London Borough of Haringey Children and Young People’s Service
Parenting Capacity Assessments
Practice Guidance (This guidance should be used in conjunction with the Framework of Assessment Guidance DOH 2000 and Haringey’s Children and Families Procedures Manual Child in Need Practice Guidance)
Introduction
Parenting assessments whether undertaken at an Early Help, Child In Need or Child Protection stage of intervention or within care proceedings require a structured and systematic approach working collaboratively with parents in an open and transparent way.
The aim of all assessments is to determine whether a child’s needs can be met safely, sensitively and consistently by his/her parents. Assessment should be a dynamic process offering parents the opportunity to demonstrate their strengths and accept support to enhance their parenting skills.
The Framework of Assessment and social work practice is underpinned by a theoretical, factual and practice knowledge base drawing on the social sciences (psychology, sociology, philosophy, social policy economics, politics and organisational theory) and on law and medicine. Central to social work assessments is an understanding of child development, parental behaviour and the impact of parental behaviour on child development in the short and long term.
Planning the assessment:
All parenting capacity assessments require a parenting assessment plan to be drawn up on Plan for Parenting Capacity Assessment (2014) template. The headed (court-ready) template should be amended if the assessment is carried out outside care proceedings. Within care proceedings the plan will be shared with the parties and filed with the court.
Planning for the assessment should take account of the following factors:
- Equality issues: Client access due to physical disability, need for an interpreter or specialist input due to mental health or learning disability.
- Risk assessment: plan assessment to ensure that it is carried out in a safe environment without any increased risk to children or parents.
- Historical information: Collate chronology of significant events. The chronology should include: key family events - dates when parents met and new relationships began and ended; changes of address; requests for support; referrals from other agencies; significant incidents; meetings held and missed appointments.
- Identification of the gaps in parenting capacity which will become the focus of the assessment. Consideration of the evidence available as to the extent to which the parents have been able to meet the child’s developmental needs, explanations given by the family and, if the difficulties have continued, the outcome for the child
- A written agreement should be drawn up. It should detail how long the assessment will take and what is expected of the family at different stages.
- It is likely that 6-8 face to face sessions will be required, dependent on the complexity of the situation. The assessment should be completed within a maximum of 8 weeks.
- Tools: Consideration of the tools which will support the assessment.
Gathering information in respect of:
The parent/s
- Compile a genogram in order to gain an understanding of the family structure.
- Obtain information to assist in understanding the parents’ current living situation and any issues which may impact on their parenting capacity e.g. from other professionals.
- Tools which can assist to understand the parental relationship –The Family Pack of Questionnaires and Scales (2000)
- Explore previous interventions and information as to the parents’ motivation and capacity to change.
The parent/child relationship
- Obtain information about the parents’ attitude to and ability to empathise with the child.
- Obtaining information as to the style of parenting, the extent to which the parents demonstrate control and supervision in their parenting and the extent to which they demonstrate emotional warmth, acceptance and involvement.
- Direct observation of contact between the parent and child.
The child
- Developing an understanding of the child’s unique development and needs.
- Obtaining information on the child’s developmental needs, according to their age ( Child development manual/ Sheridan charts)
- Direct work with the child to ascertain their wishes and feelings and to obtain information on the child’s vulnerability and resilience. Use age appropriate tools to help child to express or demonstrate their vulnerabilities, resilience, wishes and feelings.
Parenting capacity
- Obtaining information as to the parent’s life skills, home management and ability to provide for the child’s basic needs. (Tools –e.g. The Parenting Daily Hassle Questionnaire )
- Obtaining information as to the parent/s ability to protect the child from harm or danger through:
a) Direct observation of the child and parents as to the effective supervision of the child and anticipation of hazards. (Tools – e.g. Guided parenting task)
b) Individual sessions with the parent/s to consider home safety issues; social support and safety network; ability to prioritise the child’s safety in relation to domestic violence, mental health or substance misuse issues; willingness to acknowledge past concerns. (Tools –e.g. Adult Well-being Scale; Alcohol use Scale)
- Obtain information as to the parent/s’ ability to meet the child’s emotional needs through:
a) Direct observation of parent/child interaction. (Tools –e.g. Guided parenting task/ observation tools)
b) Individual sessions with the parent/s regarding their own childhood and their relationship with their child including their experience of being cared for and loss or trauma and how they have developed their parenting capacity; meaning of the child
- Obtain information as to the parent’s ability to promote the child’s learning and intellectual development through:
a) Direct observation of the child and parents as to how the parent gives attention to the child, shows understanding of and interest in the child’s development and encourages the child’s play and language. (Tools –e.g. Guided parenting tasks, consider use of video)
b) Home visits to obtain evidence of whether the home environment is child centred (Tools-e.g. Home Conditions Scale)
- Obtain information as to the parent/s capacity to provide consistent guidance and boundaries for the child through:
a) Direct observation of parent/child interaction, including how the parent imposes appropriate behavioural limits on the child. (Tools e.g. guided parenting task)
b) Individual sessions with the parent/s regarding their own childhood experiences of discipline and their current attitude.
- Obtain information as to the parent’s ability to provide a stable family environment through:
a) Direct observation of contact between parent and child. This should have regard to whether or not the parents attend regularly and on time, whether the parents’ relationship is supportive or conflictual during contact, whether the parent/s responses to the child are consistent and predictable
b) Individual sessions with the parents regarding their current living situation, relationship with partner and family history.
c) Checking, testing and analysing the information over the course of the assessment.
Analysis
The analysis stage of the assessment should consider the following elements:
- What factors have impaired parenting capacity?
- How has the parent/s behaviour impacted on the child’s development?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the parent and wider family? How has this impacted on the child?
- What are the child’s needs wishes and feelings regarding the assessment process and outcome?
- What changes does the parent/s believe to be necessary and what services do they think are needed? What changes does the assessment reveal are required?
- What intervention will assist the required changes?
- How effective have previous interventions been and over what length of time have previous improvements been sustained? What is the parent/s ability and willingness to make the required changes within the developmental timescale of the child?
- What are the barriers to achieving the changes required?
- What would the consequences for the child if the required changes in parenting capacity were not achieved?
Conclusion and Recommendation
The final part of the assessment is to draw conclusions and make recommendations as to any action required to improve parenting, bring about change or to further safeguard the child.
The assessment should be written up on the Haringey Parenting Capacity Assessment template. The headed (court-ready) template should be amended if the assessment is carried out outside care proceedings.
Appendix 1 Framework of Assessment (DOH 2000)
DIMENSIONS OF CHILD’S DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS
Health
Includes growth and development as well as physical and mental wellbeing. The
impact of genetic factors and of any impairment should be considered. Involves
receiving appropriate health care when ill, an adequate and nutritious diet, exercise,
immunisations where appropriate and developmental checks, dental and optical care
and, for older children, appropriate advice and information on issues that have an
impact on health, including sex education and substance misuse.
Education
Covers all areas of a child’s cognitive development which begins from birth.
Includes opportunities: for play and interaction with other children; to have access to
books; to acquire a range of skills and interests; to experience success and
achievement. Involves an adult interested in educational activities, progress and
achievements, who takes account of the child’s starting point and any special
educational needs.
Emotional and Behavioural Development
Concerns the appropriateness of response demonstrated in feelings and actions by a
child, initially to parents and caregivers and, as the child grows older, to others beyond
the family.
Includes nature and quality of early attachments, characteristics of temperament,
adaptation to change, response to stress and degree of appropriate self control.
Identity
Concerns the child’s growing sense of self as a separate and valued person.
Includes the child's view of self and abilities, self image and self esteem, and having a
positive sense of individuality. Race, religion, age, gender, sexuality and disability may
all contribute to this. Feelings of belonging and acceptance by family, peer group and
wider society, including other cultural groups.
Family and Social Relationships
Development of empathy and the capacity to place self in someone else’s shoes.
Includes a stable and affectionate relationship with parents or caregivers, good
relationships with siblings, increasing importance of age appropriate friendships with
peers and other significant persons in the child’s life and response of family to these
relationships.
Social Presentation
Concerns child’s growing understanding of the way in which appearance, behaviour,
and any impairment are perceived by the outside world and the impression being
created.
Includes appropriateness of dress for age, gender, culture and religion; cleanliness and
personal hygiene; and availability of advice from parents or caregivers about presentation
in different settings.
Self Care Skills
Concerns the acquisition by a child of practical, emotional and communication
competencies required for increasing independence. Includes early practical skills of
dressing and feeding, opportunities to gain confidence and practical skills to undertake
activities away from the family and independent living skills as older children.
Includes encouragement to acquire social problem solving approaches. Special
attention should be given to the impact of a child's impairment and other vulnerabilities,
and on social circumstances affecting these in the development of self care
skills.
DIMENSIONS OF PARENTING CAPACITY
Basic Care
Providing for the child’s physical needs, and appropriate medical and dental care.
Includes provision of food, drink, warmth, shelter, clean and appropriate clothing
and adequate personal hygiene.
Ensuring Safety
Ensuring the child is adequately protected from harm or danger.
Includes protection from significant harm or danger, and from contact with unsafe
adults/other children and from self-harm. Recognition of hazards and danger both
in the home and elsewhere.
Emotional Warmth
Ensuring the child’s emotional needs are met and giving the child a sense of being
specially valued and a positive sense of own racial and cultural identity.
Includes ensuring the child’s requirements for secure, stable and affectionate
relationships with significant adults, with appropriate sensitivity and responsiveness
to the child’s needs. Appropriate physical contact, comfort and cuddling sufficient
to demonstrate warm regard, praise and encouragement.
Stimulation
Promoting child’s learning and intellectual development through encouragement
and cognitive stimulation and promoting social opportunities.
Includes facilitating the child’s cognitive development and potential through
interaction, communication, talking and responding to the child’s language and
questions, encouraging and joining the child’s play, and promoting educational
opportunities. Enabling the child to experience success and ensuring school
attendance or equivalent opportunity. Facilitating child to meet challenges of life.
Guidance and Boundaries
Enabling the child to regulate their own emotions and behaviour.
The key parental tasks are demonstrating and modelling appropriate behaviour and
control of emotions and interactions with others, and guidance which involves
setting boundaries, so that the child is able to develop an internal model of moral
values and conscience, and social behaviour appropriate for the society within
which they will grow up. The aim is to enable the child to grow into an autonomous
adult, holding their own values, and able to demonstrate appropriate behaviour
with others rather than having to be dependent on rules outside themselves. This
includes not over protecting children from exploratory and learning experiences.
Includes social problem solving, anger management, consideration for others, and
effective discipline and shaping of behaviour.
Stability
Providing a sufficiently stable family environment to enable a child to develop and
maintain a secure attachment to the primary caregiver(s) in order to ensure optimal
development.
Includes: ensuring secure attachments are not disrupted, providing consistency of
emotional warmth over time and responding in a similar manner to the same
behaviour. Parental responses change and develop according to child’s developmental
progress. In addition, ensuring children keep in contact with important
family members and significant other
Appendix 2 Framework of Assessment (DOH 2000)
Direct work with the child through shared activities, interviews, questionnaires,
scales and play, which are age, developmentally and culturally appropriate.
Direct work with the parents through interviews with one or more parental
members; parental discussions; taking parental histories; using scales, questionnaires
and other resources to gain a shared view of parental issues and parental
functioning.
Direct work with the family through interviews with the family in appropriate
groupings of family members; taking family histories; using scales, questionnaires
and other resources to gain a shared view of family issues and family functioning.
Direct work with the child and current caregivers (if the child is not living with
Parents).
Observation of the child alone and of the child/parent(s)/caregiver(s) interaction.
Consideration should be given to doing this in the home, in school (both classroom
and play areas) and with friends as well as family members.
Other sources of knowledge, including those who have known the child over time,
such as the midwife, health visitor, general practitioner, nursery staff or school
teachers, and others who know the family such as staff from voluntary agencies,
housing departments and adult health and social services. Other professionals may
have become involved with the child or other children in the family for a specific
purpose, for example educational psychologists, speech therapists, youth offending
team members. Police and probation may also be important sources of information
where there are concerns about a child or family members’ safety.
Other information held on files and records and from previous assessments.
These should always be carefully checked as far as possible.
Specialist assessments from a range of professionals may be commissioned to
provide specific understanding about an aspect of the child’s development, parental
strengths and difficulties or the family’s functioning. The timing of these and their
particular contribution to the analysis of the child’s needs and the plan of
intervention will require careful consideration.
Appendix 3 Framework of Assessment (DOH 2000)
Direct work with children
There are five critical components in direct work with children: seeing, observing, talking, doing and engaging:
Seeing children: an assessment cannot be made without seeing the child, however
young and whatever the circumstances. The more complex or unclear a situation or
the greater the level of concern, the more important it will be to see the child
regularly and to take note of appearance, physical condition, emotional wellbeing,
behaviour and any changes which are occurring.
Observing children: the child’s responses and interactions in different situations
should be carefully observed wherever possible, alone, with siblings, with parents
and/or caregivers or in school or other settings. Children may hide or suppress their
feelings in situations which are difficult or unsafe for them, so it is important that
general conclusions are not reached from only limited observations.
Engaging children: this involves developing a relationship with children so that
they can be enabled to express their thoughts, concerns and opinions as part of the
process of helping them make real choices, in a way that is age and developmentally
appropriate. Children should clearly understand the parameters within which they
can exercise choice. In offering children such options, adults must not abdicate
their responsibilities for taking decisions about a child’s welfare.
Talking to children: although this may seem an obvious part of communicating
with children, it is clear from research that this is often not done at all or not done
well. It requires time, skill, confidence and careful preparation by practitioners.