Product Description

This publication describes the framework for a systematic approach to gathering information about children in need and their families. It provides all the supporting documentation needed by social workers and agencies involved with the assessment of children in need. The text starts by outlining the legislation, responsibilities and principles that local authorities use to promote and safeguard children's welfare and assess their needs. The framework and assessment process is then detailed with reference to the needs of children in general and those who may be vulnerable. The book finishes by considering the arrangements which need to be in place to implement the new framework effectively.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13754 in Books
• Published on: 2000-04-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 121 pages

Customer Reviews

A good resource
The framework is a sound and fundamental tool for all social workers, whether they work with children and families or in other settings such as mental health where children may be involved.

It sets out how the government expects local children's departments to operate in accordance with the Children Act 1989 and how social services departments, NHS trusts, education and the Police should act when a child appears to be in need of services or when action needs to be taken to promote the safety and welfare of the child.

I did not find that the previous review of this document was helpful or fair; mainly due to the fact that it sets out how the local authority should be acting. It does not mean that it is only guidance for social workers although assessments that are undertaken under the framework are usually carried out by social workers. It is helpful to have this tool to understand how an assessment should be composed in order to take account of all of the child's circumstances in the context of the environment in which they live, and all agencies are responsible for contributing to the assessments. In this way, social workers can produce good thorough and analytical assessments without having to rely on their own information alone. The framwework clearly explains the importance of inter-agency working to enable such assessments to be compiled.

This document is issued under section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970, which requires local authorities in their social services functions to act under the general guidance of the Secretary of State. As such this document does not have the full force of statute, but should be complied with unless local circumstances indicate exceptional reasons which justify a variation. This includes staff shortages; however, each local authority should ensure that there are enough staff to undertake the work and that social workers are not overloaded. If this is not acheived, the local authority needs to take responsibility at a management level to remedy this.

Essentially, the guidance sets out good practice, which each individual social worker, manager and other professional should be practicing. For those who perhaps need clear, step by step instructions about the process of assessment or questionaires and exercises to complete, I would suggest purchasing a book which contains such material; there are plenty on the market that are useful and which compliment the Framework for the assessment of Children in Need and Thir families which after all is government guidance.

generally good information, but not C&F Team friendly
For those who have very little or no information of the framework for assessment of children in need, this book gives lots of sound information to get you started. However it does not go anywhere near the reality of the context for its use. The Author seems to have asummed that all social workers are trained to adhear to good practice whatever the constraints impossed by lack of supervision or no supervision let alon budgetry restraints and lack of staff. Also little has been said about the complexity and often very high risk cases that this framework will be used with, know one really works with the lower end of chils in need ,do they?. I am in favour of the call for evidence bassed recording and anaylisis but feel that this document could do more to encourage social workers to see that they already know and have a lot of this information and it is possible for them to place it under the headings of Child Development , Parent Capacity and Family and Social networks.

Summery This is a much needed book which is disapointing, I feel sure that updates will have more reality bassed encouragments, maybe in the form of brain tessers/questionairs, for very frustratted ,over worked and anxious social workers to benefit from. This will in tern benefit the children that we are attempting to support.