1.2.3 Initial Assessments

1. Definition and Timescale

1.1	A decision to gather more information constitutes an Initial Assessment. This decision should be made by a Senior Practitioner or a Children's Social Care Manager.
1.2	An Initial Assessment is defined as a brief assessment of each child referred to Children’s Social Care with a request for services to be provided.
1.3	While the Initial Assessment must be completed within seven days of the referral, it should be completed more quickly where it is clear that there is a need to take action urgently. There will be certain cases where this is a clear cut decision – for example where it is demonstrated that a child has suffered or is at immediate risk of suffering Significant Harm.
1.4	The circumstances in which an Initial Assessment is likely to be very brief will include when it is immediately or rapidly apparent that there is reasonable cause to believe that the child may be suffering, or at risk of suffering, Significant Harm and urgent intervention is required to safeguard the child’s welfare, or where the child’s needs are not complex and can be determined in a period of less than 10 working days.
1.5	If the Initial Assessment relates to Domestic Violence, reference must be made to chapter 6.5 of the SCB Procedures, Domestic Violence.
1.6	Ultimately the decision as to how much information is required in an Initial Assessment before a Strategy Meeting is initiated is a social work judgement which is the responsibility of the Team Management. Two principles should, though be applied: The purpose of an Initial Assessment is to decide the direction in which the case needs to progress. Where there is evidence which justifies immediate protective action, there is no point in prolonging the Initial Assessment; and The Strategy Meeting (see Chapter 4.5 SCB Procedures, The Strategy Discussion and Strategy Meetings) is an outcome of the Initial Assessment, and continuing an Initial Assessment beyond the Strategy meeting is not recognised as a social work process in the Integrated Children’s System. See ICS Detailed Guidance.

2. Consent to Referrals

2.1	Subject to Paragraph 2.3, assessments should be undertaken only with the knowledge and informed consent of at least one person holding Parental Responsibility (a parent) and the child who is Fraser Competent). (See Consents Guidance and Mental Act Capacity Guidance - to follow).
2.2	Other agencies should be consulted during the course of an Initial Assessment. Where the referral information contains allegations of abuse and Neglect or serious child care concern, it is not necessary to seek permission from parents before consulting other agencies (see Paragraph 2.3) even in child protection cases, consent is always good practice. In other circumstances it is good practice to discuss with parents the involvement of other agencies in an assessment but if a parent were strongly opposed to a particular agency being consulted, then the opportunity to carry out a useful assessment would be compromised. In these circumstances the interests of the child is the paramount consideration in deciding whether to proceed with the assessment without the parents’ agreement or not. Social workers should seek advice from their team management on individual cases where this is a problem. The CSCM must record in case notes where they decide to override parent’s consent and include reasons.
2.3	Exceptions may be made in those cases where there are concerns of Significant Harm and where it appears that seeking parental and/or the child’s consent may increase the risk to the child and/or prejudice any police investigation. In these cases, assessments should be undertaken and information sought from other agencies as appropriate without consent; however, the issue and timing of information sharing with parents and children should be discussed and agreed during the initial Strategy Discussion.

3. Types of Cases for Initial Assessment

3.1

The Children's Social Care Manager in KAT is responsible for deciding whether an initial assessment would be appropriate (see Contacts and Referrals Procedure). However, referrals concerning the following are likely to require initial assessments but not definitively, it is the assessment of the social worker which informs the managers decision:

Abuse or Neglect (including significant domestic abuse);
Disability;
Parental illness or disability;
Family in acute stress;
Family dysfunction;
Socially unacceptable behaviour;
Low income;
Absent parenting;
Asylum seekers.

4. Conducting an Initial Assessment

4.1	Where the outcome of a Referral is Initial Assessment the CSCM must assign the task to a social worker within 24 hours of receipt of the contact. Initial Assessments will be led by a qualified social worker supervised by a highly experienced and qualified social work manager (Working Together 2010, 5.41).
4.2	Initial assessments are likely to be limited to the gathering of information already available about the child and family. Information should always be sought from other agencies involved with the child and/or family. See ICS Guidance chapter section 3.0 for details regarding recording on ICS.
4.3	Involving other agencies in gathering and providing information may include arranging a medical assessment where the child’s physical welfare or development is in doubt.
4.4	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) should be taken into account (Working Together 2010, 5.41).
4.5	As well as those agencies currently involved with the child and any previously involved who may have relevant information, an Initial Assessment should also involve the family. It is now a legal requirement to involve the child in the Initial Assessment. The child should be seen by the Lead Social Worker during the Initial Assessment without his or her caregivers when appropriate (Working Together, 5.42) and this should be recorded in the Initial Assessment Record (Working Together, 5.47). If for some reason it is not possible to see the child at all during an Initial Assessment (for example if the child has gone missing), the reason must be recorded in the Initial Assessment. Therefore a case should on no account be closed without the child in question having been seen and their views recorded if possible.
4.6	There should be an assessment of the needs of each child in need in the family and household (siblings and others e.g. cousin, private fostering arrangement). It would be the exception for an assessment to be undertaken on one child and not on other children in the family / household.
4.7	It may be appropriate to provide simple Section 17 services during an Initial Assessment.
	Children from Overseas
4.8	Where information comes to light during the course of the assessment that the child has previously lived overseas information should be obtained from the parent/carer as to where they lived. Subsequently enquiries should be made via the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the relevant Embassy or Consulate and/or International Social Services.
	Children not in School
4.9	Where information comes to light during the course of the assessment that a child of school age is not registered with a school, or is not attending, the education service should be informed.

5. Communication

5.1	In planning the Initial Assessment and in providing the parent and child (depending on age and understanding) with feedback, the Children's Social Care Manager or social worker will need to consider and address any communication issues, for example language or impairment.
5.2	Where a child or parent speaks a language other than that spoken by the social worker, an interpreter should be provided via the Borough translation and interpreting service. Any decision not to use an interpreter in such circumstances must be approved by the Children's Social Care Manager and recorded.
5.3	Where a child or parent with disabilities has communication difficulties it may be necessary to use alternatives to speech. In communicating with a child with such difficulties, it may be particularly useful to involve a person who knows the child well and is familiar with the child’s communication methods. It is important that where there are concerns regarding the care of the child that the parent or carer are not the person offering support in terms of communication.
5.4	Where the child has had a communication assessment, its conclusions and recommendations should be observed.

6. Complaints and Representations

6.1	All service users should be given a complaints leaflet at the start of their involvement with Children’s Social Care.

7. Conclusions and Outcomes of Initial Assessment

7.1	An Initial Assessment is deemed completed once the assessment has been discussed with the child and family and authorised by the manager (Working Together 2010, 5.39).
7.2	Any assessment should result in: An analysis of the needs of the child and the parenting capacity to respond appropriately to those needs within the family context; Identification of whether and, if so, where intervention will be required to secure the wellbeing of the child; A realistic plan of action (including services to be provided) detailing who has responsibility for action, a timetable and a process for review.
7.3	There is a range of possible further actions from an initial assessment and more than one of the following can apply: No further action - case closed; Referral to agency or service - case closed; Provide short term services within a Family Support or Child in Need Plan transfer the case to a Family Centre. See section 2.7 ICS Guidance; The child may appear to have complex needs, in which case a Core Assessment will be required see Core Assessment Procedure. There may be a need to commission a specialist assessment, and/or provide accommodation for the child see Decision to Look After and Post Placement Procedure; A specialist assessment; Refer to CAF team. (Where ongoing support and services have been identified following the closure of CSC involvement, the CAF team should be notified and a request made to support the lead practitioner / multi agency action plan. The task can be reassigned to the CAF work tray to support this process, and for them to collate the appropriate information and record that they have received the referral); Other Action; Provide Short Term Services (See Child in Need Plans and Reviews Procedure; Provide Accommodation (See Decision to Look After and Post Placement Procedure); There may be reason to believe that the child may be suffering, or at risk of suffering, significant harm, in which case a Strategy Discussion should be held (see Chapter 4.5 SCB Procedures, The Strategy Discussion and Strategy Meetings) to consider the need for a Section 47 Enquiry as part of the Core Assessment. There may be a need for immediate legal action to protect the child, which must be authorised by a Service Manager. The outcome should be recorded on Protocol With the exception of No Further Action, more than one outcome can be selected. For detailed guidance see ICS Guidance chapter Outcomes of Initial Assessments, Section 3.4.
7.4	Note that these outcomes are not mutually exclusive. For example, where an Initial Assessment concludes that a Core Assessment is necessary, the immediate provision or arranging of other services should always be considered.

8. Recording an Initial Assessment

8.1	The (qualified) social worker will complete and sign (electronically) an Initial Assessment Record in respect of each child assessed. The social worker will ensure that the completed assessment is sent to their line manager by day 7 of the 10 day process, leaving the manager sufficient time to read and authorise the assessment or to return it to the worker if further work or information is required. Unless doing so would increase any risk of significant harm or jeopardise any police investigation, the parent and child of sufficient age and understanding will be given a copy within 7 working day. The Social Worker should ensure that Protocol (See Section 3.4 ICS Guidance) is updated.
8.2	Subject to considerations of the child and family’s confidentiality and their consent, the outcome of the Initial Assessment should also be shared in writing with the referrer and other agencies involved.
8.3	When the Initial assessment represents the end of the service, an end of service customer service feedback form should be given to the service user and recorded on case notes in ICS. This should be sent with the Initial Assessment and letter to advise of the outcome. Where the child is of sufficient age and understanding they should also be sent a copy of the Initial Assessment and the End of Service Feedback form.

End

1.2.3 Initial Assessments

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