Assessments help professionals to identify strengths, needs, risks and protective factors in the lives of the children and families they work with. They are an essential part of planning, deciding, and reviewing what action needs to be taken to support or safeguard children.
However, case reviews, research and reports repeatedly identify concerns around how assessments are conducted.1,2,1
Learning from case reviews highlights that professionals conducting assessments should:
References
Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel (2024) Annual report 2022/23: patterns in practice, key messages and 2023/24 work programme (PDF). [London]: Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel.Our series of thematic briefings highlight the learning from case reviews conducted when a child dies, or is seriously harmed, as a result of abuse or neglect. Each briefing focuses on a different topic or learning for specific sectors, pulling together key risk factors and practice recommendations.
References
Find out how you can apply the lessons from case reviews and improve your practice to help protect children and young people.
Browse through our list of child safeguarding practice reviews, serious case reviews, significant case reviews and child practice reviews which were added to the National case review repository in the last five years.
Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter alerting you to the case reviews we have added to the National collection of case reviews repository at the NSPCC.
Ten practice points designed to help social workers reflect on what makes a good quality assessment.
Top-line messages from research on conducting effective assessments in children’s social work – from challenges to enablers.
A strengths and evidence-based assessment tool to help professionals measure the quality of care provided by a parent or carer in meeting their child's needs.
