An essential component to a child-centred assessment, as part of s47 enquiries, is to spend time planning the assessment (once the safety of the child is secured). At this stage practitioners should ask themselves:
- Who knows the child/ren and their family and should therefore contribute to the assessment?
- What do we need to know from them?
- How are we going to involve the child/ren and their parent/s and any significant others in the assessment?
- What methods should we use for gathering information?
- Are there any linguistic, cultural, religious or disability factors we should take into account?
Once there is clarity about this the following are the kind of questions that will elicit the information required to make decisions as to whether the child/ren are or are likely to be suffering significant harm
What do those contributing to the assessment know about the current safety, care and support needs of the child/ren?
Consider:
- evidence that the needs of the child are being met;
- professional concerns that the child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm and therefore requires a child protection plan;
- concerns that parenting is impacting on the health and development of the child but is not yet causing significant harm.
What is known about past and current family history and significant events relevant to this assessment of child/ren at possible risk of significant harm?
Consider:
- past and present family relationships and the quality of these relationships;
- past carer history that may be impacting on current parenting behaviours;
- any adult-oriented issues that have and/or are impacting on family life.
What is the history of various agency/service/school’s involvement with members of the family? Which members and what involvement?
Consider:
- length of time the family have been known to the service;
- agency’s knowledge about the child/ren’s developmental needs, parenting capacity, family and socio-economic factors through your service’s involvement;
- concerns about the child/ren’s developmental needs, parenting capacity, family and socio-economic factors in the past;
- evidence of past family strengths.
What input/service have they received? When and why? Did this result in a referral to other professionals?
Consider:
- what was the impact of the input?
- what is this attributed to?
- what was the attitude of the parent and /or child towards the input?
- the quality of relationship between service provider, the parent/s and or child/ren.
Are there any extended family, support networks and community resources available for the family? If so what are they and how beneficial are they in safeguarding and promoting the health and wellbeing of the child/ren?
Consider:
- the quality of any informal social support for the child/ren and parent/s;
- the part played by the wider family network in supporting the family;
- support from the community and faith organisations;
- the social world of the child outside the family.
(Horwath, 2019)
Further information:
Horwath J (2019) The Assessment Process: Making a Referral, Planning an Assessment and Gathering Information in Horwath, J. and Platt, D The Child’s World The Essential Guide to Assessing Vulnerable Children and their Families; London, JKP.