• home
• full contents
• keywords & contacts
• contact us
• search

Contents

Flowchart:  Contained in Initial and Core Assessments Guidance

1. Core Assessments (without Child Protection Enquiry)
2. Core Assessments (with Child Protection Enquiry) 

1. Core Assessments (without Child Protection Enquiry)

Note: This procedure relates to Core Assessments that do not incorporate Child Protection Enquiries. Procedures for Core Assessments which do incorporate Child Protection Enquiries are contained in Section 2, Core Assessments (with a Child Protection Enquiry).

1.1 Criteria for the Core Assessment (without Child Protection Enquiry)

These procedures apply to Core Assessments completed for any child, whose needs are of a moderate to high level, at Level 3 or above of the Prioritisation Criteria for Children in Need, but not those children thought to be suffering or likely to suffer from Significant Harm. A Core Assessment will usually follow an Initial Assessment but may also be completed where new information is obtained on an open case and further assessment is required.

1.2 Purpose of the Core Assessment (without Child Protection Enquiry)

The purpose of the Core Assessment is to conduct an in depth assessment of the child’s needs, drawing on information provided by partner agencies, and to inform decisions about what services should be provided to meet them.

1.3 Timescales of the Core Assessment (without Child Protection Enquiry)

The Core Assessment should be concluded within a maximum of 25 working days of the end of the Initial Assessment, or the decision to undertake a Core Assessment on an open case. 

In exceptional circumstances and only with the written authorisation of the Senior Care Manager, this timescale may be extended to 35 days. Examples of exceptional circumstances include the unexpected absence of the Social worker or an inability to see the child.

1.4 Process of the Core Assessment (without Child Protection Enquiry)

The Children and Families Service is responsible for the co-ordination and completion of the Core Assessment.

During the first week of the Core Assessment, the social worker should meet the family to explain the reasons for the assessment and the way it will be conducted, and obtain consents as necessary to contact and obtain information from other agencies and see the child alone. The social worker will then convene a meeting during the second week of the assessment involving the family and the relevant agencies in order to clarify the parameters of the assessment and plan the work to be carried out.

The plan will be put into writing and, wherever possible, agreed with the child and family. At this stage, a date will be fixed for a final meeting to ensure the Core Assessment is completed within the required time-scales.

The assessment method will vary dependent on the child and family's situation but opportunities to work directly with the child and the child's family must be incorporated at every stage. Children should always be seen and communicated with alone by the Lead Social Worker. Records of Section 47 Enquiry and any Reports to Child Protection Conferences should include the date(s) when the child was seen alone by the Lead Social Worker and, if not seen alone, who was present and the reasons for their presence.

At the meeting the social worker will provide Forms for the professionals involved to complete and return within agreed time scales so that any existing assessments can be integrated into the Core Assessment.

This will mean that, where information has already been gathered by other agencies as part of their assessments, there is no need to duplicate the information gathering - although the social worker should check with the child and family that the information gained from Forms completed by the other agencies is correct. 

Where the child is from Overseas or has lived abroad for any time as a Forces Child, information should be obtained in relation to that period.  In order to achieve this, assistance may be obtained from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, or the appropriate embassy or consulate.

During the course of the Core Assessment it may be necessary to provide or refer the child for services or to commission additional specialist assessments. 

If, during a Core Assessment, information comes to light that suggests that a child is suffering or likely to suffer Significant Harm, a Strategy Discussion must be convened with a view to incorporating a Child Protection Enquiry into the Core Assessment.

Where attempts to engage the child and parent in the Core Assessment are unsuccessful, the social worker and manager must consider what action or approach is required to safeguard the child and take legal advice as necessary.

1.5 Outcomes of the Core Assessment (without Child Protection Enquiry)

A Team Manager must sign and approve the outcomes of a Core Assessment and ensure that:

• There has been direct communication with the child and his or her views have been recorded and taken into account;
• All the children in the household have been seen and their needs considered;
• The parents have been seen and their views and wishes have been recorded and taken into account;
• The analysis has been completed;
• The chronology at the front of the file is up to date.

Before the Core Assessment is concluded, a final meeting should be held involving the family and relevant professionals. The social worker will report to the meeting a summary of the information obtained and the overall analysis.

During the course and upon completion of the Core Assessment it will be necessary to decide what services should be provided and these should be set out in a Child in Need Plan, or where the child needs to be Looked After, a Care Plan and Placement Plan will be required. See Decision to Look After, Care and Permanence Planning Procedure.

Where services in a Child in Need Plan include financial assistance, the social worker should complete the appropriate Form C87 and send it to the appropriate manager - see Click here for the delegated financial responsibilities. See also Financial Assistance to Children in Need Procedure.

The social worker should record the outcome of the Core Assessment on the notification form and it should be entered onto ICS within 24 hours.

1.6 Recording and Communication the Core Assessment (without Child Protection Enquiry)

The Core Assessment must be recorded on an age appropriate Core Assessment Record.

Where the Core Assessment concludes that it may be appropriate for the child to be Looked After, a Care Plan and Placement Plan will be required. 

See Decision to Look After, Care and Permanence Planning Procedure. Otherwise, a Child in Need Plan should be drawn up if services are provided.

Further demographic details that are obtained during the assessment must be recorded, with service user contact details kept up to date.

All families who are the subject of assessments will receive a verbal summary of the worker’s findings and recommendations as part of finalising the assessment process. No information, conclusions, or recommendations contained within the final, completed, written assessment document should be a ‘surprise’ to the family, although there may not always be agreement about those conclusions and recommendations.

All core assessments that require longer term social work intervention from fieldwork teams and resource units, should be taken out to the family, discussed, their comments included and signed by them. The rationale for this is that the family are made fully aware of the reasons for social work concern and continued involvement. Any areas of disagreement can be aired prior to transfer to the new worker.

Their signature will represent their agreement to further service provision. However, there will be situations where a signature/agreement is not forthcoming because of the contentious nature of the assessment outcome – particularly in child protection matters.

All completed assessments that do not require an ongoing service will be posted out to families. This assessment should include a ‘Parent/Carer/Child comments document, with a covering letter.

Assessments that are posted should also include a freepost return envelope or a stamped addressed envelope.

The assessment document itself requires the worker to complete a section to comment upon how the family has received the assessment. In addition the form ‘B02’ should indicate when the assessment was forwarded to the family, or taken out as necessary. If the assessment was sent out to the family, then there will be an accompanying letter on the file.

Assessments should not be sent or taken to families, where this would place the child at risk of Significant Harm. 

Assessments which implicate a ‘third person’ and could possibly place that person at risk, should be abridged. A letter to acknowledge that the assessment is abridged due to the confidentiality of information should be included with the assessment, and recorded on form ‘B02’.

Information which is likely to place a person at ‘risk’ should be removed from the assessment at the judgement of the worker, prior to being shared with the family.

The assessment document should be sent to the parent with whom the child/young person normally resides. The absent parent should be informed of the outcome of the assessment by letter, if they have been involved in the assessment.

The child/young person would not normally receive a copy of the assessment.

Other professionals would not receive a copy of the assessment and should request the same from the parent if required.

It is acknowledged that not all parents are literate and there will be occasions that require the worker to read the assessment to the parent if they are aware that no one else can.

In cases where the family do not speak English and the assessment is transferring to the fieldwork team or resource units an interpreter should be used.

Where assessments are posted to non English speaking families, an accompanying letter should be sent with the assessment (in the appropriate language) to advise that if the family cannot obtain help in reading the document, they should contact the social worker.

2. Core Assessments (with a Child Protection Enquiry)

Note: This procedure relates to Core Assessments incorporating Child Protection Enquiries conducted upon Children in Need believed to be suffering or likely to suffer from Significant Harm.  Procedures for Core Assessments which do not incorporate Child Protection Enquiries are contained in Section 1, Core Assessments (without Child Protection Enquiry).

2.1 Criteria for the Core Assessment (with Child Protection Enquiry)

This procedure applies to Core Assessments incorporating Child Protection Enquiries, conducted upon Children in Need believed to be suffering or likely to suffer from Significant Harm. 

2.2 Purpose of the Core Assessment (with a Child Protection Enquiry)

The purpose of the Core Assessment is to determine whether there is a continuing risk of Significant Harm to the child. The assessment will draw on information obtained during the assessment including that provided by partner agencies. 

A Child Protection Enquiry, as required by the Local Child Protection Procedures, is incorporated into this Core Assessment.

2.3 Timescales of the Core Assessment (with a Child Protection Enquiry)

Where a Core Assessment incorporates a Child Protection Enquiry, the Core Assessment, as far as it has been completed, will be presented as the report to the Initial Child Protection Conference, which must be convened within 15 days of the Strategy Discussion.

Where more than one Strategy Discussion has been held, the time-scale of 15 days starts from the date of the Strategy Discussion where a decision to convene the Child Protection Conference was made. 

The Initial Child Protection Conference will conclude the Core Assessment wherever possible or set the date for the first Core Group meeting to coincide with the end of the Core Assessment, which will be within 10 working days of the Initial Child Protection Conference.

2.4 Process of the Core Assessment (with a Child Protection Enquiry)

The Children and Families Service is responsible for the coordination and completion of the Core Assessment.

The Core Assessment incorporating a Child Protection Enquiry will be undertaken by the Social Worker jointly with the Police where it is suspected that a crime may have been committed. The process of gathering information is as set out in Process of the Core Assessment (without Child Protection Enquiry) for Core Assessments not incorporating a Child Protection Enquiry.

For Core Assessments carried out in relation to pre-birth referrals, Local Safeguarding Children Procedures.

Detail of the procedures for Child Protection Enquiries, including the arrangements for Video Recorded or other interviews and medical assessments are also contained in the Local Child Protection Procedures.

Where attempts to engage the child and parent in the Core Assessment are unsuccessful, the social worker and manager must consider what action or approach is required to safeguard the child and take legal advice as necessary.

A Core Assessment is deemed completed once the assessment has been discussed with the child and family and authorised by the manager.

2.5 Outcomes of the Core Assessment (with a Child Protection Enquiry)

A manager must sign and approve the outcomes of a Core Assessment and ensure that:

• There has been direct communication with the child and his or her views have been recorded and taken into account;
• All the children in the household have been seen and their needs considered;
• The parents have been seen and their views and wishes have been recorded and taken into account;
• The analysis has been completed;
• The chronology at the front of the file is up to date.

Following a Child Protection Enquiry a number of outcomes may take place or be authorised by the social worker’s team manager; they are:

1. That an Initial Child Protection Conference is convened and a decision reached to have a Child Protection Plan. If there are indicators that Significant Harm has taken place or is likely to take place, an Initial Child Protection Conference must be convened. If a decision is reached to make the child/ren the subject of a Child Protection Plan, a Core Group will be established. See West Yorkshire Consortium Procedures, 3.7 Implementation of the Child Protection Plan - Lead Social Worker and Core Group Responsibilities
   
   Consideration should be given by the date of the initial Child Protection Conference where one is convened to whether the Core Assessment has been completed or what further work is required before it is completed.
   
   In these circumstances the manager must consider whether or not sufficient information has been obtained to conclude the Core Assessment by the date of the Initial Conference. If not, the Core Assessment can continue up to the date  of the first Core Group meeting, which must be held within a maximum of 10 working days of the Conference;
2. That an Initial Child Protection Conference is convened but the child is not subject to a Child Protection Plan. 
   
   If there are indicators that Significant Harm has taken place or is likely to take place an Initial Child Protection Conference must be convened but the child is not subject to a Child Protection Plan.  
   
   In these circumstances the manager must consider whether or not sufficient information has been obtained to conclude the Core Assessment or continue it up to a maximum of 35 working days from the last Strategy Discussion;
3. That there are strong indicators that Significant Harm has not taken place and is not likely to; in which case, the manager may authorise that an Initial Child Protection Conference is not convened. In these circumstances the manager must consider whether or not sufficient information has been obtained to conclude the Core Assessment or continue it up to a maximum of 25 days.

In exceptional circumstances and only with the written authorisation of the Senior Care Manager, this timescale may be extended to 35 days. Examples of exceptional circumstances include the unexpected absence of the Social worker or an inability to see the child.

The social worker should record the outcome of the Core Assessment on the notification form and it should be entered onto ICS within 24 hours.

During the course and upon completion of the Core Assessment it will be necessary to decide what services should be provided. The services that will be appropriate will be different for each child, depending on his/her needs and should be set out in a Child in Need Plan, or where the child needs to be Looked After, a Care Plan and Placement Plan will be required. See Decision to Look After, Care and Permanence Planning Procedure.

Where services in a Child in Need Plan include financial assistance, the social worker should complete the appropriate Finance Form C87 and send it to the appropriate manager - see Click here for the delegated financial responsibilities. See also Financial Assistance to Children in Need Procedure.

2.6 Recording and Communicating  the Core Assessment (with a Child Protection Enquiry)

During the course of the Core Assessment, an age appropriate Core Assessment Record must be completed. 

Where the Core Assessment concludes that it may be appropriate for the child to be Looked After, a Care Plan and Placement Plan will be required. See Decision to Look After, Care and Permanence Planning Procedure.

Otherwise, a Child in Need Plan should be drawn up if services are provided.

All families who are the subject of assessments will receive a verbal summary of the worker’s findings and recommendations as part of finalising the assessment process. No information, conclusions, or recommendations contained within the final, completed, written assessment document should be a ‘surprise’ to the family, although there may not always be agreement about those conclusions and recommendations.

All core assessments that require longer term social work intervention from fieldwork teams and resource units, should be taken out to the family, discussed, their comments included and signed by them. The rationale for this is that the family are made fully aware of the reasons for social work concern and continued involvement. Any areas of disagreement can be aired prior to transfer to the new worker.

Their signature will represent their agreement to further service provision. However, there will be situations where a signature/agreement is not forthcoming because of the contentious nature of the assessment outcome – particularly in child protection matters.

All completed assessments that do not require an ongoing service will be posted out to families. This assessment should include a ‘Parent/Carer/Child comments document, with a covering letter.

Assessments that are posted should also include a freepost return envelope or a stamped addressed envelope.

The assessment document itself requires the worker to complete a section to comment upon how the family has received the assessment. In addition the form ‘B02’ should indicate when the assessment was forwarded to the family, or taken out as necessary. If the assessment was sent out to the family, then there will be an accompanying letter on the file.

Assessments should not be sent or taken to families, where this would place the child at risk of Significant Harm. 

Assessments which implicate a ‘third person’ and could possibly place that person at risk, should be abridged. A letter to acknowledge that the assessment is abridged due to the confidentiality of information should be included with the assessment, and recorded on form ‘B02’.

Information which is likely to place a person at ‘risk’ should be removed from the assessment at the judgement of the worker, prior to being shared with the family.

The assessment document should be sent to the parent with whom the child/young person normally resides. The absent parent should be informed of the outcome of the assessment by letter, if they have been involved in the assessment.

The child/young person would not normally receive a copy of the assessment.

Other professionals would not receive a copy of the assessment and should request the same from the parent if required.

It is acknowledged that not all parents are literate and there will be occasions that require the worker to read the assessment to the parent if they are aware that no one else can.

In cases where the family do not speak English and the assessment is transferring to the fieldwork team or resource units an interpreter should be used.

Where assessments are posted to non English speaking families, an accompanying letter should be sent with the assessment (in the appropriate language) to advise that if the family cannot obtain help in reading the document, they should contact the social worker.

End