Framework for the Assessment of

Framework for the Assessment of

Children in Need and their Families

Guidance Notes and Glossary for:

Referral and Initial Information Record,

Initial Assessment Record and

Core Assessment Record

Department of Health

Framework for the

Assessment of

Children in Need and

their Families

Guidance Notes and

Glossary for:

Referral and Initial Information Record,

Initial Assessment Record and

Core Assessment Records

London

The Stationery Office

Social Care Group

The Social Care Group is one of the four business groups in the Department of Health.

It is jointly headed by the Chief Social Services Inspector and the Head of Social Care

Policy. It supports Ministers in promoting high quality, cost effective services through

_ national policies

_ support to external social care agencies

_ inspection

The Social Services Inspectorate is a part of the Social Care Group. It is headed by the

Chief Social Services Inspector who is the principal professional advisor to Ministers on

social services and related matters.

First published 2000

Published with permission of the Department of Health on behalf of the

Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.

ISBN 011 322424 9

Published by The Stationery Office Ltd

Applications for reproduction should be made in writing to:

The Copyright Unit

Her Majesty’s Stationery Office

St Clements House

2–16 Colegate

Norwich NR3 1BQ

Printed in the United Kingdom for The Stationery Office

Contents

1 Referral and Initial Information Record 1

Background 1

Referral and Initial Information Record 1

Glossary 2

2 Initial Assessment Record 4

Background 4

Initial Assessment 4

Agencies contacted/involved during Initial Assessment 5

Reason for Initial Assessment 5

Child’s Developmental Needs 5

Parents’/Carers’ Capacities to Respond Appropriately to the Child’s Needs 5

Family and Environmental Factors 6

Immediate Action 6

Further Action 6

3 Core Assessment Records 7

Background 7

Relationship to other Assessment Processes and Tools 7

Purpose of the Core Assessment Record 8

The Core Assessment Records 8

Structure of Core Assessment Records 9

Information Gathering 9

Summary, Analysis and Plan 10

iii

4 Completing a Core Assessment Record with a disabled child –

Additional Guidance 12

Introduction 12

Using the Core Assessment Record with a Disabled Child 12

Recording Specific Issues regarding Disabled Children 14

Child’s Developmental Needs 14

Family and Environmental Factors which may impact on the Child

and on Parenting Capacity 15

Plan for a Child in Need 16

References 16

Background

The Referral and Initial Information Record has been developed in response to the

Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (2000)

and Working Together to Safeguard Children (1999). The Referral and Initial

Information record begins the process of systematic information

gathering about children in

need and their families.

This process is continued in

the Initial Assessment and

Core Assessment Records.

The records have been

designed to provide an

integrated framework for

the process of recording and

analysing information in

line with the Guidance in

the Framework for the

Assessment of Children in

Need and their Families

(2000).

Referral and Initial Information Record

The Referral and Initial Information Record gathers together the essential

information about the child including ethnicity, household composition,

parental responsibility and agencies currently involved with the child and family.

In order to meet the assessment time scales set out in The Governments Objectives for

Children’s Social Services (1999) a decision should be is made on what the response will

be to a referral within one working day of it being received.

The Referral and Initial Information Record records the reason the referral or request

for services was made and how it was responded to by the SSD. For example, some

referrals can be dealt with by the provision of information and advice, or by a referral to

another agency. When referrals require a response from a social services department

then an initial assessment should be carried out.

The Referral and Initial Information Record therefore has two purposes:

to record basic information on the child and family; and to record the SSD and other

relevant agencies response to the referral. The Initial Information Record can therefore

be used by social services departments to process referrals and to record essential

information gathered at the point of referral.

1 REFERRAL AND INITIAL INFORMATION RECORD

Health

Education

Emotional &

Behavioural

Development

Identity

Family & Social

Relationships

Social

Presentation

Selfcare Skills

Basic Care

Ensuring

Safety

Emotional

Warmth

Stimulation

Guidance

& Boundaries

Stability

CHILD

Safeguarding

and promoting

welfare

Family

History

& Functioning

Wider Family

Housing

Employment

Income

Family’s Social

Integration

Community

Resources

CHILD’S DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS

PARENTING CAPACITY

FAMILY & ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

GLOSSARY

1. SSD Case No.

This is the index number given to the referral by the Social Services Department.

2. Is the Parent/Carer aware of the referral?

This refers to awareness at the point in time the referral is being made.

3. Re-referral

A re-referral is defined as a referral about the same child received within a twelve month

period, where the child’s case has been closed.

4. Address

This is the child’s usual or home address. Where parents have shared care, the child may

have two addresses.

5. Current Address if different from above

This should be used in situations where the child is not living at their usual or home

address. For example, if a child is living temporarily with a relative or is a hospital

patient.

6. Principal Carers

This should record the main carers of the child at their usual or home address.

7. Responsible Local Authority

This section should be completed if a referral is being made regarding a child who is the

responsibility of an authority other than your own. For example, a child on another

authority’s Child Protection Register, or a child in the care of another authority who is

residing in your local authority area.

8. Agency/Rel to child

This records the relationship of the referrer to the child. If the referrer is making the

referral on behalf of their agency then this should be recorded i.e. if a teacher made

a referral then ‘school’ would be recorded. A family member would have their

relationship to the child recorded. A neighbour would be recorded as such.

9. Address

This is the referrer’s agency address, where appropriate, i.e. St John’s School, or home

address in the case of a relative or neighbour. If the referral is made anonymously this

information should be recorded.

10. Ethnicity

The categories listed are those used by the Government. They will assist authorities in

the completion of statistical returns.

11. Other Household members

This section is used to record all those people (children and adults) living at the child’s

usual or home address.

12. Significant family members not members of child’s household

This section is used to record significant family members not living in the child’s

household. For example, a birth parent or relative who provides care for the child on a

shared basis or has a lot of contact with him or her.

• SSD case number if appropriate. This is used if a family member is already a

Social Services Department service user. This should include the parent or

carer if they are known to adult social services, for example the Community

Mental Health Team.

• Tick if also referred to SSD. This should be completed if another household

member is being referred to your social services department, at the same time.

A separate Initial Information Record should be completed for each child

referred. Following the Data Protection Act 1998 it is recommended that

each child has a separate file.

13. SSD cases associated with the referred child

In some cases it is important to record links to other social services department cases.

For example where half or stepsiblings are looked after by an authority or have had their

names placed on an authority’s Child Protection Register or are receiving family

support services. This section may also be used in situations where there are concerns

about, for example, sexual abuse which involve a number of different families.

14. Key Agencies

The name of the key professional from all agencies currently involved with the child

and family should be recorded. This includes agencies working with parents. Agencies

should be consulted/involved as appropriate as part of the initial assessment and this

should be indicated by a tick. Parental permission to contact other agencies should be

obtained from parents except in cases where by doing so the safety of the child would be

jeopardised (Working Together to Safeguard Children (1999)). It will have to be made

clear at this point whether other professionals agree to information they provide being

shared with the child and/or family.

15. Reason for referral/request for services

In this section brief details are recorded about the reason for the referral, or services

requested by, or on behalf of, the family. It is important to note these details, even when

the services requested cannot be provided, or can not be provided immediately.

16. Further Action

It is important to indicate what action has been taken and what action is planned, by

whom and from which agency. This includes no further action. The referral should be

collated with previous referrals and/or files, which should be consulted and

information in them drawn upon as part of the analysis and decision making processes.

The worker who has completed the referral should always sign and date the record. The

record should then be passed to the relevant manager to confirm the action

recommended, in accordance with the Social Services Department’s policy.

Background

The Initial Assessment Record has been developed in response to the Framework for the

Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (2000) and Working Together to

Safeguard Children (1999).

The full title of the record, Initial Assessment of children’s needs and issues which impact on

parents’ capacities to respond to them appropriately, emphasises the link between the

Initial Assessment record and the Core Assessment Record, Core Assessment record of

children’s needs and issues which impact on parents’ capacities to respond to them

appropriately. The content of both the initial Assessment and Core Assessment Records

have been informed by relevant research findings.

The Initial Assessment Record continues the process of systematic information

gathering, commenced in the Referral and Initial Information record, and the analysis

of this material. This process of assessment is continued if a core assessment is

undertaken. The main headings of both records are organised according to the

Assessment Framework domains and dimensions.

Initial Assessment

In order to meet the time scales set out in The Governments Objectives for Children’s

Social Services (1999) an initial assessment should be completed within 7 working days

of the referral being received.

The Initial Assessment covers:

• The Child’s Developmental Needs. These are set out under the seven dimensions

in the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families.

As it is an initial assessment of the child’s needs, some dimensions which are interrelated

have been placed together, for example, Identity and Social Presentation.

• Parents’/Carers’ Capacities to Respond Appropriately to the Child’s Needs. It is

important that parent’s strengths as well as weaknesses are recorded. Key issues

which research has shown to affect parent’s ability to respond appropriately to their

child’s needs have been included.

• Family and Environmental Factors which have an Impact on the Family.The

environment within which children and families live can play an important role in

reducing or increasing the stresses on families, depending on the support available

to them.

The purpose of the Initial Assessment is to decide whether the child is a child in need,

the nature of any services required, from where and within what times scales, and

whether a more detailed core assessment should be carried out. The fact that a decision

is made to carry out a core assessment should not prevent a child or family receiving

services which are necessary to support them.

2 INITIAL ASSESSMENT RECORD

Agencies contacted/involved during Initial Assessment

Agencies should be consulted and involved as appropriate as part of the initial

assessment. Parental permission to contact other agencies should be obtained from

parents except in cases where the safety of the child would be jeopardised. It will

have to be made clear at this point whether other professionals agree to information

they provide being shared with the family. Agencies contacted or involved in the

Initial Assessment should be recorded by a tick. The name and address of any

agency contacted or involved in the Initial Assessment not already recorded on the

Referral and Initial Information Record should be added to the Initial Information

Record.

Reason for Initial Assessment

Brief details of why an Initial Assessment is being undertaken should be recorded in

this section.

Child’s Developmental Needs

The child’s strengths and current needs should be recorded under each of the

developmental dimensions listed. For example, in the case of Daniel Williams aged

eighteen months:

Health Daniel was born profoundly deaf. In areas other than speech,

Daniel’s development is at the expected level.

Parents’/Carers’ Capacities to Respond Appropriately to the

Child’s Needs

It is important to record the strengths of all parents/carers as well as any areas of

difficulty they are experiencing. In relation to the issues affecting parent’s capacity

to respond to the child’s needs, research has shown that problems with mental

health, domestic violence, drug and alcohol misuse, a history of childhood abuse or

being a child abuser are likely to affect parenting. It is important to record not simply

that an issue is present but to whom it refers and its effect on parenting capacity.

For example:

Basic Care Mrs Williams is at times unable to care for Daniel. However

Mr Williams is able to respond to Daniel’s needs.

Physical/ Mrs Williams has suffered from post natal depression since the

mental birth of Daniel earlier this year. Mrs Williams is receiving medication

illness for this.

It is also important to record in this section any adult who poses a risk of significant

harm to the child. For example, if the grand father is a schedule one offender or a parent

is extremely violent to their partner. The social worker should select the most

appropriate category(ies) in which to record the information.

Family and Environmental Factors

It is important to record factors that support families as well as those that increase

stress. For example, extended family may offer a great deal of support to a young lone

parent, alternatively they may compound their difficulties. It is also important to

note how family and environmental factors have impact on the child and family.

For example:

Housing The family lives on the 10th floor of a block of flats. The exterior

of the building is in poor condition. However Mr and Mrs Williams

keep the flat in good condition.

Immediate Action

This section is used to record any actions taken during or on completion of the initial

assessment. More than one box may be completed. For example, a family may be

allocated a specific service, such as sponsored day care in addition to a referral being

made to another agency and a strategy discussion. It is important to remember that if

a core assessment is planned, during the process a family should receive services as

appropriate. When deciding which services to offer, it is important to take account of

the family’s likelihood of being able to access or choosing to access these services.

Strategy Discussion If at any stage during the process there are suspicions or

allegations about child maltreatment and concern that the child may be suffering, or is

likely to suffer, significant harm there must be strategy discussions and interagency

action in accordance with the guidance in Working Together to Safeguard Children

(1999).

Immediate legal action to protect the child includes court orders applied for by the

local authority, Police Protection and orders applied for by parents to protect a child,

such as an injunction.

Further Action

Professional judgement is required to determine whether a Core Assessment is

appropriate. In some cases more specialist assessment(s) may be commissioned and this

should be recorded. For example, a psychiatric assessment of a parent.

The worker who has completed the Initial Assessment should always sign and date the

form. The form should then be passed to the relevant manager to confirm the action

recommended. A copy of the completed Initial Assessment should usually be sent to

appropriate family members. All decisions will have to take account of the child’s safety

and whether permission has to be obtained from other agencies to share information.

In some cases it will not be appropriate to include all the initial information. For

example where a neighbour made a referral but wished to remain anonymous.

The Core assessment record of children’s needs and issues which impact on

parents’ capacities to respond to them appropriately (Core Assessment Record) is

one of series of tools commissioned by the Department of Health to support the

implementation of the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their

Families (2000).

Background

The Core Assessment Records were developed over a two-year period. Following a

feasibility study in three local authorities, the Core Assessment Records have been

revised to take account of the feedback from service users, social work practitioners

and managers, and other professionals.

The records have their basis in relevant research findings, which were used to identify

the essential information that should be recorded in each dimension. Key research

findings have also been included on the left-hand side of each page to act as a sign-post

to key areas and to assist practitioners in evaluating the importance of information

gathered during the assessment.

Relationship to other Assessment Processes and Tools

A core assessment will typically follow a referral and initial assessment but it may also

be used for a re-assessment of a family already known to social services. The Core

Assessment Record has been developed to build on the information gathered in

the initial information-gathering stages to avoid unnecessary duplication of work. As

families report not liking to have to repeat the same information several times to

different professionals, it is important to avoid this.

The Core Assessment Record recognises that in order to obtain a clear understanding

of the inter-relationship between a child’s needs, parents’ capacities and the impact of

family and environmental factors it is necessary to collect and analyse information

from a variety of sources, using a number of different methods.

In many cases a number of professionals and agencies will know the family. Although

it is the responsibility of the social services staff member to complete the Core Assessment

Record, it has been designed to be inter-disciplinary in its approach. Typically

the social services staff member will be collecting and analysing information from a

number of agencies. Where detailed and up to date assessments about a family or child

are available from another agency, for example a Statement of Educational Needs or

hospital assessment on a disabled child, these should be incorporated into the Core

Assessment Record (having obtained the necessary consents). This can be done in two

ways; Either by using the information from a specialist assessment to complete the relevant

area of the core Assessment Record, or by attaching the specialist assessment as

an appendix to the Core Assessment Record. In every case the summary section at

3 CORE ASSESSMENT RECORDS

the end of the relevant area of the Core Assessment Record should be completed

by the social services staff member. So, for, example in the case of a child with a

recent statement of Special Educational Needs, the statement could be attached but

the social services staff member should complete the social worker’s summary at the

end of the Education dimension.

The use of Questionnaires and Scales can make a valuable contribution to specific

areas of a core assessment. The Core Assessment Record indicates when it may be

appropriate to use particular questionnaires and scales. Eight questionnaires and

scales are contained in The Family Assessment Pack of Questionnaires and Scales

(Department of Health, Cox and Bentovim, 2000).

Purpose of the Core Assessment Record

The Core Assessment Record is intended to aid social workers undertaking a core

assessment by providing a framework to record information systematically and in a

manner which facilities analysis and planning.

The Core Assessment Records have been structured to ensure that information is

recorded in each of the three systems or domains of the Framework for the Assessment of

Children in Need and their Families (2000):

_ the developmental needs of children;

_ the capacity of parents or care givers to respond appropriately to those needs;

_ the impact of wider family and environmental factors on parenting capacity

and the child.

The core Assessment Record is underpinned by the same principles as are in the

Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families and therefore may be

viewed as making a major contribution to the operationalisation of the Framework.

It is important to remember that the Core Assessment Record is a tool, and requires the

skills, knowledge and professional judgement of practitioners and their managers to

use it effectively. Good tools cannot substitute for good practice, but good practice

and good tools can achieve excellence.

The Core Assessment Records

There are five age related Core Assessment Records. With the exception of children

under 2, the age bands are congruent with those used in the Looking After Children

Assessment and Action Records. The age bands for the Core Assessment Records

are: 0–2; 3–4; 5–9; 10–14; 15 and over.

Structure of Core Assessment Records

The structure of each Core Assessment Record is the same. Each record can be

considered to have two parts; information gathering, and analysis and planning.

Information gathering

_ Sources of Information

This section is used to record the sources of information and methods used to gather

information during the core assessment. This includes agencies involved, meetings

with family members, questionnaires and scaled used. It is recommended that this page

is completed as the assessment progresses.

_ Details Concerning Core Assessment

This records the background details to the core assessment. The reason(s) the

assessment is being undertaken and details of any specific matters, including disability,

affecting the child. This section should be completed prior the beginning of the core

assessment and will draw on information already known about the child and family

from the initial assessment or existing records.

_ Child’s Developmental Needs/Parenting Capacity

This section records information about the child’s developmental needs and the

parents’ capacities to respond to these needs appropriately. There are two pages for each

developmental need of the child; health, education, emotional and behavioural

development, identity, family and social relationships, social presentation (for children

under five this is combined with identity) selfcare skills (for children under five this is

combined with emotional and behavioural development).

The first part of each section records key needs for each child. A Yes/No box is included

next to each of the key needs. The purpose of these boxes should be understood clearly.

The Core Assessment Record is not a questionnaire. The Yes/No boxes are included

to ensure that information identified from research as significant for the child’s

development or wellbeing is recorded.

They will assist practitioners and supervisors to quickly identify the key factors in an

assessment. However ticking the boxes alone is not enough. It is important that further

information is included to provide the context for information which is recorded. The

space to record this information is limited. This is not to encourage practitioners to be

brief, but to be relevant. Practitioners should consider the significance of information

before it is entered into the record.

For Example – From Education Dimension, Child Aged 5 –9

Stimulation Yes No

Parent regularly reads, tells ✔

stories, plays counting games,

watches TV with child

Other

Mrs Foli’s depression means that

at times she has no energy to play

games with Kwane. However Mr

Foli regularly plays with him and

reads to him each evening

Following information about the child’s needs, information about the parents’

capacities to respond appropriately to those needs is recorded. Parents’ capacities are

detailed across the six areas identified in the parenting capacity domain of the

Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families : basic care;

ensuring safety; emotional warmth; stimulation; guidance and boundaries; and

stability. Key parenting responses, identified from research, are included for each area.

It is important to record the strengths as well as weaknesses of parents.

If any of the key areas identified are not appropriate for the child or parents, they can be

marked N/A. In addition, it is important that the reason the issue is not considered to

be relevant is recorded.

At the end of each of the child’s developmental dimensions is a summary section. This

is to enable practitioners to summarise the child’s needs and parents’ capacities to

respond to them appropriately. In completing this section practitioners should

consider the impact on the child’s health and development of any needs which are not

responded to appropriately. The research information on the left-hand side of the page

is intended to help with this process.

_ Family and Environmental Factors

The final section of the information gathering part of the Core Assessment Record is

concerned with the Family and Environmental Factors domain of the Assessment

Framework. The layout of this area is similar to those covering the child’s

developmental needs.

Summary, Analysis and Plan

Research, the findings of Inquiry reports and Social Services Inspectorate inspections

have frequently highlighted weaknesses in this area of assessment. A great deal of time

and effort goes into the information gathering stage. This results in an assessment that

focuses on describing what is happening. However, often less attention is given to the

analysis of the information gathered. Analysis takes the assessment process beyond

surface considerations and explores why particular strengths and difficulties are

present, the relationship between these and the implications of them for the child and

other family members, as well as considering what types of services would best help the

child and family members. The second part of the Core Assessment Record therefore is

concerned with analysis and planning.

_ Summary

The second part of the record starts with a summary of the needs, strengths and

difficulties identified in each of the domains. Young people and parents are asked for

their views. This provides an opportunity for them to contribute to the assessment

summary. If possible they should be encouraged to write their views themselves or to

indicate them in some other form of communication, which can then be recorded.

_ Analysis

The next section is for practitioners to analyse the significance and consequences of the

needs, strengths and difficulties identified in the assessment. This is a key stage in the

assessment process. Practitioners should consider the inter-relationship between each

of the domains of the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their

Families. For example, a child’s difficult and demanding behaviour may be a major

contributory factor to a parent’s depression, which may in turn lead to the home

environment being neglected. It will be helpful to list key protective and stress factors

in each domain and indicate how they relate to those identified in the other domains. It

is important that strengths as well as difficulties are identified. Parental and family

strengths should be built on and used to inform the plan. When analysing the

information gathered, practitioners should also evaluate the impact on the child and

family of any services already provided.

_ Objectives and Plans

This section records the objectives and the actions which are to be achieved to ensure

that all the child’s identified needs are responded to appropriately. The objectives of the

plan should be specific, measurable and have clear time scales. The actions should

include those to be taken by the child and family members, social services and all other

relevant agencies. It is important that the child, as appropriate, and family members are

involved in agreeing the objectives and actions to be taken and that they are able to

comment on the plan. This will enable the plan to serve as a written agreement.

The review of care plans and child protection plans are set out in Volume 3 of the

Children Act 1989 and Guidance and Regulations (paragraphs 2.59 to 2.62) and in

paragraphs 5.90 to 5.95 in Working Together to Safeguard Children (1999) respectively.

It is good practice for children in need plans to be received regularly, at least every six

months (see paragraph 4.36 in Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and

their Families (2000)). There is an outcome section for each objective which should be

completed at the review. This enables progress to be monitored and any necessary

changes made to the plan.

Introduction

This guidance supplements the Core Assessment Record guidance and is intended to

support social work staff completing a Core Assessment Record with a disabled child

and their family.

The Core Assessment Records have been developed in consultation with specialists

working with disabled children and young people. They are underpinned by the

principle that children are children first: however, each child is unique.

The Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (2000) sets out

the inter-related systems or domains that any assessment of a child should consider to

achieve a clear understanding of the child’s needs. These are:

_ the child’s developmental needs;

_ the parents’ or carers’ capacities to respond appropriately to these needs;

_ the impact of wider family and environmental factors on parenting capacity

and the child.

The Core Assessment Records are intended to assist social workers undertaking a core

assessment by providing a framework to record information systematically across all

domains and dimensions in a manner that facilitates analysis and planning.

An assessment of a disabled child should consider the same domains and dimensions as

an assessment of a non-disabled child. The needs of disabled children, however, may be

very complex in one dimension: it is important that all areas of their needs receive

attention during an assessment.

Using the Core Assessment Record with a Disabled Child

_ General Principles

The Core Assessment Records are informed by the principles which underpin the

Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (2000). Social work staff

undertaking assessments of children in need are expected to be familiar with this

Guidance. The accompanying practice guidance Assessing Children in Need and their

Families (Department of Health, 2000) has a chapter on assessing the needs of disabled

children and the Reader which accompanies the training pack, The Child’s World: Assessing

Children in Need includes a chapter on assessing the needs of children with complex needs.

_ Using Age-related Records

The Core Assessment Records are age related. As with the Looking After Children

Assessment and Action Records, social work staff should use the record which relates to

the child or young person’s chronological age.

4 COMPLETING A CORE ASSESSMENT RECORD

WITH A DISABLED CHILD – ADDITIONAL

GUIDANCE

It is recognised that for some children this may result in some sections of the record

being inappropriate to their needs. For example, the section of the Education

Dimension which records GCSE results may be inappropriate for a young person with

profound learning disabilities. However, the preceding question, Young person’s

educational progress is at expected level provides the practitioner with an

opportunity to record the young person’s achievements.

It will also be important to record how the parents respond to the identified needs of the

child.

It must be remembered that the Core Assessment Record is only a tool and requires the

skills, knowledge and professional judgement of the practitioner to use it effectively.

_ Links Between the Core Assessment Record and other Assessments

A key concern for many parents of disabled children is the number of assessment

processes their child is involved in. These may include general and specific health

assessments, psychological assessments, Special Educational Needs and other educational

assessments. However, each of these assessments consider a specific area of

the child’s needs. They do not provide a picture of all the child’s needs or of the interrelationships

between the needs of the child, capacities of parents’, and family and

environmental factors.

The Core Assessment Record is a tool for undertaking a holistic assessment. In order to

complete a Core Assessment Record a social work practitioner will draw on

information from a variety of sources including the child, parent or carers and other

professionals. However a Core Assessment should also draw upon existing reports and

specialist assessments concerning the child and family, having obtained the necessary

consents to use this information. In some situations basic details from a specialist

assessment can be recorded in the Core Assessment Record and the specialist

assessment attached to the Core Assessment Record as an appendix. This should mean

that disabled children, their parents or carers, do not feel that they are repeatedly

covering the same issues.

For some children, the Child in Need Plan in the Core Assessment Record may be used

to draw together the objectives from a number of different assessments into one interagency

plan for the child. It may be useful in some situations to arrange for the review of

the Core Assessment to coincide with the reviews of other assessments in relation to the

child and family.

One consequence of completing a Core Assessment Record may be that the need for a

more specialist assessment may be identified. It is important that any further

assessment is fully discussed with the child or young person and their parents or carers.

It may be necessary to undertake a more specific assessment of some areas of the

disabled child’s abilities in order to access particular services. For example, a more

detailed analysis of a disabled child’s mobility and selfcare skills may be required to

identify the most appropriate day care or respite care resource for the child.

Where a child or young person is receiving respite care for periods exceeding 24 hours

at a time, they are looked after under S20 of the Children Act 1989.

_ The Core Assessment Record and other Children in the Family

The Core Assessment Record is designed to be completed for each child in need in a

family. A disabled child may have an impact on other children in a family, and this may

result in siblings requiring support in their own right. In such situations a professional

judgement will have to be made about whether a Core Assessment Record should be

completed for other children in the family to ensure that support provided is based on a

clear understanding of all the children’s needs.

Recording Specific Issues regarding Disabled Children

The following section provides guidance for social work staff on recording some of the

specific issues that may arise because of a child’s impairment(s).

_ Details Concerning a Core Assessment

It is recommended that an outline of the nature and extent of the child’s impairment is

recorded in this section, along with details of routine hospital and outpatient

appointments. More specific details about the child’s health needs should be recorded

in the Health dimension of the child’s developmental needs.

Child’s Developmental Needs

_ Health

This section should include details of the child’s medication regime.

_ Education

The type of educational provision attended by the child should be recorded in this

dimension. If the child has a statement of Special Educational Needs brief details of the

main provisions should be recorded. Full details of the Statement can be included, if

necessary, by attaching the full statement as an appendix to the Core Assessment

Record.

A summary of the nature and extent of any communication difficulties experienced by

the child should be recorded in this dimension. The ability of parents or carers to

communicate with the child should be recorded under Basic Care in the Parenting

Capacity section of the dimension.

_ Emotional and Behavioural Development

The nature of any challenging behaviour exhibited by the child, including whether it

affects the child’s safety, should be recorded under this heading. The amount of

supervision the child requires should be also recorded in this dimension. How parents

or carers respond to the child’s challenging behaviour should be recorded under

Ensuring Safety in the Parenting Capacity Section.

_ Identify

This dimension is important for disabled children as they may have picked up messages

that to be disabled is ‘wrong’, ‘bad’ or a burden on others. They, therefore, may reject

who they are and lack confidence and self-esteem. Having determined how the child

perceives him or herself, it is important to record how they view their identity as a

disabled person.

_ Family and Social Relationships

This dimension is concerned with the child’s relationships with their family, peers and

others; how the child relates to others and how they respond to him or her.

The impact that the child’s impairment has on siblings and parents or carers is

considered later in the record.

_ Social Presentation

In addition to how the child or young person presents socially, the way in which others,

particularly outside the family, respond to the child or young person’s impairment

should be recorded in this dimension. This will help to develop an understanding of the

barriers that the child and family may have to overcome when accessing and using

community resources.

_ Selfcare Skills

Some of the questions in this dimension may not be appropriate for some disabled

children and young people. However the first question, Child has age appropriate

selfcare skills can be completed for all children and young people. This section can be

used to record a summary of the child’s abilities, including washing and dressing, eating

and drinking, continence, and to go out alone.

The capacity of parents to provide the level of supervision and support required by the

child, can be recorded in the parental capacity section of this dimension.

A more detailed assessment of some areas of the child or young person’s abilities may be

necessary to identify or access the resources which are most appropriate to the child or

young person’s needs.

Family and Environmental Factors which may impact on the

Child and on Parenting Capacity

_ Family Functioning

The impact of the child’s impairment on other family members is recorded in this

section. When recording the impact of the child’s impairment on siblings (FE4),

practitioners should consider whether siblings are themselves ‘children in need’ and

require a core assessment. Consideration will also have to be given to whether a separate

‘Carer’s assessment’ should be carried out in respect of parents or carers (FE6).

_ Family’s Social Integration

This is often a major issue for families with a disabled child. Any discrimination

experienced by the family as a consequence of the child’s impairment should be

recorded. Support to the family through membership of support groups for disabled

children should also be noted.

_ Community Resources

Any difficulties experienced by the child and family in accessing resources in the

community as a consequence of the child’s impairment should be recorded. This

would include difficulties in physically accessing resources, discrimination, or issues

arising from the child’s behaviour.

Plan for a Child in Need

The plan for the child should take account of the child or young person’s wishes and

feelings, the views of parents or carers, and any existing specialist assessments of the

child. The Child in Need Plan provides an opportunity to draw together into one

document individual agency plans and to produce a single inter-agency plan for

the child.

REFERENCES

Department of Health (1999) The Government’s Objectives for Children’s Social Services.

Department of Health, London.

Department of Health (2000) Assessing Children in Need and their Families. The

Stationery Office, London.

Department of Health, Cox A and Bentovim A (2000) The Family Assessment Pack of

Questionnaires and Scales. The Stationery Office, London.

Department of Health, Home Office, Department for Education and Employment

(1999) Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to inter-agency working to

safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The Stationery Office, London.

Department of Health, Department for Education and Employment and Home

Office (2000) Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families. The

Stationery Office, London.

The NSPCC and the University of Sheffield (2000) The Child’s World: Assessing

Children in Need. The NSPCC, London.

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