Putting Analysis into Assessment

1. Putting Analysis into Assessment

2. Aims • To provide participants with tools to increase their skills and confidence in analysis and judgement within assessment practice.

3. Objectives   To explore the policy and practice context of decision making and judgement To provide an opportunity to assess strengths and weaknesses in use of analysis in assessment To introduce models and approaches which will strengthen assessment practice with children in need

4. Presentation 1 • Introduction, background and issues

5. Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families 2000 Adoption and Children Act 2002 Children Act 2004 Every Child Matters 2004 Children and Young Persons act 2008 Common Assessment Framework[2006-8] Working Together [updated 2010,2013 and 2015] Integrated Children’s system 2009 New Govt 2010 Munro Review 2011 Single assessment 2014 Legislative and policy context

6. Why concern about analysis? • ‘It is clear from the studies we reviewed that the analysis of information has continued to be problematic in practice so attention needs to be focused on strengthening this crucial aspect of the assessment process’ [Turney et al 2011] • The failure or inability to analyse, in particular, has been noted time and again in Inquiry Reports, Inspection Reports and Serious Case Reviews yet despite the repeated identification of this difficulty, and various new procedural requirements, the problem remains. [RIP-analysis and critical thinking 2010]

7. Assessment Framework England –conceptual framework Health Basic Care Education Ensuring Safety Emotional & Behavioural Development Emotional Warmth CHILD’S DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS Identity PARENTING CAPACITY CHILD Safeguarding & promoting welfare Stimulation Family & Social Relationships Guidance & Boundaries Social Presentation Stability Self-care Skills FAMILY & ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS Family’s Social Integration Community Resources Family History & Functioning Income Wider Family Housing Employment

8. Core theories underpinning framework • Human needs • Developmental theories • Attachment Theory • Resilience theory • Ecological perspective • Theories of parental capacity

9. Strengths and weaknesses of Framework Strengths • Provides common framework which has been widely accepted[The triangle] • Soundly based in theory and research • Provides a holistic view of children's needs Weaknesses • Doesn’t encourage analysis • Reliance on systems, loss of flexibility [esp. since ICS] • Interpretation of timescales • Practitioners not using guidance fully

10. What we found during, Putting analysis into assessment project • Thorough assessments • Lack of reference to research and theory in assessment reports • Resistance to starting assessments [ticking clock] • Lack of standardisation about length /detail in assessments • ‘Workings out’ not shown in assessments • Children not very visible in assessments-lack of creativity • More partnership with - focus on adult needs

11. Quality of analysis. Taken from:Ten Pitfalls and how to avoid them-Messages from research , Broadhurst K, White S, Fish S, Munro E, Fletcher K and Lincoln LSeptember 2010 www.nspcc.org.uk/inform • Assessments too static and descriptive • Accumulation of facts not woven together or analysed to offer explanation for current situation • Too much focus on parents ability to carry out tasks rather than how their own history and development affects parenting capacity • Focus on single events or concerns rather than patterns[ start again syndrome]. • Reaching conclusions too soon without different explanations being explored • Disregarding children’s accounts • Parental co-operation dictates outcomes

12. Quality of analysis [cont] • Not enough information paid to information from family, friends, neighbours • Attention focussed on most visible or pressing problem • Pressures from high status referrers leads to over precipitate action • Professionals think that because they have explained something it will have been understood • If significant harm not found-often no referral to other services • Practitioners reluctant to admit to being frightened or to ask for help with challenging families

13. Presentation 2 • Presentation 2. Analysis and Intuition: the nature of expertise

14. Analytical Formal Logic Probability theory Decision theory Formal instruments Empirical research Measure specific dimensions Statistical equations Intuitive How people reason Establishing rapport Using empathy and experience. Imagination Unconscious appraisal of competence Analytical and Intuitive thinking

15. Fundamental Swift Interpersonal Draws on knowledge and research Tacit- even if can’t be articulated still valuable Survived over time Implicit -defective as shared public knowledge Not necessarily reliable Limited to range of own experience and bias Blind spots-look for evidence to confirm assumptions Doesn’t acknowledge variables Intuition Strengths--- -------------weaknesses

16. Knowledge base from empirical research- a lot done. resumes and critiques readily available. Many aspects of subjects have been studied. Helps to understand effectiveness of approaches Supports good decision making Need to justify actions – accountability Findings tentative-only weak causal link at times Can’t just read findings-need to understand context –use judgement Difficult to export to different populations Child abuse definitions change over time Difficult to have RCT’s in child protection studies Analytical Reasoning Strengths-----------------------------------Weaknesses

18. Kolb’s Learning Theory

19. Exercise • Choose a case that you are involved with or is familiar to you • Plot a pathway through different points at which decisions were made [big and small] • Can you identify elements of knowledge and skills you applied at each point? • Would this be different depending on your length of practice experience ? • Or alternatively thinking of your work as a whole over a fixed period e.g three months, if you were to create your own pie chart of the extent to which your different areas of expertise were being utilised, what would it look like and why?

20. Messages for Social Work • Child Protection workers need to become more analytical and critical to improve accuracy - make reasoning, more open and accountable. • Empathy and intuition needs to be central but practice can be improved by developing analytical skills. • Child abuse is a phenomena shaped by social context -an understanding of cause and treatment cannot be universally applied

21. Messages continued • Evidence that actuarial tools demonstrate a higher level of accuracy than professional judgements alone and can play a part in overall case management • Provide opportunity for consistency across agency and workers • Help in developing clear standards • Formal methods don’t offer certainty. SW’s should be cautious about the level of accuracy they can hope to achieve.

22. Presentation 3 • Critical awareness and hypothesising

23. The process of analysis in assessment Sally Holland[2004 and 2010 ] Child and Family Assessment in Social Work. Sage publications • Analysis pervades assessment from beginning • Practitioners often have difficulties in articulating thinking • Approaches used in Social research are applicable to gathering organising and analysis of data • Need to be aware of impact of self on assessment relationship • Cultural Review EXERCISE

24. Cultural review • Reflexivity-A circular process of thought and action, with our thoughts and beliefs interacting with and affecting service users and their responses and experiences in turn affecting our thoughts and belief systems • Cultural review reveals some of the unconscious processes and hidden influences on our ability to engage with families. By bringing assumptions and underlying influences on our thinking into awareness we can see them more clearly and take compensatory action.

25. Hypothesis • The cornerstone of analysis in assessment might be seen as the process of building hypotheses for understanding a family situation and developing these until they include a plan for a way forward[Holland, 2004] • A hypothesis is a testable proposition

26. Developing Hypotheses (Holland, 2004) • Human tendency to be verificationists • Need to do more than be neutral • look for data that might disprove • Look for info that will explain and test ways of understanding and helping [including antecedents] • Different models within research for developing hypotheses-need to both draw from data and test data against original concerns [retroductive]

27. Sources of hypothesis • Service-user explanations – listen and take seriously • Practitioners explanations, practice wisdom • Other professionals-specialist perspective-inter-agency working • Observations and direct work with children • Evidence-based practice, wide reading of research • Theory, having and using ideas

28. Building hypothesis • Child protection services and managers need to establish the systems, ethos and context in which constant testing and revision of hypotheses and assumptions can underpin practice, as well as creating a working environment where professionals are actively encouraged to question their judgements and to invite alternative opinion – one in which it is acceptable and safe to simply change their mind • ‘Playing the devils advocate’ • ‘A fresh pair of eyes’ – make use of supervision to aid reflection Munro 1999]

29. The process • Actively seek evidence to disconfirm or challenge hypothesis – avoid simply confirming the dominant concern • Ask yourself questions about competing goals, factors that favoured courses of action, what might happen if..... • What factors have led to changes in view • Be conscious of value placed on sources of hypothesis..would you treat same info from different source differently?

30. Quality of analysis Three types of bias • The rule of optimism • Natural love • Cultural relativism [CWDC .NQSW Programme. Supervising Assessment work :Underpinning knowledge. No longer available]

31. Discrepancy: taken from pilot programme for newly qualified social workers. Online materials. Children's Workforce Development Council [No longer available] • Informational: Different info from different sources • Interpretive: Different interpretations of same information • Interactive: Parents interact differently with different professionals/children • Incongruent: What parents say may change or be more or less coherent depending on their state of mind. [substances/mental health] • Instinctual: Everything adds up on paper but you still feel uncomfortable /need to enquire further

32. Discrepancy Clues

33. Healthy scepticism and respectful uncertainty • CP involves working in unstable, distressing and sometimes personally threatening situations, • Evasiveness, concealment or outright dishonesty by some of the protagonists can be anticipated, if not assumed. • Repeated inquiry reports show the extraordinary lengths to which some abusive parents can go in their efforts to deceive practitioners. • Laming proposed that the concepts of ‘healthy scepticism’ and ‘respectful uncertainty’ should form the basis of relationships between social worker and families in such cases

34. Observation skillsBaldwin 1994 • Openness and concentration • Aware of own assumptions and prejudices • Aware of the observer effect • Awareness of the environment • Suspending judgement • A structure or model for observation • Able to use and evaluate theories to analyse • Recording observations accurately • Using observations as part of assessments • Aware that collective experience will be revealed

35. Using and managing information • Making notes • highlighting themes[coding] • analyse info from various sources • key words • Be conscious of value placed on sources of hypothesis • Constantly check out views with others • Supervision critical • Consultations with other agencies • Avoid group think • Share with those being assessed

36. Presentation 4 • Understanding needs

37. Needs led Assessment-Why ? • Inspection reports have found that it is not always clear how the services provided meet the needs of children • Local authorities interpret and meet need differently • Deterrent prevention • Haphazard pattern of access to services –sticking plaster approach

38. Part 111 lays out the duty on L A’s to provide services to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need. A child is in need if: A] he is unlikely to achieve or maintain or to have the opportunity of achieving or maintaining a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision for him of services by a local authority or B]his health or development is likely to be significantly impaired or further impaired without the provision for him of such services or C] he is disabled Part 111.Children Act 1989. Child in Need

39. Benefits of needs led approach • Helps -children- parents-workers understand what must be done and what needs to change in order to meet needs • Helps encourage parental empathy • Helps to determine and achieve specific outcomes for children • Promotes a wider focus than only considering harm • Provides transparency • Fairness of access • Helps in placement planning • Useful in service planning as well as individual work

40. Presentation 5 • Risk and resilience

41. Definitions of resilience • “Resuming its original shape after compression” [Oxford dictionary ] • “the process of, capacity for, or outcome of successful adaptation despite challenging or threatening circumstances”.[Masten et al 1990] • “Normal development under difficult conditions” [Fonagy et al 1994]

42. Main terms used in resilience • Risk/Adversity: any factor or combination of factors that increases the chance ofan undesirable outcome affecting a person. • Protective factors: the circumstances that moderate the effects of risk • Vulnerability: a feature that renders a person more susceptible to athreat. • Resilience: positive adaptation in the face of severe adversities. • Coping strategies: children learn or are taught strategies that promote resilience

43. Factors associated with vulnerability • Child-age, health, development, behaviour, status, personality, attachments • Parents-history, age, relationships, lifestyle, criminal record , substance misuse, health. • Community-Lack of community cohesion, lack of support, homelessness, financial difficulties

44. Factors associated with resilience • In the child themselves-innate personality traits or outlook • The family and relationships-strong attachment or protective relationship • The wider community-external interests or protective relationships

45. Why important • Important to gain an understanding of vulnerability and resilience in children when assessing their needs[holistically ] • Resilience relates to how well children cope or are taught to cope, how much social support they have and how they deal with difficulties generally • Will help to inform the interventions that will help children achieve better outcomes

46. Interventions [cont] • Interventions to support informal networks-peers mentors, role models • Support and education for parents of infants • Building supportive relationships- immediate and extended families • School based programmes-emotional literacy and mentoring programmes • Broad based community initiatives

47. Interventions to Promote Resilience Three types of approach identified • Risk focussed. Aim to reduce or prevent risk. • Asset focussed: Resources input to counteract adversity e.g. additional tutoring/job training etc. • Process focussed: Protect or restore systems to support positive development e.g. work on attachment Most effective interventions use all or a combination of the approaches above targeted at the child family and community level

48. Interventions [cont] Evidence so far suggests that in order to develop resilience we need: multifacetedprogrammes that consider factors across child, family and communityarenas; programmes that address risks, assets and resilience processes; andtargets that include the development of secure relationships and widersupportive relationships, self-esteem and mastery, and provision of positivenursery and school or community experiences

49. Presentation 6 • Signs of Safety

50. Signs of safety approach • Background and origins • Underpinning philosophy • Practice principles for partnership • Six practice elements • Interactive exercise