A child may be invited to take part in the child protection conference. Whether or not this is appropriate will depend on their age and development, and whether they want to attend. The conference Chair will usually decide whether the child should attend part, or all, of the conference.
The child’s views are very important and they should be supported to express their views in any child welfare meeting. They should be offered a children’s advocate, whose job is to help children to say what has happened, and what they feel they need. If the child does not want to attend the conference themselves, they can talk to the advocate who could then attend the conference to express the child’s views. Or they could help them to put their views in writing. Whether or not an advocate is involved, it is a key part of the social worker’s role in the child protection process to make sure that the child’s wishes and feelings are put across in the conference.