Child Protection: Risk Assessment Frameworks Dr Julia Stroud Dr Chris Warren-Adamson

Researchers

 Dr Julia Stroud, Principal Lecturer, School of Applied Social Science, University of Brighton  Dr Chris Warren-Adamson, Senior Lecturer, School of Applied Social Science, University of Brighton

The Brief

 Noting the well regarded risk assessment framework adopted by the police in relation to domestic violence, to devise a risk assessment framework for child protection to be used by frontline police officers as guidance for action in first contact.

 So, we aim to deliver manageable guidance to enable first contact officers to make decisions about: A) Risk to children and immediate action B) Risk to children and referral for urgent follow-up

Some considerations

1. The Nature of Risk Assessment Frameworks 2. The context 3. The nature of risk – forms of abuse, the critical triangle other factors (Brandon 2010; Stroud 2008, 2011), problems of relationship and ‘tipping points’, the human factor, uncertainty 4. Munro and the Hackney model 5. Summary of issues 6. Proposal

1. The Nature of Risk Assessment Frameworks

T wo main kinds of risk assessment framework

Broad frameworks

environment .

- aimed at professional systems to make use of systematic collection of information over time, to evaluate and take action about risk – examples are The Orange Book (1988, DH): now the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (2000,HMSO) with its well known triangular perspectives – child, child and parents, and social wider

Actuarial Frameworks

– risk indicators constructed from large data bases, subject to rigorous statistical examination, proposed to be capable of robust measures of prediction – an example FRAAN (Michigan Family Risk Assessment for Abuse and Neglect).

2 The Context

 Historical challenges from child death reviews – from Maria Colwell to Baby P – denial, over-reaction, pendulum swing, protocols, experience, inter-agency working and communication, case leadership  Issues emerging from the Munro Review – ‘the human factor’, systems and inter-relationships, importance of supervision, support and child centred ness

3 The Nature of Risk

 Risk is an occasion when two or more outcomes, beneficial or harmful, are possible (Carson 1990, 1994). So …  Risk assessment is a calculation (assessment) of the possible outcomes of a situation and likelihood that something (positive or negative) will occur. It requires a balancing of the possible benefits of a proposed action against the possible harms it may cause (Carson 1990, 1994)  Working with risk, requires professional knowledge, skills and support AND personal qualities; “measured thought, analysis and judgement” (Cooper 2005); the human factor (Cooper 2005); risk is the complexities and effects of human engagement with, and assessment of, individuals who can behave in misleading, difficult and risky ways (Cooper 2005)

Abuse and Neglect – breadth of issues

Physical abuse Emotional abuse Sexual abuse Neglect Domestic violence Potential effects mental illness/ learning disability of a parent or carer Parental drug/alcohol use

Abuse and Neglect – breadth of issues

Issues re (violent) extremism Sexually exploited children Children affected by gang activity Fabricated or induced illness (FII) Female genital mutilation Forced marriage and honour-based violence Child abuse linked to belief in ‘spirit possession’ Child victims of trafficking Key issue – is the child ‘suffering, or likely to suffer significant harm’? s31 Children Act 1989

Some Key Factors -

 Importance of detail about the child  Past history of family and other members  Men in the family  ‘Toxic mix’ – child death reviews - half of the parents/carers had criminal convictions, poor family support, triangle of past/present domestic violence, past/present parental mental ill health/past/present substance misuse (Brandon 2010; Stroud 2008, 2011)   Youngest most at risk (and most at risk of homicide) (Stroud 2008) Tipping points

Serious Case Reviews - Brandon et al

Child Factors and Experiences Family and Environment Practice, professional, agency factors

Missing, lost, isolated, assaulted Prematurity, low birth weight, neonatal abstinence syndrome Illness, complex health needs, disability Hard to help Suicide Unhappiness not known about Risk taking behaviour History of neglect and rejection Going missing Child missed, lost or not seen Chaos, overwhelmed families with low expectations Unsupported families or negative support Toxic environment (DV, MH, SM, LD) Good/bad dads, men not known about Rough handling Accidents waiting to happen Large Families Children missed, lost or not seen Overwhelmed practitioners and managers low expectations Unsupported workers Child invisible or assumption someone else is seeing child Efforts not to be non judgemental, low levels of challenge, silo practice Uncertainty, Inexperience

4 Munro and Hackney

        Direct contact Support High expectations Layers of experience Systems orientation Confident inter-agency practice Bravery Synergy or attractor pattern of success

5 Summary

 Need for best knowledge of predictive factors  Acknowledge complexity, inter-relationship and “non stationery” characteristic of factors  One positive factor may make safe a toxic mix  Health of professional system around the child – its impact on risk and capacity to collaborate  Needs and practical expectations of first contact, front line officers

6 Project Proposal

Aim

To create evidence based risk assessment framework for frontline police officers to use in early contact in child protection situations

Objectives

 To appraise and be informed by the existing domestic violence tool and its use by police officers  To examine findings of, and material from, Marian Brandon’s serious case review research  To interrogate and examine police files across the continuum of child protection concerns to:

Project Objectives, cont’d

- Corroborate Brandon’s findings - Identify any additional, new or unexpected issues/ material  To take note of reviews of risk assessment frameworks  To evaluate use of risk assessment tool by police officers

Methodology

 Key precepts:     Evidence informed and based Qualitative research approach – i.e.

Documentary analysis ( interrogation of data in police files) Process focused (as a tool to challenge thinking and as an interactive tool between front line officers and police sergeant (next line manager)

Methods

 Review of serious case reviews material  Interrogation and examination of documentary evidence in police case files  Consultative groups to further explore and test content of assessment framework  Consultative groups with police officers on using framework

Sample for Police Files

 A base-line of 45 case-files from a quarter of police authorities with an option to increase the sample to 60 if new material, additional to the serious case review findings, emerges  Criteria for inclusion of files: a range of geography(rural/ urban/ inner city), culture/ethnicity, referral rate, levels of intervention, leading to child protection plan

Timescale

 We aim to produce a draft risk assessment by mid March 2012 for consultation with front line and senior police colleagues, and with other colleagues  Subsequently: Evaluate usefulness by front line officers via focus groups (timescale to be agreed)

Comments and Advice Please.....

[email protected]

[email protected]

School of Applied Social Science University of Brighton Falmer BRIGHTON BN1 9PH

References

     Brandon M, Bailey S., Belderson P., Gardner R. (2009) Understanding Serious Case Reviews and their Impact: A Biennial Analysis of Serious Case Reviews 2005-7 Brandon M, Bailey S., & Belderson P. (2010) Building on the Learning from Serious Case Reviews: a Two Year Analysis of Child Protection Database Notifications 2007-9, Research Brief, GB, Department for Education Dfe (2010) Working Together to Safeguard Children, a Guide to Interagency Working to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children, London, Dfe Stroud J (2008) A psychosocial analysis of child homicide. 28(4) 482-505 Critical Social Policy Stroud J. (2011) The death of a child: the unavoidable truth, In Okitikpi T. (ed) Social Work and Social Control, Lyme Regis, Russell House Publishing.