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Listen
Chapter Three: The Integrated Assessment, Records and Planning Framework
3.1 This chapter reviews the findings of the consultation exercise in relation to the integrated assessment, records and planning framework.
3.2 The consultation paper states that the Integrated Assessment Planning and Recording Framework ( IAF) would:
- Require every worker and every agency to be accountable and acknowledge their responsibilities for the development and wellbeing of children and young people.
- Apply to everyone working with children and young people, whether they are part of a universal service such as education, primary health care or the police, or whether they are in a more specialist, targeted service such as social work, school care accommodation, secure accommodation services, acute/tertiary health services or child psychological services.
- Be used by all those working in both the voluntary and statutory agencies.
- Require agencies to share information in order to promote the best interests and welfare of all children.
- Support the integration of a range of information and assessment from different professionals and agencies into a coherent view of a child's experiences, strengths and needs.
- Improve the consistency and quality of assessments for all children.
3.3 The consultation paper proposed the concept of the assessment triangle as being a key element of the IAF. The assessment triangle identifies generic areas important in the development of all children, which should be taken into account when assessing children and young people. The assessment triangle builds on work done by the Department of Health, Department for Education and Skills and the Home Office and sets it within a Scottish context. It takes account of the important principles set out in the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 with particular focus on the requirement to listen to and take account of the views of children and young people, and to working in partnership with parents.
3.4 The assessment triangle exists to guide thinking about the child's development in its widest context and to remind all professionals of their responsibilities for the child's total wellbeing. The consultation paper makes it clear that the level of detail involved in any assessment should be proportionate to the concerns or needs identified. It also states that the assessment may be progressed through a variety of routes and that a full interdisciplinary assessment should only be needed when the agency that first identifies a concern is unable to resolve it without the help of others.
Emphasis and guidance about the child's involvement
3.5 The Integrated Assessment Framework proposes measures to benefit all children and young people - not just those with additional support needs, those in need or those requiring care and protection. In doing so the Framework tries to emphasise the involvement of children.
3.6 The consultation papers asked:
"… is there sufficient emphasis and guidance about the child's involvement and are there sections which need strengthening to make sure that the child or young person is at the heart of the process?"
3.7 While a majority of respondents said they felt there is currently sufficient emphasis and guidance about children's involvement, over 40% said that this was not currently the case. A substantial proportion of respondents (almost 40%) offer suggestions about how the IAF could be strengthened to ensure that children are at the heart of the process.
3.8 Almost 70% of respondents commented on the assessment triangle. While a small majority of respondents did not identify any gaps in the assessment triangle a substantial number of respondents (49%) made suggestions about how the assessment triangle could be strengthened.
3.9 The main theme around how the assessment framework needs strengthened is the need to emphasise the importance of seeking the views of children and engaging with their family in identifying their needs. Many respondents are on the whole satisfied that there is sufficient emphasis within the IAF on ensuring the child's involvement. For example the Scottish Human Rights Centre states that:
"… this will require extensive training for the professionals involved in the process on how best to involve and work with the child/young person."
3.10 East Lothian Council seeks "clearer guidance on how to secure the child's involvement", and suggest that "a 'toolbox' of age appropriate work material which can be used to engage with the child and ascertain their views would be of considerable assistance to practitioners". West Lothian Council seeks further clarification about:
"… how to integrate views of siblings and parents/carer if the assessment is so individual child focussed."
3.11 The Scottish Association of Children's Panels also raise the concern that the IAF includes:
"… no mention of the need for agencies to listen to the child or to explain to the child what is happening and why."
They go on to point out that:
"… this is something that is at the heart of all training for Panel Members. It is a significant gap in the duties and responsibilities as set down here."
3.12 Flowing from this concern is the need for training across all agencies to promote increased child and parental involvement. West Lothian Council note that:
"… to fully consult with very young children, children with learning and other disabilities and children affected by serious child abuse, is a skill which requires training in communication and a knowledge of the issues such children face."
3.13 The need to involve specialists is echoed by the Looked After and Accommodated Mental Health Team at Yorkhill Hospital, who believe that:
"Panel Members and social services could benefit from further support from services where there are professionals who have the experience to give views on a child's communication, whether elicited through verbal or non-verbal means such as their play or other aspects of behaviour."
3.14 Training is also raised in relation to practical matters more generally. For example East Dunbartonshire Children's Services Core Group note that:
"… the practical issues and obstacles to implementation, resourcing and training needs must all be acknowledged."
Stirling Council states that:
"Multi-agency guidance and training of staff on the use of the assessment triangle will be necessary if all staff are to be able to contribute to the process effectively."
Views on the assessment triangle
3.15 The assessment triangle has been developed to provide a common approach to working with children and their families using similarly defined language and to recognise positive as well as negative factors in a child's life. In doing so it has tried to capture the child's world, and issues such as key transition points for children, and the diversity of children (including mobility, disability, faith, language, culture and ethnicity). The consultation papers asked "how well does the assessment triangle provide a common approach to working with children and their families?"
3.16 Responses are mixed as to how well the assessment triangle will provide a common approach to working with children and their families. Some are extremely positive in their praise. For example COSLA states in its submission that:
"The assessment triangle is a good easy-reference representation, but for principles to work in practice agencies need to work together locally to develop more detailed practical interpretation."
3.17 This view is supported by the NCH Scotland which states that the assessment triangle is:
"… a clear concept and one which should be understandable to different agencies. It covers all relevant areas of a child's life."
Children's Panels views are generally supportive, with Aberdeen City Children's Panel Advisory Committee stating that the assessment triangle is "a powerful tool". However, some Panels have some concerns. For example, Angus Children's Panel argues that:
"… such wide-ranging assessment for professional will do little to streamline the current system."
3.18 A common concern is that, although the assessment triangle looks good in theory, the 'one-size-fits-all' model may not be individually suited to each child who comes through the system. Glasgow Royal Hospital for Sick Children, DCFP Ward and Liaison Teams reflect this concern by commenting that:
"… in reality some children will never achieve the ideals implied within the assessment triangle. For some it is important that there should be a more focused approach to assessment taking account of special or complex needs."
3.19 Another main concern is that the language used in the assessment triangle means terms are vague and lack clear definitions. For example, Edinburgh Children's and Families Department suggest that there is too much left to judgement and that the framework will not support common standards of practice. Argyll and Bute Council would:
"… welcome revisiting some of the language (which is) vague, e.g. 'being there for me', 'belonging' or potentially difficult, e.g. 'work opportunities for my family'."
3.20 Edinburgh Children' and Families Department have used the English version of the assessment triangle as a basis for reports for some time and it prefers the phraseology of the Department of Health materials. It argues that:
"… they are clearer and better linked to research. For example, we think 'emotional warmth' is technically clearer than 'being there for me' and 'child at the centre' is better terminology than 'my world'."
3.21 Workers in East Ayrshire Council who have already used the assessment triangle have also:
"… expressed a preference for the model originally devised within the Department of Health Framework."
3.22 Another concern noted by SCRA and Falkirk Council, amongst others, is that the interface with adult services needs to be more obvious both where services are working with adults who have responsibilities towards children as parents or carers, and in relation to the transition to adult services.
3.23 The last main concern expressed by respondents is in relation to putting the child at centre of the assessment process. Overall, this is welcomed but some respondents suggest that there is a need for some caution as this potentially focuses attention on the child and family as source of problem. There is a suggestion that it would be useful to move the assessment from a problem based model to a needs led approach which could highlight gaps and overlaps in services. SCRA in particular notes that the framework:
"… needs further refining to ensure current focus on 'deficit model' does not hinder child and family involvement."
3.24 The consultation paper asked whether there are any gaps in the assessment triangle, and three main potential gaps in the assessment triangle are highlighted by respondents - respecting and listening to the child; social capital; and diversity.
3.25 Some respondents, especially voluntary organisations feel that respect for the child is an important element that is missing from the assessment triangle. The National Deaf Children's Society ( NDCS) Scotland suggests that the word 'respect' could be included in the axis - "What I need from people who look after me", while Glasgow Area 1 Sub CPAC notes that "Hear Me" is missing from the rights of the child axis.
3.26 Other respondents feel that the assessment triangle lacks any comment on intellectual opportunities and potential for society involvement in supporting children. East Renfrewshire Council, Education Department suggest that there is a:
"… gap in assessing the social capital available to the child. Evidence suggests the more social capital, the more adjusted and harmonious the child will be."
3.27 Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders Child Protection Office are concerned that:
"… the part regarding children's diversity does not explicitly deal with gender and sexual orientation. … It is well recognised that boys and girls develop differently. It is equally recognised that needs of gay and lesbian youth differ considerably from their heterosexual peers in terms of individual identity formation, institutional homophobia and familial/social adversity."
Key Findings
- There is general support for the concept of the Integrated Assessment, Planning and Recording Tool across a wide range of respondents to the consultation. However, a substantial number of respondents have offered suggestions about how the framework could be strengthened.
- There are some concerns that the proposed framework could be too simplistic for dealing with particularly complex or sensitive cases. Alternative suggestions of a more modular approach or maintaining separate assessments for certain categories of cases are made by a number of respondents from a range of different organisations.
- A number of respondents suggested that there are lessons that can be learned from the experience of implementing integrated assessments in other policy areas, e.g. the shared assessment process recently introduced as part of the Joint Futures agenda.
- Many respondents said that the interface with adult services needs to be made more explicit, particularly where agencies are also working with adults with caring responsibilities for children or young people who also have identified needs.
- There are some concerns that the attempt to use terminology that is "child friendly" means that the assessment triangle model is over simplified and open to a range of different interpretations. The need for clear guidance to ensure that the model is used effectively is also raised by a substantial number of respondents.
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