Improving Child and Family Assessments

The authors are all members of the School for Policy Studies at the University of Bristol, UK. Danielle Turney is Senior Lecturer in Social Work and Director of the Post-Qualifying Specialist Award in Social Work with Children and Young People. Dendy Platt is Senior Lecturer in Social Work and Programme Director for the MSc in Social Work. Julie Selwyn is a Reader and Director of the Hadley Centre for Adoption and Foster Care Studies. Elaine Farmer is Professor of Child and Family Studies.

• Acknowledgements. 1. Introduction. 2. Thresholds for Recognition, Assessment and Intervention. 3. The Content of Assessments: What Information is Collected? 4. Assessments in Particular Contexts. 5. Analysis, Critical Thinking and Reflection in Assessments. 6. Engaging with Children, Young People and their Parents. 7. Inter-Professional Working. 8. Structural, Procedural and Organisational Factors. 9. Assessment and Child Outcomes. 10. Conclusions. Appendix A. Method. Appendix B. List of Empirical Studies Used in this Review. References. Index.

This book is an essential companion for any social worker wishing to enhance their assessment skills and confidence in managing the assessment process effectively, whilst taking into account the interacting risks to consider. The book is well written and certainly provides opportunities for practitioners to reflect and analyse their assessment and decision making skills in an era of resource shortage and high thresholds. A recommended read.