Parenting Risk Assessment
A Parenting Risk Assessment is a detailed, community based assessment designed to identify potential risks to the child (e.g. child sex abuse, neglect, emotional / physical abuse, drug abuse). The risk assessment relies on information gathered from the child, parents and extended family and professional network.
As an independent practitioner with experience in the child protection and family law areas, I seek to achieve the best outcomes for the child by helping parents develop their skills and knowledge through direct observation, providing guidance and assistance and demonstrating practical child care/parenting issues.
The Parenting Risk Assessment collates all the available evidence and information about the child’s situation and sets it out in the form of a comprehensive report making clear and achievable recommendations about if and how the identified risks can be reduced and managed.
As an independent practitioner I undertake Parenting / Risk Assessments on behalf of child protection authorities or services when concerns arise in relation to a parent’s ability to adequately and safely care for their child. Concerns of a child protection nature may come about because the parent has misused drugs or alcohol, they may have mental health issues or a learning disability or there might be domestic violence in the parents’ relationship.
Taking into account that the child is likely to have been exposed to factors of neglect, physical and emotional abuse and/or sexual abuse, my Parenting / Risk Assessment will assess the parents’ capacity to change whilst ensuring the child remains the focus of the assessment process.