1.2.3 Initial Assessments

1. Definition and Timescale

1.1	An Initial Assessment is a brief assessment of a child referred to Children and Families to determine whether the child is a Child in Need, the nature of any services required and whether a further more detailed Core Assessment should be undertaken. Where a Common Assessment has been completed prior to referral, the Initial Assessment should build on the assessments already undertaken.
1.2	An Initial Assessment will be undertaken following a referral where the child reaches the threshold set out in the Levels of Need and Thresholds for Access to Children's Social Care Services in Hillingdon.
1.3	The Initial Assessment should be completed within a maximum of 10 working days from the date of the receipt of the referral but the timescale could be shorter depending on the child’s circumstances.
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. 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 Section 47 Enquiry.
1.5	Any extension to the time-scale may only be authorised by the team manager, with reasons recorded, for example where a delay is necessary to arrange an interpreter or to avoid a religious festival. An extension can only be authorised where such a delay is consistent with the welfare of the child.

2. Consent to an Initial Assessment

2.1	Subject to paragraph 2.3, Initial Assessments should be undertaken only with the knowledge and informed consent of at least one person holding Parental Responsibility (usually the parent/carer) and the child (depending on his or her age and understanding).
2.2	Subject to paragraph 2.3, further information should be sought from other agencies only with the knowledge and informed consent of a person holding Parental Responsibility and the child (depending on age and understanding).
2.3	An exception to this is 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/Meeting.

3. Conducting an Initial Assessment

3.1	Cases requiring Initial Assessment will be allocated to a social worker with appropriate qualifications, skills and experience and the allocated worker will be recorded on the child's electronic record. A highly experienced and qualified social work manager should supervise the qualified social worker.
3.2	The social worker leads the Initial Assessment following the Assessment Framework, and should carefully plan to carry out the following: Retrieve and consider any previous records held on the child and/or family including the Common Assessment Form where this had been completed prior to the referral. All relevant information, including information about the history and functioning of the family both currently and the past, and adult problems such as domestic violence, substance misuse, mental illness and criminal behaviour/convictions, should be taken into account. Interview the child taking into account his or her age or understanding and consider whether to see the child alone or with the parents. The date when the child is seen, and whether the child was seen alone, should be recorded in the Initial Assessment Record. If the child was not seen alone, who was present and the reasons should also be recorded. (See also paragraph 3.4) Interview the parents and any other relevant family members including other children in the household who are not also the subject of an Initial Assessment. 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 (see 3.7); Take into account any issues arising from the child’s and/or parents' disability (see Section 4, Communication) Have regard to the first language of the child and the family members (see Section 4, Communication)
3.3	Where a Lead Professional had previously been appointed for the child, the social worker should agree with the Lead Professional who should continue to coordinate the services currently in place.
3.4	Any decision not to see the child during an Initial Assessment must be approved by the team manager and recorded. This may be, for example, where the child appears to be at risk of Significant Harm and a Section 47 Enquiry is likely to follow, in which case the Strategy Discussion/Meeting will plan the method of contact with the child.
3.5	There should be a separate Initial Assessment in relation to each child in the family.
3.6	Where a Common Assessment Form (CAF) has been completed, the social worker may need to contact the referrer or the person who completed the CAF to ascertain: Whether there were any concerns about Significant Harm Whether there were any attributes on the part of the parents such as physical or mental illness, learning disability, alcohol or substance abuse, domestic abuse or a history of abusing children which affect their ability to respond appropriately to their children's needs Whether there are any adults involved who may pose a risk of Significant Harm to the child The date when the CAF was completed, if undated If it is not clear from the CAF, whether the child was seen as part of the Common Assessment
3.7	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 Office or the relevant Embassy or Consulate and/or Children and Families Across Borders (formerly known as International Social Services).
3.8	Where information comes to light during the course of the Initial Assessment that a child of school age is not registered with a school, or is not attending, the education service should be informed.
3.9	If, during the course of the Initial Assessment, there is suspicion and/or evidence that a child may be exposed to or involved with criminal activity, the Police Child Abuse Investigation Unit or other relevant agencies must be notified immediately.

4. Communication

4.1	In planning the Initial Assessment and in providing the parent and child (depending on age and understanding) with feedback, the social worker must consider and address any communication issues, for example language or disability.
4.2	Where a child or parent speaks a language other than that spoken by the social worker, an interpreter should be provided. Any decision not to use an interpreter in such circumstances must be approved by the team manager and recorded.
4.3	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. Where the child has had a communication assessment, its conclusions and recommendations should be observed.

5. Complaints and Representations

5.1	All service users should be given a complaints leaflet at the start of their involvement with Children and Families.

6. Conclusions and Outcomes of Initial Assessment

6.1

An Initial Assessment is deemed completed once the assessment has been discussed with the child and family and authorised by the manager. All Initial Assessments 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;
Identification of whether further assessment is required
An Initial Plan which sets out any further actions required

6.2

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/service or provision of information and advice - case closed;
Provision of services within a Child's Plan – see Child's Plans and Review Procedure and Access to Family Support Services Procedure for the range of resources available;
Where the child appears to have complex needs and/or the assessment requires greater depth in some areas to clarify exactly whet the child's needs are and what type of services are required to meet the needs, a Core Assessment will be required – see Core Assessment Procedure.
There may be a need to commission a specialist assessment see Access to Family Support Services Procedure and/or provide accommodation for the child – see Decision to Look After and Care Planning 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/Meeting should be held (see Strategy Discussion/ Meetings Procedure) to consider the need for a Section 47 Enquiry as part of a Core Assessment.
There may be a need for immediate legal action to protect the child - see Application for Emergency Protection Order Procedure.

6.3

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.

7. Recording an Initial Assessment, Initial Plan and starting a Chronology

7.1

The social worker will complete an Initial Assessment Record in respect of each child assessed. The date when the child was seen, and whether the child was seen alone, should be recorded in the Initial Assessment Record. If the child was not seen alone, who was present and the reasons should also be recorded.

Where further action is required following an Initial Assessment, other then referral to agency/service or provision of information and advice, an Initial Plan will also be completed setting out the initial steps to be taken and interim management arrangements for the case.

Where a Common Assessment Form has been completed, it will be sufficient for the Initial Assessment Record to include "please refer to Common Assessment Form" rather than repeat the information.

Where the Initial Assessment is very brief, for example when it is immediately apparent that there is reasonable cause to believe that the child may be suffering Significant Harm and urgent intervention is required to safeguard the child's welfare, it will be sufficient to record that the Initial Assessment Record has been completed and indicate that the decision made as to its outcome is set out in an Initial Plan.

The Initial Assessment Record and Initial Plan must be passed to the team manager for approval. Where a Common Assessment Form has been completed, this must be passed to the team manager too. The team manager will sign off the Record and Initial Plan to confirm approval of the Initial Assessment as of a satisfactory standard. The date of approval should also be recorded.

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 of the Initial Assessment Record and Initial Plan within 5 working days.

7.2

Subject to considerations of the child and family’s confidentiality and their consent, the outcome of the Initial Assessment and the Initial Plan should also be shared in writing with the referrer and other agencies involved within 5 working days.

7.3

In all cases where an Initial Plan is required, the social worker will also start to compile a Chronology on ICS.

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