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Contents

1. Assessment Planning and Review Flowchart
2. Principles of Assessment
3. Dimensions of the Assessment Framework
4. Summary of the Assessment Process
5. Referrals
6. Initial Assessments
7. Core Assessments

1. Assessment Planning and Review Flowchart

Click here to view flowchart.

2. Principles of Assessment

The needs and circumstances of children and families are not static. 

Assessments and plans cannot meet need if they are not constantly updated and reviewed.

The overall approach to the assessment and provision of services for children in need is that it should be:

• Child centred;
• Rooted in child development;
• Ecological in its approach;
• Achieved in a way which ensure equality of opportunity;
• Undertaken with children and families;
• Built on strengths as well as identifying weaknesses;
• Undertaken in collaboration with other agencies
• Part of a continuing process, not a single event;
• Carried out in parallel with other action and providing services;
• Grounded in evidence based practice.

Each of these principles, together with those set out in Children's Services Policy, Values and Principles are vital to delivering effective assessment services, which are designed to identify not only a child’s needs, but also what changes are desired, and the possible outcomes of service.

3. Dimensions of the Assessment Framework

The Assessment Framework for gathering and analysing information about all children and their families has three dimensions:

• The developmental needs of the child;
• The capacities of parents or carers to respond to those needs;
• The impact of wider family and environmental factors on parenting capacity and children.

This Framework, summarised on the next page, requires practitioners to explore the interaction between, or the influence of these three dimensions on each other in a child’s life and allows professionals to discriminate effectively between different types, and different levels of need.

4. Summary of the Assessment Process 

The Assessment Process is summarised as follows:

• Gathering relevant information across all dimensions of the Assessment Triangle (see above);
• Analysing the information and reaching professional judgements;
• Making decisions and planning interventions;
• Intervening, service delivery and/or further assessment;
• Evaluating and reviewing progress.

This process is ongoing, or cyclical, as demonstrated below:

• This cycle of activity continues throughout involvement with a child and family;
• Judgements are continually being made and revised in the light of further analysis of the child’s needs;
• What action is planned on day one may be very different to that on subsequent days;
• The professional constantly reviews what progress is being made and analyses this to inform ongoing intervention;
• The cycle also forms the basis of the formal reviewing systems for Looked After Children and children subject to Child Protection Plan.

This Assessment process is translated into the following:

Referrals: for guidance see Section 5, Referrals and Referrals of Children in Need Procedure.

Initial Assessments:  for guidance see Section 6, Initial Assessments and Initial Assessments and Planning Procedure.

Core Assessments: for guidance see Section 7, Core Assessments and Core Assessments Procedure.

5. Referrals

Referrals may be made by children, their families or people/agencies on their behalf where there is no obligation to provide a service.  This may include enquiries from people who have come to the wrong office and need to be re-directed.

They are summarised in Level 1 of the Prioritisation Criteria and would result in the following:

• Redirection or signposting to another agency and no further action;
• Provision of general advice or information and no further action.

On the receipt of more information which suggests that a child is a Child in Need with more complex need, at Level 2 or above, an Initial Assessment may be initiated.

Referrals must be processed within a maximum of one working day.

If it appears that the child is suffering or likely to suffer Significant Harm, an Initial Assessment must be started but does not have to take more time than is necessary to proceed to a Strategy Discussion.  It can take up to seven working days but the urgency of the situation will dictate the timescale, which may be very short.

In summary, the outcome of a Referral may be:

• Re-direction to another office/agency and no further action;
• Provision of information, advice and short term intervention;
• The starting of an Initial Assessment.

6. Initial Assessments

An Initial Assessment must be undertaken when information is received which indicates a child meets the Prioritisation Criteria for a Child in Need at Level 3 or above.  This includes information which suggests a child is suffering or likely to suffer Significant Harm.

Managers may also authorise an Initial Assessment upon a child who appears to meet the Prioritisation Criteria for a Child in Need at Level 2.

Initial Assessments must take no longer than seven working days from the receipt of the Initial Contact. 

In some circumstances, where all necessary information is immediately available, the Initial Assessment can be concluded very quickly, on the same day as the Initial Contact, for example, where it is immediately clear that a child is suffering or is likely to suffer Significant Harm; necessitating a Strategy Discussion.

Unless there are exceptional reasons which prevent it, the child should be seen; as should the child’s family.

During the Initial Assessment, agencies who have been involved with the child should be contacted and asked to provide relevant information about their involvement.

If at any time during the Initial Contact or Initial Assessment process it becomes clear that a Core Assessment is required, the Initial Assessment stage may be shorter.

The Initial Assessment will follow the Dimensions of the Assessment Framework and may include all or some of the following:

Interviews with the child and family members.  If the child has very complex needs, interviewing may involve a third party who knows the child’s communication methods well.

• Observations of the child;
• Information gathering from other agencies.

All Initial Assessments will involve:

• Consultation with the manager;
• Recording initial analysis;
• Recording decisions;
• Informing other agencies of decisions where relevant;
• Writing to the child/family about decisions made and what arrangements need to be made to progress to the planning and/or core assessment stage;
• or, writing to the child/family explaining the outcome of the assessment and the reasons for not providing a service/taking ‘no further action’.

The Initial Assessment will lead to the following outcomes:

• A decision about whether the child is ‘in need’;
• The identification of the key issues/focus of concern – and recording ‘need’;
• The identification of the strengths and needs of the family;
• An initial indication of the parent’s capacity to meet the child’s needs, within the wider family context; and
• A decision about whether a more detailed Core Assessment is required, and if so what the parameters of this need to be.

If there is any delay in obtaining information from another agency, a decision will have to be made about whether there is sufficient information to make judgements and decisions about the child’s needs. 

If, exceptionally, a decision cannot be made, the assessment may exceed the seven day timescale.  Reasons for delays should always be clearly recorded and authorised by a manager.

If the Initial Assessment concludes that a child’s needs can be met through a time limited, task focused Casework Plan, the worker should agree this with the child, family and other professionals/agencies.  The Casework Plan should address what needs to change and agree a planned end date for the work to be completed. 

The Casework Plan will be reviewed by the worker and Team Manager, and if the necessary change is not being achieved through the Casework Plan, further decisions about whether a Core Assessment is needed will be taken.

If at any time during the delivery of services the child’s needs change, the worker must consult the Team Manager and a decision will be made about whether to close the case; or to begin a Core Assessment.

7. Core Assessments

Core Assessments must be concluded within a maximum of 35 days.  However, it may be possible to conclude a Core Assessment sooner depending on the complexity and the urgency of the case. 

1. Core Assessments without a Child Protection Enquiry: Core Assessments which do not incorporate a Child Protection Enquiry should be undertaken within a maximum of 35 days but, depending on the complexity and the urgency of the case, may be concluded sooner;
2. Core Assessments with a Child Protection Enquiry: Where a Core Assessment incorporates a Child Protection Enquiry, all efforts must be made to obtain sufficient information to conclude the Core Assessment in time for the Initial Child Protection Conference, which is normally convened within 15 days of the Strategy Meeting. 

At the start of the Core Assessment, the social worker must plan the assessment work, and decide what services are necessary.  This is documented in the Relevant Children’s Plan and elsewhere. 

CHILD PROTECTION ENQUIRIES This guidance summarises what should be achieved as part of all Core Assessments, but specific guidance on the conducting of Child Protection Enquiries is not provided.  If the Core Assessment being undertaken incorporates a Child Protection Enquiry, it will be necessary to refer to the London Child Protection Procedures;  which provide procedures on joint working with the Police, the arrangements for Video Recorded or other interviews,  medical assessments and other matters.

Core Assessments address the central or most important aspects of the needs of a child in depth, and looks at the capacity of the family to respond appropriately to these needs, within the wider family/community context.

At the beginning of a Core Assessment the specific parameters of the assessment work will be clarified, and, wherever possible, agreed with the family through a written agreement.  The Core Assessment method will vary depending on the child and family’s situation.

The Initial Assessment will inform workers about what combination of the following methods of communication will be most effective:

• Individual interviews and/or play sessions with children;
• Individual interviews with parents / carers;
• Observations of children – at school and/or at home/placement setting;
• The use of Assessment tools – questionnaires;
• Family interviews;
• Family Group Conferences;
• Interviews/discussions with other professionals;
• Obtaining written reports from other agencies;
• Seeking ‘Expert’ opinions;
• Core Group discussions involving other professionals;
• Involvement of child/family in therapeutic groups.

The child should be at the centre of this work. Opportunities to work directly with the child should be built into assessment work at every stage.

The social worker may need to work closely with a number of different professionals and agencies who know the child.  What information held by other agencies is needed for the assessment should be agreed at the start of the Core Assessment. 

Any existing assessments on children should be incorporated into the Core Assessment to ensure a complete picture is built up and to prevent duplication for the family e.g. a Child Development Centre Assessment about a disabled child.  This can be achieved either by using the information to complete the relevant section of the Form; or by attaching the complete document to the Assessment Form.

At any point during a Core Assessment it may be necessary to commission additional specialist assessments. 

It may also be necessary to refer the child for assessment and/or services from providers within or outside the authority.  This may include the placement of a child in the Looked After Service.

It may not be possible to make final decisions about how best to meet a child’s needs by end of the required timescales. What is important is that the information known at this point is pulled together, and analysed to inform the direction of the relevant plan/service delivery.  However, any decision to extend the timescales must be authorised by a manager.

At the conclusion of the Core Assessment, the information gathered should be brought together and a decision reached about what actions will be necessary for the future.

Where the Core Assessment incorporates a Child Protection Enquiry, a Child Protection Conference will be convened.

Otherwise, where the Core Assessment does not incorporate a Child Protection Enquiry, the manager may authorise the provision and/or referral for further services.

Depending on the circumstances of the case, the meeting can either be chaired by the social worker or a manager.  The purpose of the meeting is to plan for the future; to decide or make recommendations about what services should be provided in relation to the child and what ongoing assessments should be undertaken and by whom.

End