Conducting Initial and Core Assessments 2
Qualified Social Workers (2 years experience)

Initial and core assessments are specific examples of analytical recording and reporting. Social workers will benefit by attending the course on analytical recording before completing this course.

Assessment is a dynamic process, starting with information received at the point of referral. Undertaking both types of assessment requires an understanding of the guidance from Department of Health (2000) A Framework for the assessment of children in need and their families. This guidance refers to the need to respond to issues of welfare and protection. Qualified social workers should be familiar with the domains of the framework. This course will focus upon advanced aspects of information gathering, particularly around the views af children and young people. It will also address more advanced issues of analysis, recommendations and planning.

Recent research indicates that in completing core assessments, social workers express a commitment to understanding and finding out about children and young people. However the same research study, analysing core assessment reports indicated that social workers frequently portrayed narrowly defined and negative aspects of children’s identities. The study commented that there were many similarities in assessment reports prior to introduction to the framework.

The course will emphasise the barriers to the inclusion of children and young people’s voices in assessment . Principles of communication and engaging children and young people will be revisited. The questionnaires and scales developed alongside the framework will also be introduced in order to develop awareness of their value in gathering information relevant to the assessment. The value and importance of other sources of information will also be considered.

Information gathered forms the basis of professional judgments on intervention. These judgments may include the need for further specialist assessment. The judgments should be considered first on the basis of identified need and what is known to best address this need. A second stage is to make decisions regarding interventions in the light of availability of resources. The third stage is to construct a plan which will engage the child/young person and family in further work.

Plans are most effective when based upon SMART objectives. Objectives should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant to the assessment and have timescales attached.

The learning objectives:

By the end of this course learners should understand:

• The challenge, and necessity to include the voices of children and young people in assessments
• The importance of balancing bureaucratic constraints with spending time with children and young people and how this reflects professional beliefs and organisational constraints
• Their preferred communication style in giving information and how to develop this in order to fit with children and young people’s needs to develop their understanding of decisions which affect their lives
• The value of utilising scales and questionnaires along with other methods to assist children, young people and adults to develop their understanding and express a narrative about the important aspects of their lives
• The distinction between judgments and decisions in assessments
• How to construct plans with SMART objectives

Learning methods:

• Self evaluation exercise: skills- challenge matrix
• Tutor presentations
• Case studies
• Handouts
• Small group work
• Group Discussion