Assessing families

At any stage in the child protection process, from the initial assessment onwards, social workers may decide to carry out a core assessment on a child to help with their decision making.

Why we carry out assessments

All parents want to do their best for their children. We provide extra help to ensure that together we meet children’s needs.

Our aim is to help parents, wherever possible, to bring up their children themselves. It is vital that we work with families rather than take over from them.

Children and families need a variety of local services and so we work closely with the Education Service, Health Service, Voluntary Organisations and, in some circumstances, the Police.

Sometimes we have to become involved with families even though they do not want us to, because of the seriousness of the concerns.

How to get more information

If you or you family are involved in a core assessment, please see our frequently asked questions in the box below. A copy of this information is available in the form of a fact sheet which can be downloaded on the left.

If you feel you would like to speak to someone about this process, please contact Children First on the details below.

Assessing families frequently asked questions

1. Why is my child/family having an assessment?

You or someone else on your behalf has asked us to help with problems you may have which affect your child or children.

Before we can help you we need to know more about you, your children, your wider family and situation.

We need to find out about the things your family is good at, as well as the difficulties you are facing. We do this by talking to you, collecting information and agreeing with you what will happen next. We call this an assessment.

We may also ask other individuals or organisations, for example, your doctor or your child’s school. We will ask your permission to do this, unless information comes to light about a possible serious threat to your child’s welfare.

We hold your information in confidence within our service. We ask for your permission wherever possible if we discuss this information with anyone else or need to share the information.

2. What will happen next?

Completing an assessment means a social worker will meet with you, members of your family and possibly someone who already knows you or is working with you, like a health visitor.

The social worker will meet your child or children and talk to them on their own. The assessment takes account of your ethnic and cultural background. We provide help in your first language.

Very importantly, there will be an opportunity for you to record your point of view.

We will keep you informed about what we are doing and thinking.

If we have serious concerns about your child’s safety then making sure your child is safe will always be our first concern.

3. What will you do to help us?

When we have all the information, we agree a plan with you and you will get a copy of the assessment and plan. We will discuss with you the services we can provide to help.

We may also put you in touch with other organisations which can help.

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

4. Will the police be involved in the assessment?

If we think a child has been harmed or abused then we pass that information on to the police.

This does not mean that in all cases a criminal investigation will be undertaken or that there will have to be any further police involvement.

We take all information, including information held by the police, into account before we make a decision about how to protect the child from further harm.

Contact information

If you want to contact us regarding the content of this page please contact us at:

children.first@southampton.gov.uk
023 8083 3336
Children First Team Southampton City Council

For any other council related enquiries please contact:

enquiries@southampton.gov.uk
023 8083 3000
General Enquiries Civic Centre, SO14 7LY