Social work assessment of children in need: what do we know? - messages from research
Review that draws together UK research findings that provide information on the assessment of children in need. The period covered by the review starts with the transition from the ‘Orange Book’, the Department of Health’s (1988) practice guidance on comprehensive social work assessments, to the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (Department of Health et al., 2000).
It identifies the very wide and growing range of knowledge and skills needed when undertaking assessments. It also highlights both a range of obstacles and the factors that contribute to supporting effective practice and the production of high quality assessments.