Wolfe & Black practical guide
Section 47 Enquiry: Evidence, Records & Challenge Preparation
How to reconstruct a Section 47 safeguarding enquiry, separate source evidence from interpretation and identify material factual errors or omissions.
Updated October 2026
Section 47 records should be reviewed carefully and neutrally. The objective is to reconstruct the safeguarding process, identify the information available to agencies, and distinguish source evidence from later analysis or inference.
1. Reconstruct the safeguarding chronology
Identify the referral or triggering concern, strategy discussions, multi-agency information sharing, enquiries, interviews, professional contacts, decisions and recorded outcome in date order.
2. Identify who supplied each material fact
Mark the source of allegations, observations and professional information. Distinguish independently documented facts from hearsay, interpretation and repeated summaries.
3. Compare multi-agency records
Where school, police, health and Children’s Services records exist, compare dates, descriptions and outcomes to identify inconsistencies or material information that was not carried forward.
4. Test the recorded analysis
Identify whether conclusions appear to address the significant evidence and whether later records increase the certainty of an allegation beyond what the source material supports.
5. Identify material corrections
Focus on errors or omissions capable of affecting safeguarding analysis, future records or decisions, and support each requested correction with contemporaneous source evidence.
Children’s Services material may contain sensitive personal data and information about children or third parties. Disclosure does not create a right to publish it.
Questions to ask before proceeding
What is the exact decision? What deadline applies? Which facts are genuinely disputed? What documents prove the important facts? What framework governs the decision? What outcome are you asking for? What has already been tried?
Official sources to check
Rules, guidance and procedures can change. These are the primary official sources used to keep this area grounded:
Frequently asked questions
What should I compare a social-work assessment against?
Start with the source records, chronology, professional evidence and the current statutory framework. A useful challenge identifies concrete factual errors, omitted material or unsupported conclusions rather than simply disagreeing with the outcome.
Is there a specific complaints procedure for some children’s social care complaints?
Yes. Statutory guidance exists for local authority children’s services representations and complaints, although the route depends on the nature of the complaint and whether it falls within that statutory procedure.
Related guides
Wolfe & Black is not a firm of solicitors. We provide case preparation and non-reserved support. Reserved legal activities or representation are only undertaken where lawfully permitted.
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