Multidisciplinary child-protection case conference — OSCE

Candidate brief

You are the senior paediatric registrar. A junior colleague has been invited to their first multidisciplinary child-protection case conference for a 3-year-old with inflicted injuries. They come to you anxious and unsure: 'I don't really know what a case conference is, what I'm supposed to prepare, or what happens when the family is there.' [1] [5]

You have 8 minutes to explain the purpose of the conference, what your colleague should prepare, how to handle the verbal presentation and questions, and the principles of information sharing. [11]

Examiner instructions

Assess the candidate's ability to: [1]

• Explain that the case conference is a statutory forum convened by the child-protection authority — not a clinical meeting — and describe its four core functions. [1]
• Advise on the written report: structured, factual, separating fact from opinion, submitted by the deadline, calibrated honestly. [5] [11]
• Explain how to handle the verbal presentation: plain language, honest calibration, answering questions from all attendees, saying 'I don't know' when appropriate. [2]
• Explain that information sharing for child protection overrides common-law confidentiality, and that the colleague does not need family consent for statutory sharing. [1]
• Reassure the colleague about the family's presence: explain which parts they attend, the principle of honest non-accusatory communication, and that the colleague should not attribute perpetrator identity. [1]
• Advise on what to do after the conference: record outcomes, implement health actions, communicate the plan to the clinical team, prepare for the review conference. [5]

Actor (colleague) cues

• Initial concern: 'I've never been to one of these. Is it like a ward round?'
• If the candidate is vague about the report, press: 'So do I just turn up and talk? Do I need to write something down?'
• If the candidate does not address the family's presence, raise it: 'I heard the parents will be there. What if they challenge me?'
• If the candidate explains clearly and practically, shift to confidence: 'Okay, so my job is to bring the medical evidence, not to decide what happens to the child?'
• If asked about information sharing, express concern: 'But isn't that confidential? Can I just share the medical record with everyone?' [1]

Marking schema

Excellent (8–10): Clearly explains the statutory purpose and four functions, advises a structured written report separating fact from opinion, explains honest calibration and plain-language presentation, addresses information-sharing law accurately, handles the family-presence concern with practical advice about honest non-accusatory communication, and covers the post-conference responsibilities. [1] [5]

Pass (5–7): Covers most key points but may be slightly vague on the report standard, miss the information-sharing law, or not fully address the family-presence concern. Demonstrates adequate understanding of the conference purpose and the colleague's role. [2]

Fail (below 5): Confuses the case conference with a clinical meeting, cannot advise on report preparation, gives incorrect information-sharing advice, or is unable to reassure the colleague about the process. [1]

Key teaching points

• The case conference is a statutory forum convened by the child-protection authority — the colleague should understand it is not a clinical discussion. [1]
• The written report is the primary vehicle for evidence and should be prepared to evidentiary standard, separating fact from opinion. [5] [11]
• Information sharing for child protection overrides common-law confidentiality — the colleague should share what is relevant and necessary without needing family consent. [1]
• Honest, non-accusatory communication with the family preserves the therapeutic relationship and the integrity of the process. [2]
• The colleague's job is to bring medical evidence, not to decide what happens to the child — that is the conference's role. [1]