How Children In Need Framework
is progressing in the UK
The UK has made considerable modifications to the assessment and planning framework and the overall concept of standardisation, accountability and seamless services for children in need.
The original designers of the Children In Need Framework have conducted and published an evaluation of its implementation in 24 councils. An audit of 100 consecutive referrals and all proceeding initial and core assessments was undertaken. A qualitative study of 52 cases in which parents/carer(s) children over 10 years, workers were interviewed. Time taken to carry out the various elements of a core assessment was also examined. Training of workers on the Framework was examined.
The evaluation demonstrated the value of the CIN Framework in terms of:
- Transparency
- Focused approach
- Increased consultation with the family
- Recording views of the family
- Discussing issues where parents and professionals disagree
- Increased inter-agency collaboration.
- Social workers spent more time with clients
- Higher quality in record keeping
- Social workers had more confidence in decision making and planning for children in need
Difficulties with the CIN Framework:
- Recording practice showed a very low rate of using the Core assessment, reason given for this varied from worker resistance to resource shortages (access to computers)
- Recording client comments and signatures were not done in the majority of audited assessments.
- Timeframes – there were more occasions when time frames were not met than were met.
- Training – the evaluation demonstrated that short one off courses were less effective than mentoring, action learning sets or practice workshops.
Assessing children’s needs and circumstance: the impact of the Assessment Framework
Summary and Recommendations
(Hedy Cleaver, Steve Walker and Pam Meadows)
can be obtained from: Department of health Publications quote ref 31350
PO Box 777 London SE1 6XH tel (0)8701555455 email doh@prolog.uk.com
The full report is published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London 2003
The UK has developed The Integrated Children’s Systems (ICS) of which Children In Need is a part. ICS is designed to help social services managers and practitioners working with colleagues from other agencies to improve outcomes for children and their families. It builds upon the Children In Need framework and the Looking After Children materials and offers a single approach to undertaking the key processes of assessment, planning, intervention and review based on an understanding of children’s developmental needs in the context of their families and communities.
Scales and Questionnaires
The UK has produced a set of Scales and Questionnaires to use with children and or families which may be helpful in the assessment process. They are available in their original format from the UK Dept. of Health.