NCJ Number
196866
Journal
Child Abuse Review Volume: 11 Issue: 4 Dated: July/August 2002 Pages: 195-213
Editor(s)
Margaret A. Lynch,
David Gough
Date Published
July 2002
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and Their Families introduced by the Department of Health in England and explores common issues encountered by professionals working with the Assessment Framework in terms of blocks to effective assessments in cases of child neglect.
Abstract
Introduced by the Department of Health in England, the Assessment of Children in Need and Their Families offers guidance to improve assessment practice and promote better outcomes for children and their families. The Assessment Framework centers on an assessment triangle consisting of three interrelated systems: the child’s developmental needs, parenting capacity, and family and environmental factors. The implementation of the Assessment Framework in cases of child neglect is dependent on both clear national guidance and a local multidisciplinary strategy for change. This article identifies some of the most common blocks to the effective implementation of this change strategy. Effective, child-focused implementation of the framework is dependent on all staff in organizations engaged in the assessment of cases of child neglect understanding the principles of the framework, thereby ensuring the cases that are assessed are dealt with purposefully in a child focused manner. References