SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
RISK POLICY
Ian Goodfellow
Policy and Service Development Group
June 19991
The work of David Carson, Faculty of Law, Southampton University, is acknowledged as
having been very helpful in the development of this policy.
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Services for Children and Families
Risk Policy
1
Policy
1.1
Specific members of staff have delegated authority to make
judgements about risk and to take decisions accordingly. These staff
will be supported by the Department where these judgements and
decisions are made within the framework of this policy document.
Staff will not be held accountable for events which are outside their
control.
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Mandatory Procedures
2.1
Staff taking decisions must be sure that they have the delegated
authority to do so. (See Scheme of Delegated Decision Making).
2.2
The relevant policies and procedures must be followed. Departmental
assessment recording and decision-making processes, as well as the
ACPC Child Protection Procedures will be primary sources of
guidance, but managers will need to bear in mind any other relevant
policies (see para 3.12).
2.3
Decisions must be properly recorded, in accordance with the
Department’s recording policy. In particular, it must be possible, from
the records, to track decision-making processes, and to identify who
has taken the decisions.
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Practice Guidance
3.1
The intention of this policy is to encourage and give confidence to staff
to take decisions which, in their professional judgement, are in the best
interests of children and young people. In accordance with
government guidance, the Department seeks to promote the
upbringing of children by their families, and only to provide looked
after services, or use compulsory intervention where such action is
demonstrably in the child’s best interests.
3.2
Such decisions frequently involve risk, and as such are often finely
balanced with valid arguments supporting different possibilities. By
definition, there will never be an entirely risk-free option, only a choice
between different ways forward, all of which carry risks.
3.3
Each option in a risk decision is likely to have potentially beneficial
outcomes as well as potentially adverse ones. It is important that
authorised decision makers weigh these in the balance of their
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decision, and record all the considerations carefully. Recording the
dilemmas inherent in risk decisions is important. The following will be
helpful in reaching, and if necessary justifying risk decisions:



Legislation (e.g. certain actions suggested by a referrer may be
unlawful). Legal advice should be sought where this is considered
appropriate.
Research evidence about outcomes
Prevalent views about good practice (e.g. professional codes of
practice like the BASW Code of Ethics for Social Work).
Relevant policies and procedures (see para 3.12).
3.4
A decision to take no action can be a valid risk decision, and should be
fully recorded as such.
3.5
The option chosen will not necessarily be the one which would be most
in sympathy with current popular public and media perceptions. It
should always, needless to say, be guided by and within the
framework of legislation and government guidance and focused on the
best interests of the child(ren).
3.6
The Risk Decision Assessment Form (Appendix 1) may be used as an
aid to professional judgement.
3.7
Decisions involving risk arise when there are issues to do with the well
being of children, and relate to whether or not to intervene in the lives
of children and their families, and/or whether or not to offer services.
Risk decisions are often thought of solely in terms of child protection.
Such decisions are important, but other child care decisions (e.g.
whether or not to admit a child into the looked after system), can also
involve balancing significant and conflicting risks for that child and his
or her family.
3.8
The Department recognises that children and families have a right to
privacy and self-determination. Intervention against the wishes of the
individuals concerned must be justified. Clear and proper recording is
the primary means of demonstrating this.
3.9
It will, on occasions, be necessary to investigate and evaluate decisions
made in the past. This will be done on the basis of whether or not they
were made properly (i.e. within the framework of this policy
document), given the circumstances and information available at the
time, and not on the basis of the outcomes of the case, even though
such outcomes will be likely to have triggered the investigation
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3.10
Nevertheless, the policies and procedures of the Department will be
open to feedback from outcomes and, accordingly, subject to review
and alteration as appropriate.
3.11
In assessing the circumstances prevalent when a decision was made,
account will be taken of the realities of available resources and the time
pressures and deadlines inherent in the working day. It will also be
acknowledged that a single risk decision is unlikely to be able to be
properly understood out of context as a “snapshot”, but rather in the
context of a sequence of decisions over time.
3.12
Through its policies and procedures, the Department will provide
guidance to operational decision makers about the processes to follow,
and the considerations to be weighed in the balance in the making of
proper decisions. Foremost among these will be: Recording Policy.
 Supervision Policy.
 Child Protection Procedures.
 Scheme of Delegated Decision Making.
 Other relevant policies and procedures in the Children and Families
Manual (e.g. Children who are Looked After by the Local
Authority, or Leaving Care and After Care).
3.13
It is acknowledged, however, that a valid professional decision is
bound to incorporate an element of subjectivity, given the complex
human context.
3.14
The Department will provide appropriate training and support for
staff authorised to take risk decisions on its behalf.
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Appendix 1
Risk Decision Assessment Form
(This form may be used as an aid to making professional judgements. It
cannot to used to “scientifically” quantify risks). It should be used in
conjunction with the guidance contained in this policy.
Proposed risk:
BENEFICIAL
POSSIBLE OUTCOMES
HOW
ADVERSE
LIKELY?
(Score1-10)
HOW
LIKELY?
(Score1-10)
For child
For family
For others
Outcomes
of
inaction
Assessment: summary of possible benefits and harms:
DECISION: (include management of implementation and date of review):
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