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Assessment in Children’s Services

Assessment in Children’s Services. Definition of Assessment Defining Children in Need The Assessment Process & the National Assessment Framework Case Study Gloucestershire’s Common Language Assessment and Child Action Model. What is an assessment?.

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Assessment in Children’s Services

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  1. Assessment in Children’s Services • Definition of Assessment • Defining Children in Need • The Assessment Process & the National Assessment Framework • Case Study • Gloucestershire’s Common Language Assessment and Child Action Model

  2. What is an assessment? • ‘To judge or decide the amount, value, quality or importance of something’ OED • ‘Assessment is not an end in itself. It is the essential precursor to the provision of the right services’ • Assessment is an ongoing process

  3. Children Act 1989 • ‘Every authority has a general duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need…. By providing a range and level of services appropriate to those needs’ Section 17 • Every local authority shall take…steps to identify the extent to which there are children in need within their area’ Schedule 2

  4. Defining children in need • ‘A child shall be taken to be in need if – • a) he is unlikely to achieve or maintain or to have the opportunity of achieving or maintaining, a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision for him of services by a local authority… • b) his health or development is likely to be significantly impaired, or further impaired, without the provision for him of such services; or • c) he is disabled.. CA 1989 s17(10)

  5. Defining children in need...

  6. The Assessment Process • Assessing whether a child is in need and the nature of those needs requires a systematic approach which uses the same framework or conceptual map for gathering and analysing information about all children and their families, but discriminates effectively between different types and levels of need’ NAF 2000

  7. The Assessment Process • Assessment involves: • Gathering information • Analysing the information • distinguishing between different types and levels of need • identifying services

  8. The Assessment Process…gathering Information using the National Assessment Framework

  9. Exercises & Case Study • From the information provided identify specific needs that Simon and Sarah have. • 20 minutes

  10. Case study - Needs • Simon needs not to be hit by his mum • Simon and Sarah need to be supervised at home and not be left alone • Simon needs to learn better ways of expressing his feelings • Simon needs mum to be able to spend more time with him • Simon needs help to understand why his sister is different from him and why she needs a lot of attention • Sarah and Simon need mum to be less tired and irritable • Sarah needs to catch up with her development • Simon needs to attend school • Children need mum to be able to communicate with them in more positive ways • Mum needs to be reassured that social services want to help her • Simon needs his own space

  11. Case Study - Type and level of needs • For each need identified make a judgement about how serious they are using the Children Act thresholds of: • (1) Likely impairment • (2) Actual impairment • (3) Significant impairment • 10 minutes

  12. Case Study - Outcomes & Services • For each need identified, specify what outcomes you would want for this family and provide a timescale for each outcome • (Identify what services are required to meet the needs and outcomes specified. Relate each service to a specific outcome • 30 minutes

  13. Case study - Outcomes.. • For Simon to report that he is not being hit by his mum and for no injuries to be seen - immediate • For Simon and Sarah not to be left alone unsupervised - immediate • For Simon to return to school within 1 month • For Simon’s biting to reduce within 2 months • For Simon to be able to sit quietly in class for 15 minutes at a time – 2 months • For Simon to be able to tell someone when he is feeling angry - 3 months • For Simon to be able to say why his sister is different – 3 months • For Simon to have some time alone with his mum - immediate • For mum to be able to talk to the children in a positive way – 1 month • For Sarah’s weight to have increased by 15% within 2 months • For mum to report that she is feeling less tired – 3 months • For mum to feel able to accept help from social services and other agencies • For Simon to have his own room within 6 months

  14. Case Study - Services

  15. Assessment, Plan and Review • Assessment is first step in process not an end in itself • A good assessment will produce a plan • Intervention - implement plan • Review effectiveness of plan • Reassess and modify plan • Circular and ongoing process

  16. Common Language & Assessment • References in Government guidance - Guidance to Children Act 1989 National Assessment Framework “Effective collaboration requires a common language to understand the needs of children…” Every Child Matters - Next Steps “A common assessment framework should help to identify... needs earlier and avoid duplication between agencies

  17. Why is it necessary? • Professionals from different agencies often use the same terms to describe different things • Each agency uses different assessment tools • Families often subjected to multiple assessments by different professionals • Intrusive, stigmatising, confusing, costly and inconsistent

  18. What happened? • Introduction of National Assessment Framework 2000 • Research indicates that while it is good at gathering information it offers little guidance regarding analysis

  19. Gloucestershire’s response • Development of common language assessment model that: a) incorporates NAF b) provides tool for analysis of information gathered

  20. The assessment process using the common language model • Gather information - NAF • Identify needs - relating to child rather than services • Make a judgement about the level of need - apply a threshold • Specify realistic outcomes to be achieved • Identify appropriate services to meet needs and outcomes specified

  21. Multi Agency Single Agency Complex needs - impairment SSD Threshold Threshold Low level needs - likely impairment High level needs- significant impairment Continuum of Need How does it complement the Child Action Model? • Child Action Model

  22. How does it work? CIRCUMSTANCES NEEDS THRESHOLD OUTCOMES SERVICES LIVING SITUATION FAMILY & SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS SOCIAL & ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR PHYSICAL & PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT

  23. Implementation • Training in CL assessment model has been provided to: • all social services fieldwork staff • Child Action Project staff • Health Visitors • School Nurses • EWO’s • Reintegration staff

  24. Thank you and good luck in your social work careers!

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