Barnsley's Threshold for Intervention - Continuum of
Assessment of Need
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1.0
Introduction
2.0
Good Practice Principles
3.0
Consent and Information sharing
4.0
Referral pathways and requesting a service from children’s social care
5.0
Levels of Need
NB: The information contained in this document will be reviewed and updated every 12 months. The
current document can be obtained from www.barnsley.gov.uk/integratedworkingtoolkit or
www.safeguardingchildrenbarnsley.com or www.barnsley.gov.uk/cyptrust
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1.
Introduction
Underpinning Legislation & Guidance & Reports
and additional information and research
1.1
The aim of this document is to provide all practitioners with clear guidance
regarding thresholds for intervention.
Improving outcomes for children and young people so that every child has the
opportunity to achieve their potential requires commitment to integrated working
arrangements from practitioners working with children and their families in Barnsley.
Focusing on the early help offer and early intervention shifts the emphasis from
dealing with the consequences of difficulties in children’s lives to preventing things
from going wrong in the first place, and in promoting the five priority outcomes:
Children in Need Procedures
1.2
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Be Healthy
Stay Safe
Enjoy & Achieve
Be an active citizen
Earn a living
This guidance is written for practitioners who come into regular contact with
children, young people and families and whose role includes a responsibility to
identify and meet a child’s needs.
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1.3
Children Act 1989
Children Act 2004
Every Child Matters 2003
Youth Matters
Every Disabled Child Matters
Working together to Safeguard Children (June
2012)
SEN Green paper 2011
The Munro report 2011
The National Service Framework
The Health and Social Care Act 2012
Clinical Governance
NICE Guidelines
Professional codes of ethics and standards
across the different disciplines
Health Professions Council Standards
National Health Service Act 2006
The purpose of this guidance is two-fold:
 Firstly, to help practitioners and managers across all agencies to focus on
children and young people’s needs and to take action to meet those needs at
the appropriate level (Threshold for Intervention). It will support the aim of
local services particularly in relation to promoting the education, health and care
of children and safeguarding their welfare through the delivery of child and family
centred services.
 Secondly, it aims to make clearer the process to request a service from targeted
and specialist children’s services, so that Children In Need (CIN) (Children Act
1989) and/or children with additional needs are more effectively identified and
support is provided.
The Threshold for intervention- continuum of assessment of need document
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1.4
describes four levels (tiers) of need to assist practitioners using them to identify
need and the appropriate service response. The information in this document is
correct as of Feb 2014. Some of the content will go out of date as local and
national guidance changes and it will, therefore, be reviewed on a 12 monthly basis.
A glossary of definitions is available as an appendix, as is a list of service contact
details.
The use of the common assessment framework (CAF) is key to the early
identification of need and access to appropriate support.
Advice and guidance for practitioners using the Common Assessment Framework
including Lead Practitioner and Team Around the Child can be found in the
Integrated Working Toolkit; the use of the CAF as part of the continuum of
assessment of need and integrated service delivery to families remains central.
Achieving good outcomes for children and families requires all practitioners with a
responsibility for assessment and the provision of services to work collaboratively
and to be clear about:
 Their role and responsibilities, including its legislative basis as listed opposite.
 Their part in the shared vision of prevention and early intervention across
agencies – to increase the extent to which children and young people achieve
positive outcomes.
 The purpose of their activity in using the CAF, and the importance of having a
clear vision with the family of the process and desired outcomes.
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Children Act 1989
SENDA Act 2002
Sections 10 & 11 of the Children Act 2004.
Equalities Act 2010
National Service Framework
Working together to Safeguard Children
(June 2013)
The Health and Social Care Act 2012
Clinical Governance
NICE Guidelines
Professional codes of ethics and standards
across the different disciplines
Health Professions Council Standards
National Health Service Act 2006
Information and advice on the Common Assessment
Framework (CAF) can be obtained from:
www.barnsley.gov.uk/integratedworkingtoolkit
If you require further support re CAF please contact:
Nigel Leeder – tel: 01226 771297 / 07805914136
nigelleeder@barnsley.gov.uk
Carol Ward – tel: 01226-771297 / 07805914142
carolward@barnsley.gov.uk
Multi Agency Coordinator (MAC) can also be emailed
at CAF@barnsley.gov.uk
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For children with a disability the multi agency
coordinator is Carol Ward (details above).
1.5
This Guidance will complement existing guidance around the CAF by:
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1.6
2.
2.1
Setting out principles of good practice.
Describing the levels of need or vulnerability for action/intervention.
Introducing clarity and consistency for when a CAF should be completed, when
a Stronger Families early help assessment should be completed and when a
case should be referred to Children's Social Care.
 Introducing clarity and consistency for accessing targeted and specialist
services.
It is important to remember, however, that guidance will never give all the
answers, nor will it ever take the place of talking to each other – or sound
professional judgement and good communication. In providing an integrated
response, it is important to respect and value the unique contribution and expert
opinion of professionals and families.
Good Practice Principles
“Preventative services do more to reduce abuse and neglect than reactive
services...”(Eileen Munro 2011)
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Munro Report 2011
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2.2
It is important to identify a child’s needs and to respond at an early stage.
It is important following an assessment with a family to be clear about what
outcomes are identified and how you will know what progress has been made.
Review is vital.
 It is important to coordinate work with the child and family and for someone to
take the lead practitioner role. An integrated (Team Around the Child/Family)
approach is important at an early stage – not just when there are questions
about possible harm. The child/ family should be consulted with regard to who
takes the lead practitioner role, this should be a practitioner they can engage
with.
 Immediate and practical needs should be addressed straight away whilst the
CAF, SF early help or CIN assessment is being undertaken. Delays in service
to a child should not occur whilst assessments are underway, although it is
clear that a timely assessment will be completed in line with Barnsley's CIN
procedures to inform the medium to long term plan.
Child Centred, holistic and rooted in child development
Assessing the needs of children
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2.3
We must not lose sight of the child; any work should be based on the child’s
narrative.
 We need to know what the child’s experiences are by communicating in the
child’s preferred language/style and observing behaviour/s.
 Work should take place with a clear view of the child’s developmental progress
and how the child’s and family circumstances may impact on current and future
development.
 The interaction between the child’s developmental need and a range of other
factors is complex and should be taken into account when making the choice of
service involvement and intervention.
Involving children and families and building on strengths
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2.4
Working openly and honestly with children and families is vital.
Identifying strengths (resilience and protective factors) is just as important as
identifying vulnerabilities and risks. Using strengths becomes an important part
of any plan to resolve difficulties. Some children may do well even in the most
adverse circumstances while others seem to have little capacity to cope with
stress. It is important to identify and build on protective factors.
Practitioners need support too
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Seek support from your line manager, supervisor and agency safeguarding
leads.
Family Information Service 0800 0345 340 provides signposting and guidance
to a range of local services.
The MACs are available to provide support and advice.
Advice, consultation and support is available from the Stronger Families teams
under the early help offer.
Local training in safeguarding, CAF and assessment skills is available.
Practitioners should take advantage of networking opportunities at a local level
to ensure effective integrated working.
and their families – Research in Practice
www.rip.org.uk/publications/researchbriefings.asp
Assessing the needs of children
and their families – Research in Practice
www.rip.org.uk/publications/researchbriefings.asp
Family Information Service (FIS)
Tel: 0800 0345 340
CAF
Information and advice on the Common Assessment
Framework (CAF) can be obtained from:
www.barnsley.gov.uk/integratedworkingtoolkit
or from the Multi-Agency Coordinators (see Section
1.3)
Stronger Families Teams
There are four Stronger Families Teams in the
Borough:
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North East based at Shafton College (01226
717730) MAC Nigel Leeder
Central Team based at Horizon Community
College (01226 704258) – MAC Nigel Leeder
West Team based at Darton College (01226
392262) –MAC Nigel Leeder
South East based at Netherwood School (01226
272000) – MAC Carol Ward
Safeguarding
www.safeguardingchildrenbarnsley.com
3.
3.1
3.2
Information Sharing and Consent
The Children Act 2004 clearly sets out the statutory duty on key agencies, including
schools, when to share information about children and young people. Information
sharing is vital to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young
people. A key factor in many serious case reviews has been the failure to record
information, or share information, to understand the significance of the information
shared, and to take appropriate action.
Sharing information is also vital for early intervention to ensure that children and
young people with additional needs receive the services they require. It is,
therefore, important that practitioners understand when, why and how they should
share information so that they can do so confidently and appropriately as part of
their day to day practice. This includes:
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The Children Act 2004 (Sections 10 & 11)
The Data Protection Act
The Caldicott Principles
The Freedom of Information Act
Information Sharing: Guidance for practitioners
and managers (2009); HM Government.
Working Together to Safeguard Children (2013)
Barnsley Safeguarding Children Procedures
One Barnsley Confidentiality Policy
SWYPFT Confidentiality Policy
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Understanding what information is or is not confidential and the need in some
circumstances to make a judgement about whether confidential information can
be shared in the public interest, without consent.
 Understanding and apply good practice in sharing information at an early stage
as part of preventative work.
 Being clear that information:
1. should be shared (according to the Barnsley Safeguarding Procedures)
where you judge that a child or young person is at risk of significant harm, or
that an adult is at risk of significant harm.
2. should be shared with other agencies, in the interest of providing effective
and seamless services, ensuring that the children and families understand
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the benefits and have given consent.
Practitioners should explain to children, young people and families, openly and
honestly at the outset what and how information will, or could be shared and
why, and seek their consent.
 Confidence is only breached when the sharing of confidential information is not
authorised by the person who provided it, or to whom it relates. If information is
provided on the understanding that it will be shared with a limited range of
people or for limited purposes, then sharing it in accordance with that
understanding will not be a breach of confidence.
 Even when consent to share information is not given, you may lawfully share it
if you have concerns if this can be justified in the public interest. This should be
done following consultation with your line manager OR Caldicott Guardian.
 Always seek advice (through your line manager) when you are in doubt,
especially where your doubt relates to a concern about possible significant
harm to a child or serious harm to others.
 As far as is practicable it is important to remember that involving the child or
young person in the assessment and planning process ensures that their
experience and story is heard, and will ensure their wishes and feelings are
taken into account. Young people are more likely to engage with plans if they
are part of them. It is important to ensure that where children and young people
have communication difficulties suitable communication tools such as Makaton
are offered. Where English is not spoken as a first language the use of an
interpreter or a telephone interpreter service must be used, if this is not used it
should be clearly documented why this decision was taken.
Six key points of information sharing:
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Explain openly and honestly at the outset what information will or should be
shared and why, and seek agreement - except where doing so puts the child or
others at risk of significant harm.
The child’s safety and welfare must be the overriding consideration when
making decisions to share information about them.
Respect the wishes of children or families who do not wish to share confidential
information unless it is judged that there is sufficient need to override that lack
of consent.
Seek advice from your own agency safeguarding lead or designated person for
child protection if in doubt OR Caldicott Guardian.
Ensure information shared is accurate, up to date, proportionate and necessary
for the purpose for which you are sharing it, share it only with those who need to
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SWYPFT Clinical Record Keeping Policy
Barnsley Children’s Social Care Recording
Procedures
Individual agencies recording procedures
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know, and share it accurately.
Always record the reason for your decision (using your agency’s recognised
recording system) whether it is to share or not, what information was shared,
and with whom.
4.
4.1
Referral pathways and requesting services
Universal Services (see pages 12-13) Tier 1
4.1.1
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All children can access these services.
Signposting to a range of services is available from the Family Information
Service (FIS). Tel: 0800 0345 340
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There is an understanding that quality first teaching will include strategies and
interventions to address the needs of those children who have mild barriers to
learning.
In line with Equalities Act 2010 all Reasonable Adjustments should have been
made.
A graduated response to meeting the needs of children must be implemented in
accordance with the SEN Code of Practice and national guidance documents.
4.1.2
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Healthy Child Leaflet CC CARE PATHWAY
v5 updated oct 2012.pdfV3 28.5.12.xls
 Quality First Teaching (Quality first teaching draws on a
repertoire of teaching strategies and techniques that are closely
matched to the specified learning objectives and the particular needs
of the children and young people in the class. It demands 100%
participation from the pupils and sets high and realistic challenges. It
does not ‘spoon feed’, it is challenging and demanding; it expects
pupils to be able to articulate their ideas, understanding and thinking
by actively promoting pupil talk. Lesson organisation is fit for
purpose; for example, it may involve direct whole-class teaching or
alternatively may have significant elements of enquiry-based
individual or group work. Behavioural issues are addressed initially
through teaching and learning considerations with behaviour for
learning as the focus rather than behaviour management. (DCSF
(2008, p10) Personalised Learning - A Practical Guide).
 Ofsted
 DfE Website – Guidance for Teachers and
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4.2
Targeted Services (see pages 14-19) Tier 2 and 3
4.2.1
 When a child’s needs are not clear, not known or not being met then it is the
family’s entitlement to have a Common Assessment Framework (CAF) which will
help to identify with the family what the child’s needs are and services to meet
those needs.
 The CAF will provide a platform to identify any further specialist assessment that
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Schools
Removing barriers to achievement
Inclusion Development Programme
Equalities Act 2010
Code of Practice for SEN
Removing Barriers to Achievement
Inclusive Schooling
Equality Act 2010
CAF Guidance
Integrated Working Toolkit
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may be needed for the child.
 If it is clear that a single agency intervention is required then it may be possible to
refer into that agency directly (if the agency provides targeted levels of support).
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4.2.2
Services may have expectations of what should have been achieved prior to their
service being involved. (See appendices).
4.2.3
Stronger Families Teams:
Request for CC
service V8.doc
Children's Centre
Contact Details September 2013.docx
The remit of the team will be to:
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Provide advice and guidance to colleagues for more complex CAF cases where
plans are ‘stuck’.
Work with and engage with ‘hard to reach’ families. These are described as
families that would not normally ask or seek out professional support, advice
and intervention.
Work with colleagues to identify and support families that ‘slip through the net’.
These families may not require a statutory intervention but the children have
needs which are currently unmet. Experience would suggest that domestic
abuse is often a significant feature in these families.
Work with families within the context and criteria of the government’s ‘Troubled
Families’ programme.
Offer time-limited family support and structured interventions to children, young
people and their families.
Focus primarily on outcomes based on the child and family's needs. Social
workers within the teams will be responsible for assessing and leading on CIN
plans.
Request for service from the Stronger Families Team is via:
1. An active Common Assessment that is viewed by the LP/TAC to be
complex/stuck, following discussion with the multi-agency coordinator
(MAC) for the area.
2. Following a notification to children’s social care from South Yorkshire
police of an incident of standard/medium of domestic abuse. NB All high
risk case are dealt with by CSC
3. Cases assessed as CIN(tier3) by CSC that have a clear plan that is
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4.2.4
4.3
4.3.1
outcome focused that requires ongoing work led by a social worker.This
work will always be with a view to stepping down to CAF and TAC when it
is appropriate to do so.
Further information on services available at this level can be found through the
Family Information Service (FIS), Multi-Agency Co-ordinators (MAC), Stronger
Families Teams (SFT), SENCO, Parent Partnership Service (PPS), Children’s
Centres.
Specialist Services – Tier 4
Some specialist services operate an open referral system whilst others require a
specific pathway to request a service (see appendices).
It must be noted that there are also statutory responsibilities – see listed below
which must be given due consideration.
 Statutory Assessment Process for identifying special educational need
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4.4
(Assessment and Review Service (Education))
Education Welfare Service (EWS)
Behaviour Support Service (BSS) – Exclusions and Alternative Provision
Youth Offending Team (YOT)
Children’s Social Care
Family Information Service 0800 0345 340
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Education Act 1996 and SENDA Act 2002.
Children Act 1989.
Children Act 2004.
Children and Families Bill 2013.
Crime and Disorder Act 1998
Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act
2000
Criminal Justice Act 2009
Legal Aid and Sentencing and Punishment
Offenders Act 2012
Section 155 Education and Skills Act 2008.
The School Discipline (Pupil Exclusions and
Reviews) (England) Regulations 2012.
Children’s Social Care
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The initial points of contact in Barnsley for children’s social care are the
Assessment Team and JIT and the Disabled Children’s Team (for disabled
children who meet their criteria). These social work teams receive requests for
service – initially defined as a ‘consultation’. At this point the contact will take
the form of a consultation. The practitioner will be able to discuss the
child/family with the social care team as part of this consultation. Following this
there may be several outcomes:
 Signposting to other services more able to meet the specific needs of the
family.
 Provide a response through the Common Assessment process.
 The practitioner requesting a service will be asked to provide a written
request for service providing more in depth supporting information.
 It will be accepted as a child protection referral and the practitioner will be
Referrals to children’s social care are by a request
for service form.
A copy of this form can be obtained from:
https://www.barnsley.gov.uk/services/childrenshealth-wellbeing-and-social-care/childrens-socialcare/child-protection
Barnsley Assessment Framework
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4.5
required to follow up this with a written referral within as required by Working
Together to Safeguard Children (2012).
Barnsley Children and Families Social Care teams use the levels of need set
out in Section 4 of this document to consider whether requests for service are
appropriate for social work involvement, whether an assessment in line with
Barnsley's Assessment Framework of the child and their family will be of the
child and their family will be undertaken and which services or interventions will
be provided or offered. The use of the levels of need is necessary to ensure
that social care interventions are targeted to the children, young people and
families who are most vulnerable and to ensure that decision making is
consistent.
It is important to note that the examples in section 4 are to illustrate levels of
need only; it is not an exhaustive list and will not replace professional
judgement. Similarly, no single example will automatically trigger a specific
response, and some factors may need to be considered within the family or
environmental context, or in relation to other concerns.
Matrix and Family at Risk Panel:
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The Family at Risk Panel has been established to support practitioners working
with the following three types of cases:
1. A family with complex, intergenerational or high risk needs, who have
exhausted the capacity of multiagency approaches to respond;
2. Where there is interagency disagreement about how to provide services to a
family, which has not been satisfactorily resolved between agency
managers. In such cases, Families at Risk Panel (FaRP) will provide a
mechanism for resolution.
3. Where there is an early indication of high level of need and complexity, or
work with a family has become ‘stuck’ without progress and an agency
practitioner/manager requests advice and guidance.
To enable agencies to identify which families meet the thresholds for FaRP the
eligibility Matrix has been developed. This is a tool for evaluating the level of
complexity within a family, and is based on the Framework for Assessment of
Children in Need and their Families.
To refer to FaRP practitioners are required to discuss the referral with their line
manager. Referral to FaRP has been incorporated at various trigger points
A copy of the Matrix and the referral documentation,
and the FaRP protocols are available at
www.barnsley.gov.uk/integratedworkingtoolkit
Advice on how to complete the Matrix can be
obtained from the Multi-agency coordinators.
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within individual agency processes.
Once the referral has been agreed the practitioner should gain agreement from
the family, complete the matrix and referral form and forward them to the BMBC
Head of Integration, Assessment, Disability and Inclusion.
The family will then be discussed at the matrix meeting and a decision made as
to whether to progress to FaRP. The Families at Risk Panel has a membership
of senior operational managers from a range of children’s and adults services.
A decision will be made at that point to establish a Team around the Family and
undertake an in depth Whole Family Assessment.
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Barnsley Continuum of Assessment
TIER 1
NO ADDITIONAL NEEDS - only require universal services
Description
Children/unborn baby with no
additional needs.
Examples of Universal Service Indicators
DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS
Assessment Process
No Common Assessment is
required.
Being Healthy
Children whose needs are met
by universal services.
 Mother accessing and engaging with maternity services as required.
 Acts upon health advice given.
 Parents fulfil family and environmental/parent and carers section
(below).
 Good physical health including dental.
 Reaching age appropriate developmental milestones including
speech and language.
 Good mental health and psychological wellbeing.
 Age appropriate independence skills
Learn and Achieve
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Achieving at key stages.
Support for learning from parents/carers.
Good attendance at school/college/training.
No barriers to learning.
Planned progression on leaving school.
Staying Safe
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Stable families where parents/carers are able to meet their children’s
needs.
Children should access services in the
normal way.
Agencies that will provide services at
this level may include:
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Education
Translation Services
Children’s Centres and Early
Years Services
Health Visiting
School Nursing
General Practitioners
Play services
Integrated Youth Support services
Police
Housing
Voluntary and Community Sector
Midwifery
Dental
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Description
Examples of Universal Service Indicators
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Assessment Process
Good quality early attachments.
Confident in social situations.
Knowledgeable about the effects of crime and anti social behaviour
including substance misuse.
Knowledgeable about relationships and responsibility including safe
sexual relationships.
FAMILY AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
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Supportive family relationships.
Child supported financially.
Good quality stable housing.
Good social and friendship networks exist.
Safe and secure environment.
Access to consistent and positive activities.
PARENT AND CARERS
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Parents are able to provide good care meeting children’s safety and
protection needs.
Parents provide secure and caring parenting.
Parents provide guidance and boundaries to help child develop
appropriately.
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TIER 2
LOWER LEVEL NEED TO VULNERABLE - Targeted support
Low to Vulnerable – Example Indicators
Description
2a Vulnerable
DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS
These children/young people
Being Healthy
have low level additional needs
that are likely not to be short
 Delay in reaching developmental milestones.
term and that may be known
 Missing immunisations and check-ups including dental care.
but are not being met.
 Health problems which can be maintained in a mainstream school.
 Low level mental health or emotional issues requiring intervention.
2b Vulnerable
Learn and Achieve
Child’s needs are not clear, not
known or not being met.
 Pupil progress is below expected levels for age range.
Children with additional needs  Early Years Action or Early Years Action Plus or School Action or
requiring multi agency
School Action Plus have identified Special Educational Need (see
intervention, lead practitioner
SEN Threshold Descriptors).
and Team Around the Child.
 Reduced access to positive play including books and toys.
 Occasional truanting or unauthorised non-attendance.
 Few or no qualifications at the end of Key Stage 4.
 Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).
Keeping safe
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Pro offending behaviour and attitude.
Early onset (aged 10-14) of offending behaviour or coming to the
notice of the police.
Expressing wish to become pregnant at an early age.
Early onset (aged 13-14) sexual activity.
Sexually active (15+) with inconsistent use of contraception.
Assessment Process
Common Assessment
This is the level at which commencing
the Common Assessment process
should be considered with the family.
A Common Assessment should be
completed with the child and family to
identify their strengths and needs and
to ensure appropriate services,
establish a Team Around the Child and
ensure a Lead Practitioner.
Access to programmes and positive
activities aiming to build self-esteem
and enhance social and life skills; eg,
Webster Stratton; Strengthening
Families; Solihull approach.
Contact your SENCO if there are
concerns about a child’s learning and
achievement.
Key agencies that may provide support
at this level include:
Universal and targeted:
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YISP – youth crime prevention
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Low to Vulnerable – Example Indicators
Description
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Low level substance misuse.
Poor self-esteem.
Lack of age appropriate behaviour and independence skills that
increase vulnerability to social exclusion.
FAMILY AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
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Parents/carers have relationship difficulties which may affect the
child.
Parents request advice to manage their child’s behaviour.
Children affected by family relationships of bullying.
Overcrowded, unsafe or temporary housing.
Low income, debt or unemployment.
Insufficient facilities to meet needs, eg, transport.
Family require advice regarding social exclusion, eg, hate crimes.
Associating with anti social or criminally active peers.
Poor access to information and targeted support services.
Bereavement.
Parental substance misuse or offending impacting on the child below
the level of significant harm.
Lack of wider support.
Assessment Process
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Addaction/Young Addaction –
Targeted drug and alcohol services
Health Visiting
School Nursing
Children’s Centres Family Support
Workers
Schools – Parent Support
advisors/learning mentors
Educational Welfare
Integrated Inclusion Services
including educational psychology
and therapy services for children.
Behaviour Support Services
Early intervention services from
CAMHS.
Positive activities services
Integrated Youth Support
Voluntary and Community sector,
eg, Barnardos Young Carers;
Sibling Support projects;
Bereavement Services
PARENTS AND CARERS
Basic care, safety and protection:
 Inconsistent care, eg, inappropriate child care arrangements or
young inexperienced parent.
Emotional warmth and stability:
 Inconsistent parenting but child’s development not significantly
impaired.
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Description
Low to Vulnerable – Example Indicators
Assessment Process
Guidance Boundaries and Stimulation:
 Lack of response to concerns raised regarding child.
 Unable to set boundaries, routines or behaviour management
strategies.
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TIER 3
MEDIUM LEVEL OR COMPLEX - Additional needs requiring integrated targeted support OR Child in Need (Section 17)
Medium Risk – Example Indicators
Description
Children with high level
additional unmet needs.
DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS
Being Healthy
Complex needs likely to
require longer term
intervention from statutory
and/or specialist services.
Child in Need:
These children may be eligible
for a service from children’s
social care and are at risk of
moving to a high level of risk if
they do not receive
intervention. These may
include children who have
been assessed as ‘high risk’ in
the recent past, and who
continue to require additional
support. If a social worker is
allocated they will act as Lead
Practitioner.
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Disability or health condition requiring specialist support.
Physical and emotional development raising significant concerns.
Chronic/recurring health and developmental needs.
Missed appointments - routine and non-routine.
Signs of physical neglect including dental decay.
Significant weight gain or loss.
Poor impulse control/disruptive behaviour.
Poor peer relationships.
Failure to thrive (Weight faltering)
Learn and Achieve
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Pupil progress is significantly below expected levels for age range.
Short term exclusions or at risk of permanent exclusion, persistent
non–attendance.
May require top-up funding from the Local Authority to meet
additional educational needs in setting (concerns must be discussed
with the SENCO).
No access to positive play, books or resources.
Limited parental support for education.
Assessment Process
The Common Assessment and Team
Around the Child processes can be
used to gather supporting evidence to
request specialist/targeted support and
resources including top up funding for
special educational needs. Advice and
help can be obtained from the MultiAgency Coordinators.
The Common Assessment process
(Team Around the Child/Lead
Practitioner) may also be used to
support a child and family moving out
of child protection or Child in Need
processes. Advice and help can be
obtained from the Multi-Agency
Coordinators.
If a Common Assessment is already in
process but the family situation is not
improving or is deteriorating, referral
can be considered to the Stronger
Families Panel. Advice and help can
be obtained from the Multi-Agency
Coordinators.
The multi-agency coordinators will
explain and support the use of the
Matrix (see Family at Risk Panel 4.5) to
Page 19 of 28
Medium Risk – Example Indicators
Description
Assessment Process
Staying Safe
provide additional evidence of levels of
concerns and need for intervention.
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Consider referral to FARP/matrix Whole Family assessment
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Coming to the notice of police on a regular basis but not progressed.
Received reprimand, fixed penalty notice, final warning or
diversionary intervention.
Evidence of regular/frequent drug and/or alcohol use which may be
combined with other risk factors.
Evidence of escalation of substance misuse.
Evidence of changing attitude and disregard for risk.
Mental health issues requiring specialist intervention.
Victim of crime including discrimination (eg, racial/homophobic).
Significant low self-esteem.
Under 16 and has had previous pregnancy ending in still birth,
termination or miscarriage.
Lack of age-appropriate behaviour and independent living skills,
likely to impair development and increase social exclusion.
Child occasionally missing from home.
FAMILY AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
The child/family will be offered a
statutory or specialist services
assessment.
KEY agencies that may provide
support at this level include:

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Specialist health or disability
services:
 Community Paediatricians,
Speech & Language Therapy
(SALT), Paediatric Therapy
(Occupational and
Physiotherapy), Community
Paediatric Nurses, Learning
Disability Nurses, Specialist
Health Visitors, Specialist
School Nurses

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YISP/Youth Offending Team
Multi Systemic Therapy Team
Family and Social Relationships and Family Wellbeing:
 History of domestic violence.
 Risk of relationship breakdown with parent or carer and the child.
 Young Carers, privately fostered, children of prisoners, previously in
care.
 Child/young person has apparently undifferentiated attachments.
 Bereavement.
Housing, Employment and Finance:
Severe overcrowding, temporary accommodation, homelessness,
unemployment, unsafe housing and efforts to intervene at a lower
level have been ineffective.
 Young person living independently in unsuitable B&B or hostel.
Children and Families Social Care (
including the Disabled Children's
team)
Behaviour Support Services
Integrated Inclusion Services
(including Educational Psychology)

Page 20 of 28
Description
Medium Risk – Example Indicators
Assessment Process
Social and Community Resources:
 Family require support services and a result of social exclusion.
 Parent socially excluded; no access to local facilities and wider family
support.
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PARENTS AND CARERS

Basic Care, Safety and Protection:
 Physical care or supervision of the child is inadequate.
 Parental learning disability, substance misuse or mental health
impacting on the ability to meet the needs of the child.
 Parental non compliance.
 Children with significant special needs whose parents are unable to
meet them without support and support offered at a lower level has
not achieved the desired outcomes.
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Family Intervention Project
Family Nurse Partnership
Addaction
CAMHS
Universal health & educational
services
Children’s centres and early years
providers
Education Welfare
Voluntary and Community services
Stronger Families Teams
Family at Risk Panel
Adult Services
MARAC
Emotional Warmth and Stability:
 Inconsistent parenting impairing the emotional or behavioural
development of the child.
Guidance, Boundaries and Stimulation:
 Parent unable to provide the child with appropriate boundaries or
responses.
 Parent does not provide access to play etc.
Page 21 of 28
TIER 4
HIGH LEVEL OR ACUTE NEEDS - Additional needs requiring SPECIALIST/STATUTORY integrated response OR Child
Protection/social care referral
High Risk – Example Indicators
Description
Complex additional unmet
needs:
These children/ young people
require specialist/statutory
support.
Assessment Process
DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS
Additional Services:
Being Healthy
The Common Assessment can be
used to gather relevant information to
support a request for a specialist
service. Advice and help can be
obtained from the Multi–Agency
Coordinators.
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High level of disability.
Serious physical, mental and emotional health problems.
Prolonged neglect of child’s wellbeing and developmental needs.
Children with severe and complex special needs whose parents are
unable to meet them without support, and efforts to support at a
lower level have not achieved the desired outcomes; OR children
with a high level of specific needs or disability requiring a high level
of support to prevent family breakdown.
Children with severe and complex medical needs where there is
serious risk to health.
Children with life limiting conditions.
Regular, frequent or prolonged hospital/hospice stay.
Learn and Achieve
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Pupil progress significantly below expected levels for age range and
efforts to address this have not been successful.
Personalised learning programme required to address severe and
complex needs.
Chronic non-attendance, truanting.
Permanently excluded, frequent exclusions or no education.
No parental support for education.
Young person who is Not in Education, Employment or Training
(NEET) and all efforts to make changes have been exhausted.
Specialist and/or statutory services will
carry out specialist/comprehensive
assessment and formulate a plan
which addresses Education, Health
and Care needs.
In cases where it is proving difficult to
provide an integrated response to a
family’s needs referral to FARP/Matrix
should be considered for Whole Family
Assessment.
Key agencies that may provide support
at this level:
All services at universal, targeted and
specialist levels:

Specialist health or disability
Page 22 of 28
High Risk – Example Indicators
Description
Assessment Process
services:
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Non take up of education in the context of other serious risk factors.
Child permanently excluded and there is a risk of family breakdown.
 Community Paediatricians,
Be Safe
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Challenging behaviour resulting in serious risk to self and others.
Failure or rejection to addressing offending behaviour; serious
persistent offending and anti-social behaviour.
Known to be part of a gang.
Complex mental health issues requiring specialist intervention.
Teenage parent under 16.
Frequently missing from home for long periods.
Distorted self image/ self harming.
Young people experiencing current harm through their substance
misuse.
Young people with complicated substance misuse problems
requiring specific interventions and/or where health is seriously
impaired.
Severe lack of age-appropriate behaviour and independent living
skills likely to result in significant harm to self or others, eg, bullying,
isolation.
Child beyond parental control.
Children involved in regular or hazardous substance misuse.
Child unable to display empathy.
FAMILY AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
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Speech & Language Therapy
(SALT), Paediatric Therapy
(Occupational and
Physiotherapy), Community
Paediatric Nurses, Learning
Disability Nurses, Specialist
Health Visitors, Specialist
School Nurses
Youth Offending Team (YOT)
Children and Families Social Care
Addaction/ Young Addaction
Child and Adolescent Mental
Health Service (CAMHS)
Integrated Inclusion Services (IIS)
including Educational Psychology
Family At Risk Panel
(FARP)/matrix
Adult services
Voluntary and Community sector
services (VAB)
Family Intervention Service (FIS)
Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST)
Behaviour Support Services (BSS)
Children's social care
Children with Disability Team
Family and Social Relationships and Family Wellbeing:
 Suspicion of physical, emotional, sexual abuse or neglect.
 High levels of domestic violence that put children at risk.
 Parents are unable to care for the child.
 Children being looked after outside of their family.
 Parents have significant mental or physical health problems.
Page 23 of 28
High Risk – Example Indicators
Description

Assessment Process
Bereavement.
Housing, Employment and Finance:
 No fixed abode or homeless.
 Family in extreme poverty.
Social and Community Resources:
 Child and family need immediate protection and support due to
harassment and discrimination.
PARENTS AND CARERS
Basic Care, Safety and Protection:
 Parent unable to meet the child’s needs without support.
Emotional Warmth and Stability:
 Parent unable to provide this and at risk of family breakdown.
Guidance, Boundaries and Stimulation:
 Parent involved in substance misuse, offending behaviour, domestic
violence.
CHILD PROTECTION CONCERNS
- WILL REQUIRE A CHILD PROTECTION REFERRAL
Child Protection:
Children suffering or likely to
suffer significant harm.
Referral as through Barnsley
Children’s Safeguarding Board
Procedures.
Physical:
 Child has suffered or is likely to suffer physical harm.
 Child has unexplained/suspicious pattern of injuries.
 Child seriously self-harms, including eating disorder where parents
are not working with professionals or accepting support.
 Unexplained delay in seeking treatment that is obviously needed, or
treatment is sought at an inappropriate time.
“Some indicators are highly suggestive of
abuse, others less so. No list of indicators
can be complete, and it is important in
every case to consider the child’s
experience of living in his/her family and
the other things that are happening in
his/her life.” (Barnsley Safeguarding
Children procedures 2011)
Page 24 of 28
High Risk – Example Indicators
Description
It is important to remember
that children with disabilities
are at particular risk of neglect
and may be unable to disclose
or indicate abuse.
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Unawareness or denial of any injury.
Incompatible, vague or inadequate, discrepant explanations for the
injury.
Inappropriate to the child’s development, eg, non-mobile child.
Inappropriate care response, eg, unconcerned, aggressive.
Inappropriate child response, eg, did not cry/felt no pain.
Reluctance to give information or failure to mention previous injuries
known to have occurred.
Consent for further medical investigation is refused.
Repeated presentation of minor injuries or illnesses, often to the GP
or Accident and Emergency, which may represent a ‘cry for help’ and
which, if not taken seriously, may lead to more serious injury.
Actual or suspected fabricated illness fabrication of symptoms of
illness or injury, (inventing a story about illness).
The signs and symptoms of illness are unexplained and/or
inconsistent.
New symptoms appear on resolution of the previous ones.
Bizarre symptoms.
Child’s activities inappropriately restricted.
Incongruity between story and actions of parents/carers.
Refusal of medical care/endangering life.
Acute mental health issues, psychosis or risk of suicide.
Children who harm others and services have not been effective to
address this.
Disclosure by child of any kind of abuse.
Assessment Process
Please note that there is detailed
explanation of these available on the
Barnsley Safeguarding Children
website:
http://www.safeguardingchildrenbarnsle
y.com/media/1150/Appendix%201%20%20Indicators%20of%20Abuse.pdf
Further information and research:
“When to suspect child
maltreatment,” National Institute for
Clinical Excellence, 2009 (Hobbs CJ,
Hanks HGI, Wynne JM, Child Abuse and
Neglect, 1999, page 64)
Emotional:
 Ostracizing from normal family contact or activities.
 Not allowing the child to receive gifts, play with toys, go on outings,
when other family members are allowed to.
 Indifference to the child’s needs.
 Hostility towards the child.
 Ridicule, sarcasm, deliberate frightening, threatening.
Page 25 of 28
High Risk – Example Indicators
Description
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
Assessment Process
Deliberately withholding, or forcing a child to ‘earn’ basic necessities
like food, clothes, drink and warmth.
Cruelty, like being locked up in cold, dark surroundings.
Encouraging other members of the family to respond to the child in
any of these ways.
Acute emotional rejection of child.
Low warmth – high criticism.
Scape-goating to the extent that a child is affected as in the points
above.
Sexual:
 Behaviours associated with or making vulnerable to sexual
exploitation including frequently missing from home.
 Behaviours associated with other forms of trafficking.
 Sexual activity under 13.
 In sexually exploitative relationship.
 Dangerous sexual activity/exploitation.
 Disclosure: this should be taken seriously and assessed by
experienced professionals. Bear in mind that the child may at first
disclose only a minor part of any abuse and professionals should
have a low threshold for requesting a medical examination.
 Specific physical findings, eg, genital signs of a sexual assault after
an allegation of rape.
 Behavioural changes, eg, sexualised behaviour inconsistent with the
child’s age and development, eg, new onset of bowel or bladder
disturbance in a child who was previously clean and dry, self harm in
older children and young people.
 Physical findings presenting as a medical problem, eg, rectal
bleeding presenting as diarrhoea, vulvovaginitis.
 Physical findings such as love bites/bruising around breasts, thighs
or genitalia.
 Specific signs or symptoms, eg, pregnancy, sexually transmitted
diseases.
Page 26 of 28
Description
High Risk – Example Indicators
Neglect :
 Physical signs of neglect: failure to thrive, poor hygiene and personal
presentation with presentation outside acceptable norms.
 Behavioural problems such as scavenging for food, voracious
appetite, chronic running away, low self esteem, poor social
functioning, indiscriminately seeking affection or attention from
adults.
 Developmental problems such as not reaching developmental
milestones, poor language development, poor intellectual and social
development.
Assessment Process
The Graded Care Profile offers more
information and advice on assessing
neglect in children and young people.
FAMILY AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
Family and Social Relationships and Family Wellbeing:
 High level of severe domestic abuse placing the child at risk of harm.
 Child beyond parental control.
Housing, Employment and Finance:
 Extremely unsafe and hazardous home environment.
PARENTS AND CARERS
Basic Care, Safety and Protection:
 Basic care rarely consistent.
 Care or supervision of child is severely neglected.
 Individual who has a conviction against a child or is known to pose a
risk.
 Parent has had a previous child removed.
 Parent/carer has a significant disability, illness or mental health
problem which affects their ability to care for the child and the parent
is in crisis.
 Parents whose criminal or anti-social behaviour threatens the safety
and welfare of the child.
Page 27 of 28
High Risk – Example Indicators
Description

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
Assessment Process
Parents whose substance misuse seriously affects their ability to
parent.
Children with challenging behaviours and parents unable to manage
and there is a risk of family breakdown.
Poor supervision and lack of awareness of safety, eg, leading to
increased ‘accidental’ injury and increased Accident and Emergency
Department attendances.
Page 28 of 28