Terms of reference for tool use:
Terms of reference to accompany the tool:
1. Use within the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment –
The newly qualified social worker (NQSW) in Plymouth City Council Children’s Services has a final test of their knowledge and skills, measured through the auditing of an
assessment and accompanying care plan. Professional Development Services believe that these two documents have the potential to evidence the majority of the knowledge and skills statement (KSS). Since this final assessment at month 10 is supplemented by the final NQSW portfolio utilising the KSS and the professional capability framework (PCF), there is a strong bank of evidence to support employment and capability judgements.
Where the assessment and care plan does not evidence the KSS to a sufficient level (not adequate), the NQSW is given written feedback and offered an opportunity to resubmit. The feedback should be used to inform learning and development plans and critical reflection in supervision.
A specific audit tool is used, linked not only to the KSS, but drawn from statutory guidance and regulatory requirements. This ensures that the criteria for evaluation is not ambiguous or biased in terms of what makes ‘a good assessment’, providing a base for consistent, valid assessment that is robust and defensible in an employment context as well as an education one.
The tool’s evidence base is updated regularly as guidance is updated. The current version is version 5.
Performance in this test feeds back into the quality assurance mechanisms within the council, highlighting those areas for organisational concerns and group development that may become apparent. These in turn can inform supervisor training needs as well as NQSW future training needs.
2. Use within experienced grade levels:
In the experienced worker context, the linking of the statutory basis for good assessment and care planning to the developmental KSS framework starts to build understanding in those grades of the new framework for continuing professional development as well as improving the quality of practice for children and families.
This is an important part of developmental planning for annual appraisal and individual development plans, as well as for any future plans for the approved child and family practitioner test and for employer endorsement.
The KSS has not replaced the PCF, whose levels are still useful within the organisation. But in the context of assessment and care planning, the KSS provides a focused framework that maps readily to practice requirements.
The use of the final overall ratings using Ofsted categories is optional language that reflects the organisational journey and strategic priority for assessments and care plans, but could be equally replaced with good / sufficient / insufficient.
3. Feedback Sheets:
Two feedback sheets are attached, one for the NQSW KSS final test and one for general use. It will be important to provide feedback constructively to support a learning culture whilst embedding improvements in practice.
Feedback should be discussed reflectively in supervision and performance reviews and can also be collated to help build a picture of organisational strength and challenge, feeding into development training needs analysis.
4. Tried and Tested:
The tool has been in use in its initial form for three years, and was mapped to the KSS when it was published. It has proved to be effective in all areas of practice, whether undertaken by managers, practice educators or individuals as a self-audit.
Guidance on using this document:
This checklist is drawn entirely from statutory guidance and regulatory requirements and is linked to the Government Framework for continuing professional development for social workers, the Knowledge and Skills Statement (KSS). This will assist with identification and tracking of learning needs. It applies to all experience levels.
The purpose of assessment is always to gather important information about a child and family, to analyse their needs and/or the nature and level of any risk and harm being suffered by the child. To decide whether the child is a child in need (section 17) and/or is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm (section 47) and to provide support to address needs, improve outcomes to make them safe. (Working Together to Safeguard Children-WTSC 2015: section29).
The checklist will enable the assessor to ascertain the level of good practice in an assessment and accompanying care plan, to make an overall judgement of sufficiency. The feedback on the assessment is automatically generated in terms of strengths (what was present) and areas for development (what was missing when it should not have been). Any written feedback should promote a balance between these areas, aiming to build learning and development, which should be addressed in supervision.
Key to Knowledge and Skills Statements - KSS1 / Relationships and effective direct work
2 / Communication
3 / Child development
4 / Adult mental ill health, substance misuse, domestic abuse, physical ill health & disability
5 / Abuse and neglect of children
6 / Child and family assessment
7 / Analysis, decision making, planning and review
8 / The law and the family and youth justice systems
9 / The role of supervision
10 / Organisational context
Full statement definitions available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/knowledge-and-skills-statements-for-child-and-family-social-work
Good Practice Area and reference: / Links to KSS / Indicators / Evident:Yes / No/ Partial/
Not Relevant
Is the Record comprehensible and transparent. ( HCPC 10.1 and WTSC 2015: 35) / 2,6,7 / Does it make sense? Would others reading it agree? Is the language accessible for parents and young people?
Is the Record accurate
(HCPC 10.1) / 1,2,3 / Are there mistakes / errors/ omissions
Record is comprehensive
(HCPC 10.1); (WTSC 2015: 57, 60, 61) / 3,5,6,7 / Does it cover all it needs to, given the assessment purpose and agreed timescales?
Information Recorded is Relevant (Data Protection Requirement) Links to HCPC Ethics 5 / 8,10 / It should be clear what purpose facts and evidence recorded serve
Is the assessment child centred? (WTSC 2015: 35) / 1,2,3,6,7 / Where there are conflicts of interest decisions should be made in the child’s best interests
Each child who has been referred into local authority children’s social care should have an individual assessment (WTSC 2015: 40) / 1,2,3,6
Does the assessment involve children and families (WTSC 2015:35) / 1,2,3,6 / There should be evidence the child and family were meaningfully involved in the assessment of need and risk.
Is the assessment integrated in approach? (WTSC 2015: 35). Does it gather and analyse information in-order to recognise particular risk areas? (For CSE indicators see http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/cse_risk_assessment_tool.pdf also see PCC Single Assessment Guidance / 4,5 / Complex risks and needs will involve analysing information from all sources to ascertain the risks for example from CSE and gang exploitation. Does the assessment, in the view of the auditor, contain recognised indicators of particular risks areas that have not been clearly identified by the assessor?
Has the assessment led to action including the provision of services? (WTSC 2015: 35) / 1,7 / If services are being provided to child and/or family, is impact on the child clearly identified? There should be a clear link between the assessed risks and needs & care plan
Good Practice Area and reference: / Links to KSS / Indicators / Y / N / P NR
Are facts and professional opinion clearly differentiated? / 2,7 / Personal opinions are not required at all.
Was the child seen alone and if not, are the reasons why not clear? (WTSC 2015) / 1,2,3 / There will be some circumstances where this has not been possible or desirable, this, the context should be noted as well as if an attempt was made.
Record was completed on time HCPC 10 ; PCC guidelines / 7,8,10 / Was the assessment carried out in a timely manner consistent with the needs of the child.
Is the assessment rooted in child development? (WTSC 2015:35, 47) / 3 / It should be clear that the age and stage of the child has been accurately considered and informed by evidence. This includes early brain development and impact of ‘toxic’ stress at the biological level, where relevant through to the impact of adolescence
Are all domains adequately addressed? (WTSC 2015: 36)
Is the inter-relationship between them adequately investigated? (WTSC 2015:37) / 3,5,6 / It is not uncommon for there to be little evidence in some domains such as identity and in some cases domains may be missed completely.
Is the assessment holistic in approach? (WTSC 2015:35) / 3,5,6 / Does it address the child’s needs within their family and wider community?
Is the Disabled Child seen as a ‘child first?’ / 1,2,3 / It is important that the disability does not drive the assessment and care plan, the child needs to be seen as a child in need and assessed holistically. This includes consideration of the additional vulnerability inherent in disability.
Good Practice Area and reference: / Links to KSS / Indicators / Y / N / P NR
Attention to Diversity / Identity
(WTSC 2015:42 HCPC SOP 5) / 3,4,6 / Every assessment should reflect the unique characteristics of the child within their family and community context including culture beliefs/ identity/diversity. Is there evidence that children have been asked relevant questions as well as parents?
Does the assessment identify risks in the context of whether they constitute significant harm? (WTSC 2015: 29) / 4,5,6,7 / This relates to clear identification – but also the significance and level of harm.
Does the assessment analyse the child’s needs and/or the nature and level of any risk and harm being suffered by the child including resilience. (WTSC 2015:41 & 45) / 3,4,5,6,7 / For example, does it consider the interrelationship been protective factors/strengths and resilience, adversity factors and vulnerabilities. Note, these are four separate things, interconnected but distinct.
Risk Assessment Tool. (RVM) / 5,6,7 / Is the approved organisational risk assessment tool evidenced in the assessment
Does the assessment reflect the latest research and serious case reviews on the impact of neglect and abuse when analysing the level of need and risk faced by the child? (WTSC 2015:49, 62) / 4,5,9 / The assessment should not be over optimistic leading to the possibility that children are left unnecessarily in abusive and neglectful homes due to an over hopeful assessment of parental ability to change.
Is it informed by evidence and underpinned by knowledge? (WTSC 2015:47) / 3,4,5,6,7 / Records should state clearly what the evidence is for any statement or assessment.
Does the Assessment build upon the history of the case? (WTSC 2015:43, 50) / 3,4,5,6,7 / For example, responding to the impact of any previous services & analysing what further action might be needed. Considering previous recording when a looked after child has been returned home.
Good Practice Area and reference: / Links to KSS / Indicators / Y / N / P NR
Does the assessment attend to the likelihood of change, the impact of this not occurring in the child’s time frame? / 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 / Capacity/ motivation of parents/carers to change ; resistance to change, previous changes sustained or not.
Is change superficial/not evidenced, disguised compliance; Impact of not changing short & longer term; potential for change in environment/ child/ others.
Have differences in views about information / child and parents views been recorded (WTSC 2015:37) / 2,6 / It may not be possible to ascertain if a parent has expressed an opposing view if it has not been recorded. Has the assessment been shared before completing so that an opposing view could be expressed?
Is the child’s view clearly recorded?
(WTSC 2015:41) / 1,2,3,6 / The child’s words own should be used where possible. The child’s understanding and view of their situation should be recorded as well as their view of any planned intervention/services
Does the assessment draw together relevant information from the child/family and the multi-agency professional context? (WTSC 2015:43) / 5,7 / Where involved, risk should consider the multi-agency range of evidence/views including providers of services for adults such as substance misuse services, Probation and Mental Health
Care Plan Specific
Impact. The care plan actions and outcomes should be targeted at areas of greatest concern and greatest chance of success. (WTSC 2015: 46) / 3,4,6,7 / Care plan should be capable of impacting positively on assessed needs/risks in areas of greatest concern – there must be relevance and proportionality of plan to risk.
Is the plan clear on who will do what, why and for what purpose? (WTSC 2015:53) / 2,6,7 / The plan should set out what services are to be delivered, and what actions are to be undertaken, by whom and for what purpose.
Good Practice Area and reference: / Links to KSS / Indicators / Y / N / P NR
Child Focused Care Plan: Is the plan focused on action and measurable outcomes for the child? (WTSC 15:35, 52) / 1,2,3,6,7 / The plan should set out services to be delivered, specific actions to be undertaken by whom and for what purpose. Any services which are adult targeted should state the anticipated measureable impact on outcomes for the child.
Actions that are measurable and reviewable: (WTSC 2015:54) / 2,6,7 / Many actions will be targeted at adults in the child’s life. The plan should have expectations for these adults that are measurable & reviewable so that progress and change can be evidenced rather than assumed.
The care plan should reflect the child’s identity and cultural requirements
(WTSC 2015:42 HCPC SOP 5) / 3,4,6 / The assessment will determine the degree of attention required; there should be congruence. For example, if a child has been placed in foster care and religious observance is important – how will this be observed?
Is the care plan Safe ? / All / The assessor having had regard for the assessed level of risk, will need to be satisfied that the care plan is convincingly addressing those areas of risk, to safeguard the child from significant harm. If the care plan is felt to be ‘unsafe’ it must be referred immediately back to the manager – not waiting until after the feedback has been compiled.
Overall view of Assessment: Outstanding / Good / Requires Improvement to be good / Not adequate (Please circle)