Child Protection and Welfare Practice Handbook - Health Service ...

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98 Child Protection and Welfare Practice Handbook 3. Attention is focused on the most visible or pressing problems; case history and less ‘obvious’ details are insufficiently explored. Questions for Practitioners – ask yourself: • What is the most striking feature of this situation and if it were removed, would there still be concerns? • Have I considered the presenting issue in context? Have I carefully examined a case history or have I been tempted • to ignore it? Is there an up-to-date chronology from which trends and patterns • can be identified? 4. Insufficient weight is given to information from family, friends and neighbours. Questions for Practitioners – ask yourself: • Would I react differently if these reports had come from a different source? • How can I check whether or not they have substance? • Even if they are not accurate, could they be a sign that the family are in need of some help or support? 5. There is insufficient full engagement with parents (mothers/ fathers/other family carers) to assess risk. Questions for Practitioners – ask yourself: • Do I have the confidence to challenge parents appropriately and to be honest and open about my concerns while acknowledging strengths? What is my relationship with the parent(s) and how does this • influence my assessment? Have I spoken with, and listened properly to, those who know the • parents better than I do? Am I open to being deceived (seduced/intimidated/threatened)? • Have I unpicked and understood the difference between • perceived and actual risk? If not, how can I get support with this case? Do I know who lives in/frequents this house and have I assessed • their relationship to the child/potential risk? (continued)
Social Work Procedures and Practice Have I taken steps to get to know other significant adults/absent • parents who have a bearing on the child’s life? 6. Initial decisions that are overly focused on age categories of children can result in older children being left in situations of unacceptable risk. Questions for Practitioners – ask yourself: Have I made a robust assessment of the support that this young • person has in his/her formal/informal networks? • Am I overly optimistic about this young person’s resilience to presenting risks? • Would I treat this young person differently if he/she were a much younger child, and is that appropriate? • Have I probed this young person’s history/presentation regarding risk factors, including going missing, self-harm, suicidal ideation and signs of child sexual exploitation? 7. Throughout the initial assessment process, professionals do not clearly check that others have understood their communication. There is an assumption that information shared is information understood. Questions for Practitioners – ask yourself: • Am I open to being deceived? Am I open to and curious about information? • Do I understand rules of information sharing and protocols? • Do I ever use sentences like ‘Well, I’ve told X’ to alleviate my own • anxiety about a case? Do I own professional responsibility for my role or am I • overdependent on my manager? How can I ensure that information I have passed on has been • understood? 8. Case responsibility is diluted in the context of multi-agency working, impacting both on referrals and response. The Department may inappropriately signpost families to other agencies, with no follow-up. Questions for Practitioners – ask yourself: • Am I routinely writing to agencies to keep them informed at key points in a case, e.g. on completion of assessment, case closure or case transfer? (continued) 99
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Child Protection and Welfare Practi
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Equalities Statement Throughout the
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iv 2.7 Informal consultation 34 2.8
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vi 4 Support and Guidance for Pract
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viii I pay tribute to the dedicatio
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1 Introduction to Practice Handbook
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Introduction to the Practice Handbo
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Index A abuse categories of, 10-14
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Children First Implementation Offic
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hazards, exposure of children to, 1
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Q qualified privilege, defence of,
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NOTES
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What is the Child Protection and We
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