Section 17 / Section 47
Threshold Checker

Guided questions to help you determine the appropriate response level — from early help through to an immediate child protection referral. Aligned to Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026.

⚠ If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 999 now — do not complete this tool first.

If your concern relates to the conduct of a member of staff or volunteer rather than a child, the relevant pathway is the LADO process for allegations against staff — not this tool.

For Supervisors: Legal Basis — 30-second briefing ⌄

This tool is based on the following statutory framework:

Children Act 1989, s.17 — imposes a duty on local authorities to provide services for children "in need" to promote their welfare. The test is whether the child is unlikely to achieve or maintain a reasonable standard of health or development without those services.
Children Act 1989, s.47 — imposes a duty on local authorities to make enquiries where they have "reasonable cause to suspect" a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm. "Significant" is defined by s.31(9).
Children Act 1989, s.31(9) — defines "harm" and "significant harm" for the purposes of both s.47 enquiries and care proceedings.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026, Chapter 2 — the statutory multi-agency safeguarding guidance; sets out the threshold framework from early help through to child protection.
College of Policing APP — Police response to concern for a child — authorised professional practice governing how officers should apply s.17, s.47, and s.46 powers.

Data handling (for your records): No information entered in this tool is transmitted to any server. All processing is local to the browser. See our data security whitepaper for full technical detail.

Step 1 of 6 17%

Question 1 of 6

Is the child in immediate physical danger right now?

This includes ongoing assault, a child who cannot be located, or a situation requiring immediate police attendance.

Question 2 of 6

Is the person of concern under 18 years old?

The Children Act 1989 and KCSIE 2025 duties apply to children under 18. Some provisions extend to 18–25 year olds with SEND.

Question 3 of 6

What is the primary nature of the concern?

Select the closest match. You can note additional concerns later.

Question 4 of 6

Has harm already occurred, or is it currently ongoing?

Working Together 2026 distinguishes between actual harm and risk of future harm — both can trigger Section 47, but the response timeline differs.

Question 5 of 6

In your professional judgement, does this reach the threshold of "significant harm"?

What is "significant harm"? (Children Act 1989, s.31(10))
Harm means ill-treatment or impairment of health or development. Significant is defined by comparison with what could reasonably be expected of a similar child. There is no absolute definition — it is a matter of professional judgement. Cumulative neglect can constitute significant harm even without a single dramatic incident.

Question 6 of 6

Does the child have any additional vulnerabilities?

These factors lower the threshold for intervention even where the immediate concern appears less severe.

Find Your MASH → Record in Concern Log →

Section 17 / Section 47Threshold Checker