WHAT: A set of questionnaires for the child or caregiver to complete on recent life events, their strengths and weaknesses, how they cope with everyday life, the condition of the home, or alcohol consumption. The results can be used as part of an assessment in order to gain a better understanding of the nature and extent of the problems they are facing.
WHO: For anyone undertaking an assessment of a child, young person or caregiver. Most of the questionnaires are designed to be completed by the client and then discussed with the practitioner.
WHERE: Some of the questionnaires can be used across a variety of cultures while others are specific to the UK standard of living and culture and would need significant adaptation.
WHY: The questionnaires are potentially very helpful in revealing needs and identifying the seriousness of a situation. Since they are completed by the young person or by an adult, they facilitate participation in the assessment, and can reveal information that otherwise may have been missed by the practitioner.
N.B. These questionnaires and scales are not diagnostic tests and should not be used to judge families.
They are designed to accompany the following resources from the Department of Health, Department for Education and Employment, Home Office, UK, 2000:
- Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families
- Assessing Children in Need and their Families: Practice Guidance
- Framework for the Assessment of Children and their Families: Guidance Notes and Glossary for Referral and Initial Information Record, Initial Assessment Record, Core Assessment Record
- Referral and Initial Information Record
- Initial Assessment Record
- Core Assessment Record Ages 0-2, 3-4, 5-9, 10-14, 15+
