Peer-reviewed article

Hybrid child protection conferences in England: Participation, relational practice, and decision-making

Laura Louise Cook, Mary Baginsky, Julia Rimmer · 11 Sept 2026

Abstract

Abstract Child protection conferences are central to decision-making within child welfare systems. Following the expansion of online working during the pandemic, many English local authorities have adopted hybrid conferences, combining in-person and online participation. However, little is known about how these arrangements shape participation and decision-making. This article reports first-stage findings from a national study of hybrid conferences. It examines how they are organized and practitioners’ views on their implications for participation and multi-agency deliberation. Data derive from nine regional workshops with children’s social care professionals (n = 301) and an associated questionnaire (n = 375), with responses received from 95 percent of English local authorities. The analysis identifies a six-type typology of conference configurations currently in use, spanning a continuum from fully in-person to fully online formats. In addition to mapping national practice, this article makes a conceptual contribution to understanding professional judgement in child protection by showing how different conference configurations create distinct relational conditions that shape interaction and decision-making. While hybrid conferences may widen access and improve attendance, some, particularly those where parents attend online, introduce relational risks that may influence decision-making dynamics. Hybrid conferences should therefore be treated as adaptable tools requiring explicit consideration of their relational and decision-making effects.