A context conference is a meeting that brings partners together to make a safeguarding plan around a specific context. There are some differences between context conferences and multi-agency panel meetings. Firstly, multi-agency panel are on-going and regular meetings, where more than one context and/or young person is discussed. Context conferences, on the other hand, happen only to make a particular context safer (like a peer group, school or other location) and meet only for that purpose, like traditional safeguarding conferences. Secondly, in context conferences, practice discussions and plans are much more in-depth and detailed than they are at multi-agency panel meetings where the focus is strategic or operational oversight. Thirdly, discussions at panels can take place at any stage, but context conferences only happen once an assessment of a specific context has happened (find out more about how to do an assessment in the Locations, Schools and Peers sections of the toolkit).
There are similarities too, between multi-agency panels and conferences. For example, context conference chairs, like panel chairs, should ask - who needs to be at the conference? With the lead practitioners, they should make sure that the right partners come to the conference and are named in the action plan. Like with multi-agency meetings, this means building relationships with partners beyond those who would traditionally be involved in a safeguarding conference.
What are Context Conferences? How should information be shared and assessed in Context Conferences? These resources and documents provide guidance to those looking to develop Context Conferences as a way of addressing extra-familial harm
-
![]()
Guidance: Context ConferencesThis guide helps practitioners to consider how to carry out a Context Safeguarding Conference. -
![]()
Example: Context conferences - Hackney information sharing protocolHackney developed this protocol and guidance for sharing information with community stakeholders and community guardians -
![]()
Example: Hackney context conference terms of referenceThis document outlines the terms of references for the Context Safeguarding Conference developed by Hackney
Resources and guidance on how to ensure effective referrals to multi-agency panel meetings
Guidance for chairs and partners on working in partnership to embed Contextual Safeguarding via multi-agency panel meetings