Assessment of what is happening to a child or young person requires that their developmental progress is examined in the context of their age and stage of development.
Developmental needs take into account:
- Health
- Education
- Emotional and behavioural development
- Identity
- Family and social relationships
- Social presentation
- Self care skills
Level 2: Vulnerable Children
Children and young people may be eligible for Common Assessment and possible referral to Local Preventative Group.
Examples:
- Some concerns re. diet, hygiene, clothing etc
- Has missed some routine health appointments
- Slow in reaching milestones
- Poor punctuality/late for school
- Intermittent school absences
- Poor concentration/not achieving potential
- Not achieving key stage benchmarks
- Regular non-attendance
- Some fixed term exclusions
- Under stimulated
- Smoking/using alcohol
- Low-level anti-social behaviour
- Overweight/underweight/enuresis/encopresis
- Low self-esteem that might lead to bullying
- Limited peer relationships
- Identified learning needs – school action or school action plus
- Disabled child where parents are coping but need support in accessing appropriate services
- Parent/carer curtailing child’s growing independence
- Child with ADHD, ADD, Dyslexia or Dyspraxia
Level 3: Children with Complex and Long-standing Needs
These children or young people may be eligible for an initial assessment to be carried out by Children and Families. A decision will be made by Children and Families within 24 hours of a referral being made. If an initial assessment is not appropriate, other agencies can refer to the Local Preventative Group for discussion.
Examples:
- Regularly missing routine and non-routine health appointments
- Defaulting on immunisation and checks
- Disruptive/challenging behaviour in school/community/home
- Cannot cope with anger, frustration or upset
- Experimenting with drugs
- Starting to engage in criminal behaviour
- Moderate neglect
- Parent’s relationship problems impacting on child
- Young carer whose responsibilities are adversely affecting development
- Homeless care leaver
Level 4: High Priority Needs
Children and young people that are clearly in need and are eligible for an initial assessment of their needs to be carried out by Children and Families.
This level is divided into two categories:
Children in Need Where There are Serious Concerns
Examples:
- Child involved in serious substance misuse or offending behaviour
- Child has chronic mental health needs that impact on child
- Chronic self-harming behaviour
- Disclosure of historical sexual abuse where perpetrator no longer present
- Child previously in care or previous request that he/she is taken into care
- Child has been subject of three children in need referrals during the year
- Excluded or serious risk of exclusion
- Goes missing/risk-taking activity
- Chronic neglect
- Chronic non-attendance at school
Child Protection where an Urgent Response is Required
Examples:
- Child has suffered or at serious risk of significant harm
- Child being trafficked or prostituted
- Child has acute mental health needs that impact on safety/care of child
- Acute self-harming behaviour
- Person posing a risk to children present in home or has access to child
- Chronic domestic violence or serious domestic violence within care setting