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4.2 Initial Assessment

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

In cases where a referral or information coming to light suggests that a child is suffering Significant Harm, or is at risk of suffering Significant Harm, an Initial Assessment will always be undertaken by Children's Social Care. This must be undertaken by a qualified and experienced social worker and supervised by a highly experienced and qualified social work manager. 

This chapter outlines the procedure for undertaking Initial Assessments.

(See also the Framework for the Assessment of Children Need and their Families, DoH, 2000).


Contents

  1. Involving the Child, Parents / Carers and other Family Members
  2. Partner Agency Involvement
  3. Timescale for Completion
  4. Outcomes of the Initial Assessment
  5. Next Steps


1. Involving the Child, Parents / Carers and other Family Members

The Initial Assessment should be carefully planned, with clarity about who is doing what, when and what information is to be shared with the parents.  As part of the Initial Assessment, the social worker should also see and speak to the child (according to age and understanding), including alone when appropriate and  with family members as appropriate .if the child cannot be seen alone, the reason should be fully documented in the child's records.


2.Partner Agency Involvement

As the Initial Assessment is a collaborative process the social worker should contact all agencies who have been working with the children in the family and obtain relevant information. This will include enquiries of universal services such as Health (e.g. GP, Health Visitor) and Education, as well as services such as Adoption, Probation, Youth Offending and Substance Misuse where appropriate.  The Police Vulnerable Persons Unit should also be contacted. The social worker should record the enquiries they have made and note all responses.  All available information should be analysed including existing records and historical information.

All relevant information (including information about the history and functioning of the family both currently and in the past, and adult problems such as domestic violence, substance misuse, mental illness and criminal behaviour/convictions) should be taken into account.

If the child and family have spent time abroad information from relevant agencies should be sought.  Practitioners from agencies such as health, social care or the police should request this information from their equivalent agencies in the country(ies) where the child has lived.  Relevant information should then be shared as soon as possible with the social worker. Information about who to contact can be obtained via the Foreign and Commonwealth office on 0207 008 1500 or the FCO website.


3. Timescale for Completion

The Initial Assessment by Children's Social Care of all children where safeguarding concerns have been identified should be completed within 10 working days of the referral.

However the Initial Assessment period may be very brief if the criteria for initiating a Section 47 Enquiry is met (see Section 47 Enquiries and Core Assessments Procedure).

The Initial Assessment should consider whether:

  • the child is a Child in Need (Section 17, Children Act 1989)
  • there is reasonable cause to suspect that the child is suffering, or is likely to suffer Significant Harm . (Section 47, Children Act 1989).

At the conclusion of the Initial Assessment, 10 days or sooner, Children's Social Care will decide on the next course of action.  The outcome of the Initial Assessment and decisions made should be agreed by the Team Manager from Children's Social Care and recorded on the child's file.  All Children's Social Care assessments of children and families, and any action plans drawn up as a result, must be approved in writing by a manager. Before giving such approval, the manager must ensure that the child and the child's carer have been seen and spoken to. 


4. Outcomes of the Initial Assessment

The Initial Assessment may conclude that:

  • The Child is "in Need", but not suffering or at risk of Significant Harm. In which case Children's Social Care will, subject to the agreement of the parent(s), provide support and services as appropriate, including adoption support.  This may include referral to other agencies following consultation with the parent(s), and require a multi-agency planning meeting, and written plan for the child
  • The Child is "in Need" and also suffering or at risk of Significant Harm. In which case Children's Social Care has a duty to initiate a Section 47 Enquiry, that is, to make such enquiries as they consider necessary to enable them to decide whether they should take any action to safeguard or promote the child's welfare.


5. Next steps

At this point the Team Manager should make the decision to convene a Strategy Meeting.   This is the forum in which the decision is made to continue working with the family under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989, or to initiate or confirm continuation of a Section 47 Enquiry.

There may be circumstances in which a decision to initiate a Section 47 Enquiry is made at the point of referral due to the information and evidence available.  This decision should still be confirmed by a Strategy Meeting as soon as is practicable.

Other practitioners, the referrer, and family members where appropriate, should be informed of the outcome and decision of the Initial Assessment provided this does not compromise either the principle of confidentiality for the family, or any continuing investigations.

An Initial Assessment is deemed completed once the assessment has been discussed with the child and family and viewed and authorised by the manager.

End