Risk Assessment

During a child protection enquiry (Section 47 of the Children Act 1989), the scope and focus of the assessment will be that of a risk assessment which:

• Identifies the cause for concern;
• Evaluates the strengths of the family;
• Evaluates the risks to the child/ren;
• Considers the child's needs for protection;
• Evaluates information from all sources and previous case records;
• Considers the ability of parents and wider family and social networks to safeguard and promote the child's welfare;
• Considers how these risks can be managed

It is important to ensure that both immediate risk assessment and long term risk assessment are considered. Where the child's circumstances are about to change, the risk assessment must include an assessment of the safety of the new environment.

See also: definition of Risk Assessment for Adults and Care Support.