If there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm child protection procedures should be initiated and these child protection enquiries should always be led by a social worker under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989.
If the Initial Child Protection Conference (ICPC) agrees a child protection plan is needed to support a child and keep them safe from significant harm, the plan will detail who will do what and by when for the children and their parents/carers.
For some children, a request for involvement into a social work team for a Child and Family Assessment may be necessary, even though the outcome may be for the child (and their family) to continue to receive intervention from a non-social work service.