COMMON ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK AND CHILD PROTECTION

Common Assessment Framework and the Child Protection System in the UK

Abstract

This paper provides a review of Common Assessment Framework in relation to the child protection system prevailing in the United Kingdom. The first chapter introduces the topic, followed by the literature review. In this study, the researcher has used qualitative research approach, while the findings are presented in the fourth chapter. The paper concludes with the last chapter providing the implications for CAF.

Table of Contents

Abstract2

Chapter 1: Introduction5

Background of the Study5

Purpose of the Study6

Statement of the Problem7

Aims and Objectives of the Study7

Research Question8

Significance of the Study8

Definition of Terms8

Chapter 2: Literature Review10

Definition and Forms of Maltreatment10

Referral data11

Case conference data13

Evolution of the Role of the State14

The Role and Responsibilities of the Schools and Educators16

Common Assessment Framework18

1. Prevention Pathways19

2. Consultation Pathways19

3. Child in Need Pathway20

4. Professional Judgment and Disagreement20

5. Child Protection Pathway20

Social Care engagement and dis-engagement21

Step up - step down model21

The Criminal Law21

Civil Child Protection Laws22

Other Court Proceedings Related to Child Protection23

Stages of the Legal Process in Civil Child Protection Cases24

Child protection--lessons from Victoria Climbié26

Every Child Matters programme27

Chapter 3: Methodology27

Research Method27

Literature Selection Criteria27

Search Technique27

Keywords Used27

Theoretical Framework27

Chapter 4: Findings and Discussion27

Findings27

Parent27

Health Visitor27

Teacher27

School Nurse27

General Physician (GP)27

Discussion27

Chapter 5: Conclusion27

Implications for Future Research27

Recommendations27

Conclusion27

References27

Chapter 1: Introduction

Child protection in England and Wales is the overall responsibility of the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). The DCSF issues both statutory guidance to local authorities (which must be followed) and non-statutory guidance (which the DCSF suggests local authorities follow). Local authorities use this guidance to produce their own procedures which should be followed by practitioners and professionals who come into contact with children and their families in that particular local authority area.

Background of the Study

Although there has been legislation in force since the 1880s to prosecute people accused of child cruelty charges, it has taken a series of high profile child abuse deaths and subsequent inquiries to establish the child protection system we have today. The first formal child death inquiry report was the Curtis Committee Report into the death of Dennis O'Neill in 1945, who was killed at the age of 12 by his foster father. The death of 7-year-old Maria Colwell in 1973 led to the establishment of the modern child protection system, with further changes prompted partly by the inquiries into the deaths of 4-year-old Jasmine Beckford in 1984 and 8-year-old Victoria Climbie in 2000.

The legislative framework for today's child protection system in England and Wales is found in The Children Act 1989, in Northern Ireland in the Children Order 1995 and in Scotland in the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. These acts have since been amended by subsequent legislation and the Children Act 2004 introduces a number of changes to the way the child protection system is structured and organised in England and Wales, which are due to come into force between 2006 and 2008.

The proposal for a Common Assessment Framework (CAF) arose from concerns that the existing arrangements for identifying and responding to the needs of children who are not achieving ...