An Initial Assessment of the Extent to Which Risk Factors,Frequently Identified in Research,Are Taken into Account When Assessing Risk in Child Protection Cases

Abstract

• Summary: This article briefly outlines the development of risk assessment instruments in a social work context. This is followed by an analysis of the initial stages of analysing the presence, absence and consideration of identified risk factors within one English local authority child protection context using initial cases conference minutes. The article then examines the relationship between risk factors identified from the conference minutes with outcome measures for each child four years later.

• Findings: Many of the risk factors identified in the literature were not routinely recorded in conference minutes making risk assessment in general and the application of a risk assessment tool, in particular, problematic. There was some weak association between severity of abuse and subsequent social work intervention for a number of children, but there appeared to be little correspondence in respect of the majority of cases. There was support for Farmer’s (1999) concerns about children not being registered when at risk of abuse or being deregistered when the risk of abuse remains high.

• Applications: The need to routinely gather and record information on identified risk factors during the assessment process is highlighted. Though still at an early stage, the intention is to develop an empirically tested risk assessment tool, which can be used to evaluate potential risk more accurately and more consistently.