This protocol must be followed where there are concerns that an unborn child could be at future risk of Significant Harm. Referrals to Children's Social Care Services in respect of unborn babies should be made as soon as a professional has concerns, regardless of when the baby is due. Prompt referrals will allow sufficient time for assessment work to be commenced prior to the birth. The findings of any assessment will help inform decision making.

Once a referral has been received for an unborn baby, an Initial Assessment will be completed. Following the Initial Assessment, an Assessment Planning Meeting or a Strategy Discussion, between all relevant professionals, will take place. The Strategy Discussion should be used to:

• Share available information;
• Plan how enquiries should be handled;
• Agree what action is needed to safeguard the unborn child, and provide support to the mother/family;
• Decide whether a Core Assessment should be undertaken. If a Core Assessment is completed a multi-agency decision will be made as to whether to proceed to an Initial Child Protection Conference.
• Consider the optimum timing of an Initial Child Protection Conference. It might not be appropriate to convene the Conference within 15 working days of the Initial Strategy Discussion.  In such circumstances a further Strategy Discussion must be held to update the information.
• Consider a contingency plan in case the baby is born pre-term. This could include legal advice and notification of other Local Authorities/Maternity Units if there are concerns that the family might go missing.
• Inform the Emergency Response Team of the outcome

A Child Protection Conference should be convened prior to the child's birth. The timing of the conference is crucial. It should occur approximately eight weeks before the due date. This would allow time for assessment work to be commenced before birth and inform decision making. The first Core Group meeting will take place within ten working days of the Initial Child Protection Conference. The first Child Protection Review Conference will then be scheduled for shortly after the baby's birth.

The conference will have the same status and proceed in the same way as any other Initial Child Protection Conference. A pre-birth Conference should be clearly seen as addressing concerns in relation to the unborn child and as such should be distinct from a conference relating to other members of the family. It is acceptable to arrange a conference on an unborn child immediately after a conference relating to children of the same family.

If the conference decides that the unborn baby is at continuing risk of Significant Harm then the unborn baby will be made subject to a Child Protection Plan.  It is the responsibility of the Keyworker to ensure that the Manager of the Review and Child Protection Unit  is informed of the birth and any changes in the baby's name so that the Record of Children with a Child Protection Plan can be amended accordingly. The Manager of the Review and Child Protection Unit must also be notified if the baby is either still born or a neo-natal death. The Emergency Response Team must be notified out of normal office hours.

Where the unborn child is made the subject of a Child Protection Plan, the first Core Group should be held within ten working days of the Initial Child Protection Conference. The Core Group must have met and formulated a Child Protection Plan before the baby is ready to be discharged from hospital. There must also be a clear contingency plan for situations where the concerns for the baby increase. The form Child Protection Checklist at Pre-Birth Child Protection Conferences must be completed at the first Core Group meeting. A copy of this will be placed in the mother's hospital records to inform the midwifery department of the proposed plans. If the intention is to remove the child at birth then the Core Group will need to formulate and agree a plan for the safe and sensitive removal of the child.

Concealed pregnancies, regardless of the place of delivery, those born pre-term or those referred to Children's Social Care Services in the latter stages of pregnancy will need to be assessed as a matter of urgency. A full Core Assessment may not be able to be completed before birth. Decisions on how to proceed must be made at a multi-agency Strategy Meeting and the Form Child Protection Checklist at Pre-Birth Child Protection Conferences must be completed. The meeting will need to consider the need for urgent legal advice.

A service plan or Child Protection Plan must be in place before the baby is discharged from hospital.

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