escalation lead for each agency is responsible for making this notification.
Agency refers to any partner in Hertfordshire including statutory, voluntary and faith group.
See: Escalation of Concerns and Professional Disagreements Abuse Decisions Flowchart in Document.
Specific Guidance for Schools/Education
Schools and educational institutions play a critical role in safeguarding children and young people. It is essential that they adhere to the established resolution process to ensure timely and effective resolution of professional differences. Schools should follow the outlined stages and avoid escalating issues directly to the Director without first attempting resolution at the appropriate levels.
- Professional Curiosity in Schools: Schools should exercise professional curiosity by exploring and understanding the underlying issues in any professional differences. This involves proactive questioning, challenging assumptions, and seeking a comprehensive understanding of the situation.
- Adherence to Stages: Schools must follow the standard resolution stages (Stage 1 to Stage 4) and engage with the appropriate managers at each level. Direct escalation to the Director should only occur if the issue remains unresolved after following the established process.
- Training and Awareness: Schools should ensure that all staff are trained in the importance of professional curiosity and the resolution process. Regular training sessions and briefings can help reinforce the importance of following the policy and the role of professional curiosity in safeguarding.
- Documentation and Accountability: Schools should document all discussions, resolutions, and escalations in the relevant case records. This ensures accountability and provides a clear record of the steps taken to resolve professional differences.
By emphasizing the importance of professional curiosity and adherence to the established resolution process, schools can contribute to a more effective and collaborative safeguarding environment.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 states:
‘If local authority children’s social care decides not to proceed with a child protection conference, then other practitioners involved with the child and family have the right to request that local authority children’s social care convene a conference, if they have serious concerns that a child’s welfare may not be adequately safeguarded. As a last resort the safeguarding partners should have in place a quick and straight forward means of resolving differences of opinion.'
When Children’s Services decide not to convene an ICPC, a professional of another agency may request a Conference be convened if (s)he has serious concerns that a child/young person’s welfare may not otherwise be adequately safeguarded. Any such request should normally be agreed, in line the processes within this chapter.
If the matter is not quickly resolved through discussion, the professional who is challenging the Children’s Services’ decision must put his/her reasons for doing so, in writing, to the Children’s Services manager responsible for the decision within one working day. The Children’s Services Manager should usually give full information about the reasons for his/her decision in writing to that professional within one working day, before the matter is escalated to more senior managers (see (trix please link). Some professionals should not be given this information, without the consent of the parent(s) for example, a privately employed health or education professional, or a professional member of a church.
The whole process to any final decision should be completed within 72 hours.
Last Updated: May 21, 2025
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