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Contents

1. Criteria for Initial Assessments 
2. Purpose of Initial Assessments 
3. Timescales of Initial Assessments 
4. Process of Initial Assessments 
5. Outcome of Initial Assessments 
6. Recording of Initial Assessments 

1. Criteria for Initial Assessments

An Initial Assessment must be undertaken in the following circumstances:

• Upon receipt of information which indicates a child meets the Prioritisation Criteria for a Child in Need:  if it appears that a child may have moderate to high needs.
• Upon obtaining new information or concerns about a child already receiving services, which indicates that a further Initial Assessment should be undertaken. 

Managers may also authorise an Initial Assessment upon a child who appears to meet the criteria for being a Child in Need.

2. Purpose of Initial Assessments

An Initial Assessment is defined as a brief assessment of each child referred to Specialist Children's Services and Safeguarding with a request for services to be provided or a brief assessment of new information received about a child who is already an open case.

The purpose of the Initial Assessment is to gather enough information to determine whether the child concerned is in need of services or action, which may be provided by the authority.

3. Timescales of Initial Assessments

Initial Assessments should be undertaken as soon as practicable, depending on the circumstances of the case, but within a maximum of ten working days from the receipt of the Referral or new information.

Any extension to this time-scale may be authorised by the practice manager, with reasons recorded, for example where a delay is necessary to arrange an interpreter or to avoid a religious festival, provided that the delay is consistent with the welfare of the child.  

The urgency of the situation may dictate that the timescale is much shorter than ten days; for example, where it is immediately clear a child is suffering or likely to suffer Significant Harm. 

In such circumstances, the Initial Assessment may be completed on the same day as a Referral is received, and a decision reached to conduct a Strategy Discussion leading to a Core Assessment incorporating a Child Protection Enquiry.

At the end of ten days, the practice supervisor must decide whether to initiate a Core Assessment. If information in relation to the assessment is outstanding, the manager should decide, on the basis of the information available, whether a Core Assessment is necessary.  That decision can then be reviewed once further information comes to light.

4. Process of Initial Assessments

The Initial Assessment should be led by qualified social worker, who is supervised by a highly experienced and qualified social work manager.

The Initial Assessment should be undertaken in line with Initial and Core Assessments Guidance. 

The social worker leads the Initial Assessment, and should carefully plan to carry out the following:

• Consider whether to see the child alone or with the parents
• Interview the child
• Interview the parents and any other relevant family members.
• Determine what the parents should be told of any concerns
• Consult with and consider contributions from all relevant agencies, including agencies covering previous addresses in the UK and abroad;

The child should be seen by the Lead Social Worker without his or her caregivers when appropriate and this should be recorded in the Initial Assessment Record. If it is determined that a child should not be seen as part of the Initial Assessment, this should be recorded by the practice manager with reasons, for example that a Child Protection Enquiry is to be initiated which will plan the method of contact with the child.

The parent's consent should usually be sought, before discussing a Referral about them with other agencies, unless this may place the child at risk of Significant Harm, in which case the manager should authorise the discussion of the referral with other agencies without parental knowledge or consent.  The authorisation should be recorded with reasons.

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 during the course of the Initial Assessment, it is discovered that a school age child is not attending an educational establishment, the social worker should contact the education service to establish a reason for this.

If there is suspicion that a crime may have been committed including sexual or physical assault or Neglect, the Police must be notified immediately.

For Initial Assessments carried out in relation to a pre-birth referral, see Pre-Birth Assessment Procedure and Section 6.8, Pre-birth Referral and Assessment of London Child Protection Procedures, 2007.

There are various records to be completed during an Initial Assessment which are outlined on Section 6, Recording of Initial Assessments.

5. Outcome of Initial Assessments

An Initial Assessment is deemed completed once the assessment has been discussed with the child and family and authorised by the manager. The manager must authorise the outcome of the Initial Assessment which may be one of the following:

1. The child is not a Child in Need; which may result in the provision of information, signposting to another agency and/or no further action.
2. The child is a Child in Need but does not appear to be suffering or likely to suffer Significant Harm.
   
   In these circumstances the manager may authorise the immediate provision of services and a Core Assessment if it is thought that further information is required and further assessment is necessary.
3. The child is a Child in Need and appears to be suffering or likely to suffer Significant Harm. In these circumstances a Strategy Discussion must be arranged with a view to conducting a Child Protection Enquiry and commencing a Core Assessment.

If it is determined that the child is a Child in Need, whether or not a Core Assessment is initiated, the manager may authorise or recommend the provision of protective, family support, other services or referrals to the Looked After services within the authority or partner agencies.

If the manager authorises the provision of services immediately or at a later date when they become available, a Child in Need Plan must be drawn up outlining the child's needs and the services to be provided. In relation to an open case, consideration should be given to whether the Child in Need Plan should be amended and/or reviewed.

6. Recording of Initial Assessments

The Initial Assessment Record Form must be completed by the social worker and this should include the date when the child was seen by the Lead Social Worker alone where appropriate or if  not alone, who was present and the reason for their presence. A copy should be provided to the parents, professional referrers and other agencies.

(Feedback on the outcome should be provided to non-professional referrers in a manner consistent with respecting the confidentiality of the child). 

The Chronology must be updated. 

End