1.2.8 Core Assessments (Including Section 47 Enquiries)

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

This procedure should be read in conjunction with the Guidance for Undertaking Initial and Core Assessments.

Where a Section 47 Enquiry is carried out, it should also be read in conjunction with the Local Safeguarding Children Board Inter Agency Procedures - Section 47 Enquiries and Core Assessments.

AMENDMENT

This chapter was slightly updated in December 2011, see Section 9.3 Child at Continuing Risk of Significant Harm (ii) links to ‘Have your Say’ booklets, Child Protection Conference – information for parents and carers and Child Protection Meetings – A Guide for Children and Young People.

A further slight amendment was made to section 8.3 regarding the social worker or team manager who is booking the conference must advise the Integrated Safeguarding Unit (ISU) about when the Strategy Discussion/Meeting took place, which decided to initiate the Section 47 Enquiry.

Definition
Timescale
Starting a Core Assessment
Communication
Categories of Cases for Core Assessment
Planning and Conducting all Core Assessments
Conclusions and Outcomes of Core Assessments
Conducting Section 47 Enquiries / Core Assessments
Outcomes of a Section 47 Enquiry
Recording Core Assessments, Section 47 Enquiries and ICPC Outcomes

1. Definition

1.1	A Core Assessment is an in-depth assessment which addresses the central or most important aspects of the needs of a child and the capacity of his or her parents or cares to respond appropriately to these needs within the wider family and community context.
1.2	While the Core Assessment is led by Children and Young People's Social Care Services, it will invariably involve other agencies or independent professionals, who will provide information they hold about the child or parents, contribute specialist knowledge and/or give advice/undertake specialist assessments.
1.3	Core Assessments should be undertaken with the consent of and in partnership with the child and his or her parents and carers. The only exception is where a Section 47 Enquiry is conducted as part of a Core Assessment – see Section 8, Conducting Section 47 Enquiries/Core Assessments.

2. Timescale

2.1	The decision to undertake a Core Assessment should be made by the responsible team manager on the completion of an Initial Assessment or when any Strategy Discussion/Meeting concludes that a Section 47 Enquiry is required or, in certain circumstances, on an open case where the circumstances significantly change or as a minimum on an annual basis. See Section 5, Categories of Cases for Core Assessment.
2.2	Core Assessments should be completed within 35 working days of the conclusion of the Initial Assessment or, in relation to an open case, of the decision to carry out the Core Assessment.
2.3	Where a Section 47 Enquiry is conducted as part of a Core Assessment, the Section 47 Enquiry must be completed within working 15 days – see Section 8, Conducting Section 47 Enquiries/Core Assessments.
2.4	In some cases Core Assessments may be started but the parents or child may decide to withdraw their cooperation or move away before all the information had been gathered. In such cases, subject to 2.5, the team manager may consider the Core Assessment to be cancelled. However, this must only be done after the current risk factors and the needs of children have been fully considered. In such circumstances, the team manager must record this decision, together with the reasons and ensure that the decision is shared with the parent and child (depending on his or her understanding) and other agencies involved. Services provided following the Initial Assessment may still be provided or arranged.
2.5	Where a Section 47 Enquiry is being conducted as part of the Core Assessment and the parents or child withdraw their cooperation or move away, the Core Assessment cannot be considered to have been completed unless the team manager is satisfied that arrangements are in place to safeguard the child concerned. The response may include: A further Strategy Discussion/Meeting; Consideration about the need; Negotiation with the local authority into whose area the family has moved.

3. Starting a Core Assessment

3.1	Core Assessments will be allocated to a qualified and experienced social worker.
3.2	The date of the start of the Core Assessment must be recorded on ESCR - it will be the same as the date the Initial Assessment was completed or the date that it was decided to undertake a Core Assessment on an open case.

4. Communication

4.1	Children should always be seen and communicated with alone by the Lead Social Worker (section 5.64 of Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010). Records of Section 47 Enquiry and any Reports to Child Protection Conferences should include the date(s) when the child was seen alone by the Lead Social Worker and, if not seen alone, who was present and the reasons for their presence (sections 5.74 and 5.91).
4.2	In planning the Core Assessment and in providing the parent and child with feedback, the social worker will need to consider and address any communication issues, for example language or impairment.
4.3	Where a child or parent speaks a language other than that spoken by the social worker, an interpreter should be provided. Any decision not to use an interpreter in such circumstances must be approved by the Team Manager and recorded.
4.4	Where a child or parent with disabilities has communication difficulties it may be necessary to use alternative communication methods. In communicating with a child with such impairment, it may be particularly useful to involve a person who knows the child well and is familiar with the child's communication methods. Where the child has had a communication assessment, its conclusions and recommendations should be observed.

5. Categories of Cases for Core Assessment

5.1	Core Assessments will always be completed in the following circumstances: Where a Section 47 Enquiry is undertaken - see Section 8, Conducting Section 47 Enquiries/Core Assessments; Where a child becomes or is at risk of becoming Accommodated; Where the child is the subject of Care Proceedings; Where the child has complex needs and family support services are likely to be required for longer than three months.
5.2	These are minimum thresholds. Core Assessments should be completed in all cases where the Initial Assessment concludes that a Core Assessment is needed or where professional judgment is that one would be helpful. This will include some cases where a Strategy Discussion/Meeting concludes that a Section 47 Enquiry is not required but a Core Assessment will inform the best interventions for the well being of the child.
5.3	A separate Core Assessment must be recorded in respect of each child.
5.4	Core Assessments, or a review and up-dating of a previous Core Assessment, will also be required at specific stages in the life of a Looked After child to inform planning and to ensure all needs have been identified and are being met. Such stages include: When a young person reaches an age where a Pathway Plan is required (i.e. rising 16 years); Prior to the return home of a child in care whose Care Plan is for a return to his/her family; Where a placement of the child under the Placement with Parents Regulations 1991 and/or an application to discharge a Care Order is being considered otherwise an annual core assessment should be undertaken. See Placement with Parents Procedure.

6. Planning and Conducting all Core Assessments

6.1	The social worker should convene a Core Assessment Planning Meeting within five working days of the start of the Core Assessment.
6.2	The Assessment Framework provides detailed advice about key questions to be considered in the planning process. See also Universal Assessments Procedure and Practice Guidance.
6.3	The planning meeting should consider the following: The timescale for the various elements of the assessment, enabling it to be completed within the required 35 working days; Has the issue of consent been discussed and obtained? The areas to be focused upon within the assessment; Who will undertake the assessment and what resources will be needed? Who in the family will be included and how will they be involved? In what groupings will the child and family members be seen and in what order? Are there communication issues, if so, how will these be met? What methods of collecting information will be used? Where will particular assessment tasks take place? How will information be recorded?
6.4	The need for any specialist assessments should be considered.
6.5	Participants at the Planning Meeting should include agencies or individuals who will contribute to the assessment, including the family and child, where appropriate.

7. Conclusions and Outcomes of Core Assessments

7.1	Core Assessments should result in: An analysis of the needs of the child and the parenting capacity to respond appropriately to those needs within the family context; Exploration of parental history such as own experience of being parented, being a looked after child themselves and previous knowledge of the 'the care system'; Identification of whether and, if so, where intervention will be required to secure the well being of the child; A realistic plan of action (including services to be provided) detailing who has responsibility for action, a timetable and a process for review.
7.2	The outcomes of Core Assessments may include: Referral to other agency or services; Provision of services under Section 17 of the 1989 Children Act, within a Child in Need Plan - see Child in Need Plans and Review Procedure; Further specialist assessment; A Child Protection Plan; (see Section 9, Outcomes of a Section 47 Enquiry); A decision that the child should be Looked After – see Decision to Look After and Care Planning Procedure; No further action for CYPSC. However, other alternatives to meet child's needs through other agencies will be considered.
7.3	Note that Section 17 services may be put in place or commissioned before the Core Assessment is completed.
7.4	The responsible team manager should agree the outcome and ensure that the necessary documentation is complete.

8. Conducting Section 47 Enquiries / Core Assessments

The detailed procedures for Section 47 Enquiries are set out in the Local Safeguarding Children Board Inter Agency Procedures, Section 47 Enquiries and Core Assessments Procedure.

8.1	On receiving a referral in which it is suspected that a child is suffering or is likely to suffer Significant Harm, the Team Manager will consider whether a Section 47 Enquiry is needed. There would be an expectation that some information would be collated for example in immediate discussions with the referrer. If the information gathered warrants a Strategy Discussion/Meeting then subsequent action will be taken. It is the Team Manager's responsibility to update the child(ren's) records ESCR system as follows: The Referral outcome in ESCR is set to Immediate Enquiry S47; The status of the Referral status in ESCR is set to Closed; A new Case Episode is opened in ESCR; A S47 Child Protection Activity Plan is opened in ESCR and the Hold Strategy Discussion activity is selected. As preparation for the Strategy Discussion/Meeting, the process of gathering information and making relevant checks must begin. The Strategy Discussion/Meeting is the point at which a decision can be made to initiate Section 47 Enquiries. In some cases there will be more than one Strategy Discussion/Meeting before a decision is made whilst further information is being gathered. When CYPSC receive a referral outlining concerns or an allegation of sexual abuse a Strategy Meeting must be convened between the police and CYPSC, together with relevant professionals. If the referral is from a doctor reporting physical symptoms, the Strategy Meeting must involve the examining doctor to ensure clarity about the nature of the concerns. Where the outcome of the Strategy Discussion/Meeting is to initiate Section 47 Enquires then the Team Manager must update the ESCR system to reflect this. The outcome of the S47 Child Protection Activity Plan must be set to S47 Enquiry as part of Core Assessment, book ICPC. If not already done so an Assessment Activity Plan must also be opened in ESCR and the activity of Core Assessment started. The Core Assessment is the means by which a Section 47 Enquiry is carried out. The objective of the Section 47 Enquiry is to determine whether action is required to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child. Once the decision has been made in the Strategy Discussion/Meeting to initiate S47 Enquiries then the Initial Child Protection Conference (ICPC) must be booked immediately to ensure availability and timeliness. The social worker or team manager who is booking the conference must advise the Integrated Safeguarding Unit (ISU) about when the Strategy Discussion/Meeting took place, which decided to initiate the Section 47 Enquiry. '.......all initial child protection conferences should take place within 15 working days of the strategy discussion, or the strategy discussion at which the Section 47 Enquiries were initiated, if more than one has been held' (Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010 para 5.83).
8.2	The social worker, when conducting a Section 47 Enquiry, must assess the potential needs and safety of any other child in the household of the child in question. In addition, Section 47 Enquiries may be required concerning any children in other households with whom the alleged abuser may have contact.
8.3	In determining who should be involved in a Section 47 Enquiry, consideration should include with whom the family is most likely to cooperate, and whether there are any risks. In all cases where there is a known propensity to violence within the family household, consideration should be given to the strategy to be adopted, with Police advice/assistance if appropriate, about how to reduce the risks before any visits take place.
8.4	The child must always be seen alone in the course of a Section 47 Enquiry, unless it is contrary to his or her interests to do so. The Strategy Discussion/Meeting will plan any interview with the child.
8.5	Before a child is seen or interviewed parental permission must be gained unless there are exceptional circumstances that demonstrate that it would not be in the child’s interests and to do so may jeopardise the child's safety and welfare. Relevant exceptional circumstances would include: the possibility that a child would be threatened or otherwise coerced into silence; a strong likelihood that important evidence would be destroyed; or that the child in question did not wish the parent to be involved at that stage, and is competent to take that decision.
8.6	In such circumstances, the social worker must take legal advice about how to proceed and whether legal action may be required, for example through an application for an Emergency Protection Order or a Child Assessment Order.

9. Outcomes of a Section 47 Enquiry

There are different scenarios to consider regarding the outcome of a S47 Enquiries and this may require the immediate cancellation of the ICPC that was previously booked.

The outcome of a Section 47 Enquiry must be endorsed by the team manager.

A Section 47 Enquiry may conclude that concerns were unsubstantiated, concerns were substantiated but the child is not judged to be at continuing risk of Significant Harm, or the concerns are substantiated and the child is judged to be at continuing risk of Significant Harm.

9.1 Concerns not substantiated

No Further Action

Enquiries have revealed that there are no causes for concern. The child may be a Child in Need but the family do not wish for services to be provided, in which case the case will be closed;
Family Support to be provided

Enquiries have revealed that there are no causes for concern but that there are needs that could be met by the short term provision of services either under section 17 of the Children Act 1989 or by signposting the family to another agency. The family are willing for a short-term package of support to be provided, or continue to be provided. The ISU must be contacted by the team manager to cancel the ICPC immediately it is known that the concerns are not substantiated;
To ensure a responsive service it is important that cancellations at short notice are avoided wherever possible;

Where services are to be provided under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989, the social worker/team manager should convene a Child in Need Planning Meeting within 7 working days to agree a Child in Need Plan – see Child in Need Plans and Review Procedure.

9.2 Concerns Substantiated but No Continuing Risk

Enquiries have confirmed that the child suffered Significant Harm, but it has been agreed between the agencies most involved and the child and their family that a plan for safeguarding the child’s future safety and welfare can be developed and implemented without having an Initial Child Protection Conference or a Child Protection Plan. The ISU must be contacted by the team manager to cancel the ICPC immediately it is known that the concerns are not substantiated;
To ensure a responsive service it is important that cancellations at short notice are avoided wherever possible;
The social worker/team manager must convene a Child in Need Planning Meeting to be held within seven working days to agree a Child in Need Plan - see Child in Need Plans and Review Procedure. This decision must be endorsed by a suitably experienced and qualified social work manager (section 5.80 of Working Together 2010).

9.3 Child at Continuing Risk of Significant Harm

Enquiries have revealed that the child may continue to suffer or to be at risk of suffering Significant Harm;

An Initial Child Protection Conference must be convened within 15 working days of the Strategy Discussion/Meeting where the decision to initiate a Section 47 Enquiry was made. The request to convene the conference must be supported by a team manager. For the detailed procedure in relation to Child Protection Conferences, see the Local Safeguarding Children Board Inter Agency Procedures, Initial Child Protection Conferences Procedure;
Consideration should be given by the date of the ICPC where one is convened to whether the Core Assessment has been completed or what further work is required before it is completed (section 5.74 of Working Together 2010);

The child or young person’s views must be sought in preparation for the ICPC. To help the young person express their views a series of ‘Have your say’ booklets have been produced by the integrated safeguarding unit (ISU). The social worker must ensure that the young person has access to the booklet best suited to their level of understanding. There are three booklets available, each one relating to an age group:

To help explain the child protection process to the young person and their family, there are two leaflets available:

Children Protection Conferences - Information for Parents and Carers;

Child Protection Meetings – A Guide for Children and Young People.

Where immediate protective action is required, the advice of Legal Services should be sought. A discussion should take place with the CSDM where legal action is required;
If the core assessment is not completed by the time of the initial child protection conference, it should still be completed within 35 working days of the commencement of the Section 47 Enquiry.

10. Recording Core Assessments, Section 47 Enquiries and ICPC Outcomes

10.1	The social worker must record the Core Assessment using the Assessment Activity Plan within ESCR.
10.2	The completed Core Assessment must be approved and counter signed by the social worker's Team Manager. The date of the Team Manager's approval should be recorded as the date of the completion of the Core Assessment.
10.3	The child (depending on age and understanding) and parent should be given a copy of the record.
10.4	Where a Section 47 Enquiry is conducted alongside the Core Assessment (see Section 8, Conducting Section 47 Enquiries/Core Assessments), the social worker must record their actions/information gathered during the course of the enquiry using the Assessment Activity Plan within ESCR. The Team Manager is responsible for initiating and updating the S47 Enquiry Activity Plan within ESCR. The Integrated Safeguarding Unit will update ESCR on the outcome of ICPCs held including the inclusion of the child(ren's) on the Child Protection List.

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