Either you, or someone else on your behalf, has asked Social Services for help with some difficulty you are having which affects your child (or children).

 

Before we can help you, we need to know more about you and your family. This will involve collecting information, talking this through with you and agreeing what might be done. We call this an assessment.

Through making an assessment of your situation, it should be possible to see what help and support you and your family might need, and who could best give that help.

 

Information will be gathered and written down. Although social workers and other professionals will normally take the lead in completing the assessment, this should always be done in a way which helps you to take part.

Any information you give us will be held in confidence by the professionals involved in the assessment. If there is a need to discuss the information with anyone else, we will normally ask your permission.

 

The only exception to this is if information comes to light which, in the professional's view, may indicate a serious threat to the welfare of the child. If this is the case, you will be told what your rights are in this new situation.

Completing an assessment usually means a social worker will meet with you and members of your family a number of times, although sometimes one or two visits may be enough.

 

When children are old enough to take part in the assessment the social worker will help them to do so.

The assessment will take into consideration your ethnic and cultural background.

 

If required, help will be provided in your first language, or with a signer if someone in your family has a hearing impairment.

 

When other people are already helping you and your family, it is likely the social worker will talk to them too. We shall discuss this with you.

 

If you do not agree with what the social worker says in the assessment, there will be an opportunity for you to record your point of view on the assessment record.

 

The purpose of assessment is to draw up a plan of action to meet the needs of your child (or children) and to agree what help you might need to enable you to meet you child's needs. You will be given a copy of the assessment summary and plan.

 

We aim to undertake an assessment within three working days of a referral.

We know that almost all parents want to do their best for their children, and completing the assessment will help social workers recognise the strengths you and your family have, as well as your difficulties.

 

We can help you best if you tell us about what you do well in your family and what you find most difficult. We will keep you informed about what we are doing and thinking.

 

An assessment is an important part of our working with you. In a very small number of cases, there are serious concerns about a child's safety. Making sure the child is safe will be our first concern. Please ask your social worker to explain this to you. You have a right to know.

We will listen carefully to what you have to say, offer advice and, if necessary, support to help you bring up your children and resolve your difficulties.

We know that with a little help most families can sort out their own problems, and our aim is to try to help you do that.

 

We will try our best to offer you any services you need as soon as possible, but there are often many more people needing services that there are services to give. This means that sometimes, although everyone is agreed that you need a service, it might not be available at the time. If this happens, we will always look to find an alternative, but we cannot guarantee to provide a particular service.