Critically important to a child or young person’s health and development is the ability of parents or caregivers to:
- Ensure that the child’s developmental needs are being appropriately and adequately responded to
- Adapt to the child or young person’s changing needs over time
Parenting capacity takes into account:
- Basic care
- Ensuring safety
- Emotional warmth
- Stimulation
- Guidance and boundaries
- Stability
Level 2: Vulnerable Children
Children and young people may be eligible for Common Assessment and possible referral to Local Preventative Group.
- Parental engagement is poor
- Parents require advice on parenting
- Inconsistent emotional responses to child
- Provides inconsistent boundaries
- Some health problems
- Parent’s relationship under pressure
- Parents need advice re. Child-development, behaviour
Level 3: Children with Complex and Long-standing Needs
These children or young people may be eligible for an initial assessment. A decision will be made by children’s social care within 24 hours of a referral being made. If an initial assessment is not appropriate, then other agencies can refer to the Local Preventative Group for discussion.
- Struggling to provide adequate care
- No effective boundaries
- Some concerns about parents’ ability to keep the child safe
- Teenage pregnancy
- Anti-social behaviour
Level 4: High Priority Needs
Children and young people that are clearly in need and are eligible for an initial assessment of their needs.
This level is divided into two categories:
Children in Need where there are Serious Concerns
Examples:
- Domestic violence.
- Parental disability, mental health or substance problems where concerns are raised about parents’ ability to attend to the basic needs of the child.
- Professionals have serious concerns about parenting.
- Attachment problems – highly critical or apathetic to child.
- Child or young person is beyond parental control.
Child Protection where an Urgent Response is Required
Examples:
- Actual or risk of extreme domestic violence between parents/carers
- Severe mental/physical illness of parent/carer
- Serious substance misuse of parent/carer with evidence of immediate risk to child
- Parent carer unwilling or unable to cope with caring for disabled child
- Parent/carer does not meet physical or mental health needs of child
- Parents unable to care for previous children