7.3 Escalation Policy for the Resolution of Professional Disagreement
Professional challenges should be seen as part of ‘healthy’ professional working relationships. Practitioners should be encouraged to give or receive professional challenge in a constructive and positive way. Successful joint working is reliant upon resolving disagreements effectively, and a genuine belief in a partnership approach to safeguarding children.
The focus of Joint Working Protocol for the Professional Challenge and Resolution of Professional Disagreement is to ensure that positive resolution of professional difference leads to better outcomes for children and the continuation of good partnership working.
Agencies should work to the principle of resolving disagreements and maintaining positive relationships at the lowest possible level, so that each agency is satisfied that their concerns have been listened to and the focus has been on achieving the most appropriate outcomes for children and families.
The Joint Working Protocol for the Professional Challenge and Resolution of Professional Disagreement relates to the resolution of differences between agencies. For disputes within agencies, in house procedures should be followed.