Core Assessment Record: zg-Coreass5-10

Core Assessment Record: Child aged 5-10 years

The Core Assessment Record provides a framework for systematically recording the findings from the core assessment. Whilst the Assessment Record provides some guidance on the areas that should be covered in a core assessment, it is a tool and should not be used as a substitute for a professionally informed assessment process, analysis and judgement.

This provides a structured, in-depth assessment of the child’s needs where their circumstances are complex.

A Core Assessment should be completed within 35 working days of its commencement.

The questionnaires and scales published in the accompanying materials to the Framework for the Assessment of Child in Need and their Families, the Family Assessment and the HOME Inventory may be useful tools in obtaining the information in specific areas (Department of Health, Cox and Bentovim, 2000; Bentovim and Bingley Miller, 2001; Cox and Walker, 2002). The Assessment Record indicates where particular questionnaires and scales may be useful. Practitioners may also choose to use other assessment tools to assist them.
The Core Assessment Record should not be used as a questionnaire. Social workers should gather information by using their professional judgement to select the assessment methods most appropriate to the circumstances of the individual child and family. This could include discussions with the child, family members and other professionals, use of questionnaires and scales, undertaking a HOME or Family Assessment. Indications of when they may be usefully used are noted, in bold, in the left margin of the record. A summary of the information gathered is then recorded in the Core Assessment Record. The completed record is shared with the family.
Carrying out a core assessment should always be done in a way that helps parents or carers, children and other relevant family members to have their say and encourages them to take part. Space has been provided within the Record for parents/carers and older children to record their views.
It is expected that other agencies are involved, as appropriate, during the core assessment process. Parental permission to contact other agencies should be obtained except in cases where the safety of the child would be jeopardised (paragraphs 7.27 to 7.38 of Working Together to Safeguard Children provides guidance on this issue). Permissions should be obtained from other agencies to share their information with the family.

Completing a Chronology as part of a Core Assessment

A Chronology should be commenced as part of a Core Assessment. It should continue to be updated until the case is closed. The reviewing officer should ensure that it is up-to-date. There will be cases where it is helpful to commence a Chronology at the time of undertaking an initial assessment. A professional judgement needs to be taken as to when it is helpful to commence a Chronology prior to undertaking a core assessment.

Completing a Core Assessment Record with a Looked After Child

The majority of children who become looked after, return to their birth families. Completing a core assessment will help identify the actions necessary to support the child or young person to return to live with their family. The core assessment should contain the information and analysis necessary to develop a Care Plan for the child.
A core assessment should be completed prior to a child becoming looked after. It should be commenced immediately if it has not been started prior to the child becoming looked after and should be updated if completed more than six months before the date on which the child became looked after.
The core assessment begins the process of collecting the information necessary to monitor the progress of children who are looked after. For children who remain looked after for longer periods this information will be supplemented by information gathered using the Assessment and Progress Record.