Coordinating and Managing Assessments and Child Protection Cases for Disabled Children

Aimed at both practitioners and managers in social work, health, education and any discipline or organisation which carry out early help assessments as lead agency, Child in Need assessments and Child protection enquiries.

This course will explore the process of carrying out assessments with disabled children and young people and their families. This one-day course explores the challenges of making sense of the day to day lived experiences of children and young people, looks at whole family dynamics, an ecological and holistic approach and uses a strengths-based model. It will include consideration of assessment methods, approaches to change and the impact of attachment and trauma issues.

It will include a focus on reflective practice, supervision, meeting competing needs and balancing risks and support systems when managing assessments and Child Protection Cases.

Who is this course for?

This course is for practitioners who have responsibility for both coordinating and managing assessments and child protection cases for disabled children.

This could include:

• Managers in health and social care
• Managers in education
• Managers in third and voluntary sectors

Aims of the Coordinating and Managing Assessments and Child Protection Cases for Disabled Children Course

• Understand the child and young person’s role and voice in assessments and planning for their needs.
• Identify challenges of multi-agency practice.
• Appreciate values and principles.
• Identify the benefits and strengths of good multi-agency practice.
• Analyse needs, unmet needs and when they become risks.
• Develop reflective practice skills and supervision.
• Understand theories of change and how they can inform practise.
• Support your development as a worker and manager exploring how to ensure effective teamwork across agencies and develop the effective use of skills, knowledge and confidence in those working together.
• Consider factors which may influence or act as barriers to assessments of the needs of disabled children and their families
• Reflect on the processes of assessment, planning, implementation and review.

The Managing Assessments and Child Protection Cases for Disabled Children course will explore the following areas:

• Supervision and support systems
  Looking at methods of balancing support systems throughout assessments and Child Protection Cases.
• Assessment process
  Understanding what an assessment is in terms of social policy and in terms of practice.
• Stages in the assessment process
  Identifying the key components of an assessment and how these translate into stages of work.
• Values, challenges and barriers
  Understanding the principles that should inform assessments and the skills required to do them – while acknowledging common challenges and barriers.