Family Assessment Paper for Social Work Identifying Information

ii.i.4 Child & Family Assessment

The purpose of a child and family assessment is to get together sufficient data well-nigh the kid and family to understand its needs and make decisions most:

• The nature and touch of the concerns or needs described in the referral and what intervention or back up is necessary;
• Whether the child meets the criteria for ongoing services every bit a 'Child in Need'.

A maximum timescale of 45 working days from the point of referral to completion allows flexibility and individualisation of response, merely the speed should be determined by the needs of the item children and presenting run a risk.  The cess must include visits to the kid.

If at any stage in that location are child protection concerns, the Kent & Medway Safeguarding Child Protection procedures must be followed.

The Kid and Family assessment will be based on:

• The information contained in the inter-agency referral form (and common assessment if information technology is fastened);
• A proactive process of sharing and gathering information via discussions with key relevant professionals and networks (e.g. the child'southward GP, school, Health Visitor, Children's Centre Manager, etc). Parents / carers will be required to requite consent to the information being shared in 'Child in Need' referrals.  Evidence of consent might be requested;
• Whatsoever historical information held within the agency; or other local authorisation;
• A dwelling visit with the family and children to answer whatsoever outstanding questions. With the permission of the parent/carer the child should be seen alone if of sufficient age and agreement and bedroom seen.  If this permission is not forthcoming, and there are child protection concerns, the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Children procedures must be followed;
• The "vocalization of the child" must be captured within the assessment.

The gathering of relevant information will:

• Be focused on the kid'south developmental needs;
• Be focused on the parents /carers' capacities to come across the kid's developmental needs;
• Reflect the family strengths every bit well as whatever difficulties;
• Consider whether the parent/carer has needs independent of the child which may telephone call for the provision of developed community care services;
• Consider the bear on of any family or environmental factors on the well-being of the kid.

Note: if there is a business concern with regards to exploitation or trafficking, a referral into the National Referral Machinery should be fabricated. See Digital Referral System: Report Modern Slavery.

The Child & Family assessment volition pb to a conclusion about whether the child is a 'Child in Need' who is eligible for services and, if so, decisions about priority. The provision of services will not be delayed by the need to complete an assessment. In certain circumstances a service will be provided in parallel to the cess procedure if this is considered necessary by the assessing social worker.

All decisions will be clearly recorded on the allocation record and signed by the relevant senior practitioner inside 24 hours of receipt of referral into Children'south Communication ad Duty Services (CADS). The child'due south parents/carers and the child, if age appropriate, involved in the assessment will be given a copy of the assessment upon completion.

The professional person referrer should exist contacted and notified in writing of the allocated social worker within 24 hrs from allocation.  Feedback on the upshot of a referral should be provided to the referrer.

The assessment should be holistic, describe together a family history with reference to prior data and chronologies and recognise the existing strengths and skills of the child and family. Its purpose is to identify the child's and other family members' needs and agree on the desired event of any involvement. Information technology will be conducted in a structured way with the full and active involvement of the parents/carers and child. Other family members should be involved as appropriate.

The vocalism of the child and their wishes and feelings must be ascertained and recorded where possible and due consideration given to them, having regard to his/her age and understanding. Information technology is possible to gain an understanding of the child's feelings through a range of age-appropriate techniques, or techniques to overcome communication barriers. It should be rare in an assessment for the voice of the child not to be taken into account. Practitioners should consider current enquiry and techniques for communicating with children and young people.

Parental assessment

Where the concerns arise as a result of a parent'south (or person with parental responsibility) inability, mental health or substance misuse problems, a specialist assessment should be sought from the relevant agency.

Sharing information with parents/carers and child

The assessing social worker must provide a re-create of the assessment report to the parents/carers and share accordingly with children of sufficient understanding. Any disagreements about the assessment will be recorded. The family should already take been given a re-create of the leaflet If Y'all Wish To Complain. The assessment must have clear conclusions and recommendations. It will place the child'south and family's needs and also what outcomes should be achieved to make improvements and bring nigh change.

Probable outcomes

The range of recommendations includes:

• The child is in demand of protection and Kent & Medway Safeguarding Children Procedures have been or must exist invoked;
• Legal action is required to protect the kid;
• The child meets the criteria for a specialist service such as Disabled Children's Team;
• The child is a 'Kid in Demand' and a 'Team Effectually the Family unit / multi bureau grouping should be identified to draw up and deliver a 'Kid in Need' plan;
• The kid does not meet Children's Social Intendance/Children Social Work Services eligibility and threshold criteria and can exist signposted to an culling specialist children's service, or a lower level service, as appropriate. A common assessment should be considered and discussed with the family at this point. A "No Further Action" consequence should be a rare upshot.

The conclusion volition exist recorded in writing to ensure that the decision making process is explicit, specially where management of risk is a significant issue.

Where the child and family unit are not eligible for 'Child in Need' services, Children's Social Care/Children Social Work Services will consider what alternative arrangements may be required to encounter the child's needs, including whether a common assessment will exist advisable and, where appropriate, discuss with the family unit and referring professional to enable the family to exist linked to the most advisable service or support. The case will then exist closed and return to the referring/atomic number 82 professional who will then discuss and programme the next steps with the family unit.

Where a kid is eligible for a 'Child in Need' service, the decision of the Child and Family cess and subsequent updates will be fabricated bachelor at relevant review dates to inform planning for the child and family.

Finish

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Source: https://www.proceduresonline.com/kentandmedway/chapters/p_ch_fam_assess.html

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