Referral and assessment

All new requests for a children's social care service, including urgent child welfare concerns, should be made to:

Customer First
Telephone: 08456 023023
Professionals telephone: 08456 066 167
Postal Address: PO Box 771, Needham Market, Ipswich, IP6 8WB
Email: Customer.First@socserv.suffolkcc.gov.uk
Fax 01449 723127

For urgent requests out of office hours which cannot wait until the next working day contact the Emergency Duty Service
Telephone: 01473 299669

For further information about related policies and procedures. Email: goodpracticeguide@suffolkcc.gov.uk

This section of the Good Practice Guide gives procedures and guidelines for:

Making a referral for a children's social care service,including urgent referrals
Initial and Core Assessments
Specialist Assessments

Making a referral

This flowchart shows the process professional workers should follow and the requirements for sharing information if a child or young person may need additional services, including where there are urgent welfare concerns.
The referral may be made using either the Common Assessment Framework ( CAF ) paperwork ( see flowchart ) or this Referral Form.

“What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused” gives further information from the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

The full safeguarding policies and procedures are found on the Suffolk Safeguarding Children Board website.

The Children In Need, Policy, Principles and Guidance ( PDF, 270Kb ) gives the requirements for working with Children In Need under the Children Act 1989

Here is further information about The Common Assessment Framework ( CAF ) in Suffolk

The Allocations and Transfer Policy (PDF, 36Kb) helps managers manage workload following acceptance of a referral. Where correspondence is received concerning a child or young person the Policy for handling Correspondence (PDF, 27KB) and the Log for recording correspondence (excel document) should be used.
Initial and Core Assessments in Children's Social Care Services

Assessment of need following referral will be undertaken according to the Assessment Framework: Inter agency Protocol and Guidance ( PDF, 162Kb) and clearly recorded on the Integrated Children's System ( ICS) on Carefirst 6.Here is full government guidance on using the Assessment Framework and its scales and questionnaires.

The Referral and Initial Assessment Checklist, (PDF, 49Kb) should be completed by the social worker and countersigned by the manager.

A chronology ( PDF, 35Kb ) is an important tool in assessment. One should should be started once an Initial Assessment is completed and there is a decision to provide social care services. This At a Glance Guide ( PDF, 30Kb ) gives guidance about completing chronologies

Assessment in specific circumstances

Assessing pre-birth
The template for assessment before birth is part of the Integrated Children's System ( ICS ). Further guidance is available from the Suffolk Safeguarding Board

Assessing neglect
The Graded Care Profile ( PDF, 80Kb ) is a multi-agency and multi purpose assessment tool especially useful for assessing and re-assessing neglect. These are the instructions for use ( PDF 46, Kb) and further guidance and information ( PDF, 34Kb )
Here is additional practice guidance on assessing and monitoring where emotional abuse and neglect occur together ( PDF,113Kb )

For further information and guidance about assessment, particularly in specific circumstances go to the Family Support Practice Network webpage
or consult "The Child's World" Edited by Jan Horwath published by DOH 2001. Copies are available from Suffolk Libraries.

Good practice