Multi-Agency Thresholds Document
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Multi-Agency Thresholds Document
Document control and record of amendments
|Version |Reason for amendment |Amended by/ Date |
|2 |Learning from Case Review |Feb 2012 |
|3 |Reviewed and amended following changes to assessment framework |June 2014 |
|4 |Reviewed to reflect the changes in Early Help working and update |February 2015 |
| |areas in relation to CSE, hate crime, FGM and EFM | |
| | | |
| | | |
Thresholds Document Overview
This Threshold Document is to be used a as tool to help all those who provide services to children, young people and families to make decisions about the need and risk for those children and young people, and to support the delivery of timely, responsive services.
The Threshold Document has been reviewed and updated following Eileen Munro’s report “A Child Centred System” in March 2011, the revision of “Working Together to Safeguard Children” and the publication of “In the child’s time: professional responses to neglect” Ofsted March 2014.
The Threshold Document has been further reviewed and updated in February 2015 to reflect a number of developments:
• Development of Early Help arrangements in Northumberland including an Early Help Strategy
• A review of Northumberland’s Child Sexual Exploitation Strategy and Action plan
• Clearer evidence about the risk factors in relation to Female Genital Mutilation and Early Forced Marriage
• A greater emphasis on understanding and preventing hate crime and radicalisation
Child Sexual Exploitation (hereafter referred to as CSE) is recognised nationally as one of the most important challenges facing all local authorities and their partner agencies. CSE has a devastating impact on children, young people, their families and communities. It has a serious, long term and lasting impact on every aspect of a child or young person's life including their health, physical and emotional wellbeing, educational attainment, personal safety, relationships and future life opportunities. CSE is therefore a key priority for Northumberland County Council and their partner agencies. All agencies, across all tiers of intervention, need to be aware of the risk factors around CSE and to follow the appropriate referral routes to children’s social care.
The Threshold Document has included a range of low, medium and high risk indicators indictors of CSE. This is based on the Derbyshire ‘Children Abused Through Sexual Exploitation Risk Assessment Tool’. The risk indictors provide a helpful guide for professionals to heighten awareness around CSE across all tiers of intervention. It should be noted that the risk indictors are a guide and should support professional judgement.
Although the risk indicators within this Thresholds document are placed in tier two ( ‘low level risk indicators’) this should support professionals in this tier to identify early any concerns around CSE and to refer to children’s social care. The earlier the identification (and the referral to children’s services), assessment, intervention and support, the better the chance of success and preventing the child or young person from slipping further into CSE.
The revised Thresholds document communicates an important message to all professionals. There is an expectation that any identified concerns around Child Sexual Exploitation would be beyond the completion of an Early Help Assessment and this would immediately be referred into children’s social care (tier 3 and 4) for a statutory children and family assessment to be completed. Part of this assessment would be to consider conducting a Section 47 child protection investigation with a view to convening an Initial Child Protection Conference, or to complete a Vulnerability Checklist (VCL) with a view to being presented to the multi-agency Risk Management Group. Consideration should also be given to accessing specialist intervention and support from the Barnardo’s Missing Children’s Social Worker.
There is additional information within each of the threshold levels in relation to the identification of children and young people either at risk of suffering or actually experiencing hate crime and radicalisation based upon the risk factors which have been established over the last few years. The governments PREVENT strategy published in 2011 has supported multi agency training which familiarises professionals with the signs which might mean a young person is at risk of radicalisation.
There have also been further developments in relation to the risk factors associated with girls and young women being subjected to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Female Genital Mutilation comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. It has no health benefits and harms women and girls in many ways. It involves removing and damaging healthy and normal female genital tissue, and hence interferes with the natural function of girls’ and women’s bodies. The practice causes severe pain and have several immediate and long- term health consequences, including difficulties in childbirth also causing danger to the child. FGM is a deeply rooted tradition, widely practiced, mainly among specific ethnic populations in Africa and parts of the Middle East and Asia, which serves a form of social control of women’s sexual and reproductive rights. The age at which girls undergo FGM varies enormously according to the community. The procedure may be carried out when the girl is newborn, during childhood or adolescence, just before marriage or during first pregnancy. However, the majority of cases of FGM are thought to take place between the ages of 5 and 8 and therefore girls within that age bracket are at higher risk.
Early Forced Marriage (EFM) is also reflected within this document. Early Forced Marriage (EFM) is primarily an issue of violence against women. Most cases involve young women and girls aged between 13 and 30 years, although there is evidence that as many as 15% of victims are male. There have been cases involving families from East Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Some forced marriages take place in the UK with no oversees element, while others involve a partner coming from oversees or a British citizen being sent abroad. Forced Marriage is a form of domestic abuse and can constitute child abuse. From 16 June 2014 forcing someone to marry is an offence under the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014
Finally, the Thresholds Document needs to be read and understood alongside Northumberland’s Assessment Framework which was written and brought into practice following the revision of Working Together to Safeguard Children in March 2015, in addition to single and multi-agency procedures.
Northumberland’s Single Assessment Framework
The Northumberland Single Assessment Framework document is intended to provide an agreed range of assessment domains whether the assessment is an ‘early help assessment’ or a ‘statutory assessment’ undertaken under statutory guidance. It is intended to provide the practitioner with an understanding of what factors need to be understood within the assessment, and practice pointers when considering the domains of the assessment.
Whilst Working Together 2013 supersedes previous editions and the Department of Health (DOH) ‘Assessing children in need and their families’ (2000) practice guidance, the new guidance restates that the three domains previously contained in the ‘Assessing children in need and their families’ (2000) framework remain applicable. Regionally it has been agreed that whilst these domains must be applied to any assessment a further domain that considers risk should be added.
Working Together also describes early help and the effective assessment of the need for early help. This should be considered within the terms of early identification of possible need, regardless of age, with an assessment process that identifies how the child will be helped to have their need met promptly in order to negate the need for the provision of help at a point higher up the continuum of need. With this in mind this document will consider this aspect of assessment within the context of a single assessment and planning process that facilitates ‘step up and down’ interventions from practitioners and services.
It is well understood and agreed that children and families who receive coordinated early help, from a range of appropriate services, are less likely to develop difficulties that require interventions when problems have become chronic and meet the threshold for statutory assessments under the Children Act 1989.
Working Together emphasises the importance of local agencies working together to help children who may benefit from early help assessment and services. Sections 10 and 11 of the Children Act 2004 articulate the requirements on the Local Authority and its partners to make arrangements with a view to improving the wellbeing of all children in the area.
Northumberland’s Early Help Strategy is a multi-agency document which has been signed off and endorsed by all partners of the LSCB. This sets out the importance of providing families with early help and the ways in which all agencies will do this in Northumberland. The development and delivery of the Early Help offer within Northumberland is overseen and monitored through the Early Help sub group of the LSCB.
The Early Help Assessment is the key mechanism by which the Local Authority and its partners meet their duty to work together to identify what help the child and family might need to reduce the likelihood of an escalation of needs that will require interventions at a higher, statutory level. To support this and aid more local coordinated arrangements multi agency Early Help locality Hubs are being developed across the county which allow for a single point of referral for any family or child who needs support below the statutory threshold. It is planned that these will be fully implemented within the next twelve months.
To support this each Local Authority will have a threshold document such as this which acts as an aide to determining the appropriate level of assessment and service provision.
To support how the level of support required is determined then this thresholds document has been developed and is reviewed on a regular basis to reflect changing evidence and practice. It has been widely consulted on and presented to both the NSCB and FACT boards for them to endorse and to feedback to their agencies.
The document is used in both NSCB and Children’s Services training. Feedback from the training has been very positive with all agencies reporting that they felt it was a clear way of understanding the thresholds and that it gave them the language and understanding of need versus risk. It should be widely referred to by all agencies when determining the level of need a child, young person or family may have and how those needs might best be met.
1. Introduction
Most children and young people have a number of basic needs that can be supported through a range of universal services. These services include education, early years, health, housing, youth services, leisure facilities and services provided by voluntary organisations. However, some children have more complex needs and may require access to specialist services to support them. One such service is Local Authority Children’s’ Services for ‘Children in Need’.
This document provides guidance for professionals and service users, to clarify the circumstances in which to refer a child to a specific agency to address an individual need, to carry out an Early Help Assessment (EHA) to refer to Children’s Services.
This document describes:
• The criteria for access to Children’s Services in Northumberland and how that fits
within the wider context of multi-agency services and a range of needs;
• The legal definition of ‘Children in Need’ and eligibility for Children’s Services;
• The process by which Children’s Services assesses eligibility for ‘Children in Need’.
However some children may have more complex needs including a range of additional needs and disabilities which may require access to universal and specialist support.
2. Children’s Needs and Multi-agency Tiers of Intervention
Northumberland have adopted a common approach to describing the levels of need and the intervention that may be required by children, young people and their families. These form a continuum as follows:
Figure 1
3. Principles
The following principles should be considered in applying the framework:
i) The descriptions in Appendix 1 provide illustrative examples about how need might present itself, rather than an exhaustive list of fixed criteria that must be met. The tier of need will always be increased by the multiplicity of factors.
ii) Intervention should be at the lowest tier appropriate to meet the needs of the child and prevent the need for specialist services.
iii) Consideration should always be given to undertaking an Early Help Assessment ( EHA) and forming a team Around the Child/Family(TAC/TAF) to resolve the child’s difficulties and prevent the need for a specialist service.
iv) If there are child protection concerns about a child’s health, development or welfare professionals must follow the Northumberland Safeguarding Children Procedures and make an immediate referral to Children’s Services.
v) Appendix 3 shows a flowchart of what to do if you are concerned about a child.
4. Tiers of Need
The four tiers of need identified in the windscreen diagram on page 2 have been developed into a matrix of needs and risks below to help describe the circumstances in which an EHA should be considered and when a referral to Children’s Services may be necessary. All professionals across all tiers of need should be aware of the risk indicators regarding CSE and be aware of referral pathways to children’s social care.
When considering the needs of children with additional needs and disabilities professionals will need to use sound professional judgement, dialogue and evidenced based practice and be mindful of the impact of disability on family circumstances, children’s development and life chances. The indicators can aid decision making, but there will be variances for disabled children and decisions should not be reached based on comparisons to developmental stages of non disabled children.
When assessing the needs for a disabled young person the local authority requests that the definition of disability as contained in the Equality Act 2010 is considered.
Which Tier? (see fig 2 below)
It cannot be over emphasised that the list of indicators contained in this document is not an exhaustive one. In assessing need and risk that requires specialist services, multiple factors are likely to be present and decisions as to whether the criteria are met remain a professional judgement. It is also important to remember that often the signs that a child or young person has particular needs are not found in a single piece of evidence but in a combination of factors of indicators. For example, within the framework described in this document, a cluster of indicators in Tier 2 when considered together may indicate the need for a Tier 3 assessment. There will also be, in some situations, a single indicator that is so obviously significant that it will demand assessment at a particular level even in the absence of any other indicator.
Child Sexual Exploitation:
As stated previously, there is an expectation that any concerns around Child Sexual Exploitation would immediately be referred into children’s social care (tier 3 and 4) for a statutory children and family assessment to be completed. Part of this assessment would be to consider conducting a Section 47 child protection investigation with a view to convening an Initial Child Protection Conference, or to complete a Vulnerability Checklist (VCL) with a view to being presented to the multi-agency Risk Management Group. Consideration should also be given to accessing specialist intervention and support from the Barnardo’s Missing Children’s Social Worker.
Transitions Between Levels
In some cases a child or young person will go through a number of transition points on their journey to having their needs met. A child for example, whose needs do not respond to services provided under Tier 1, may need to receive a more coordinated response within Tier 2. Similarly, a child in Tier 2 whose circumstances and situation do not improve sufficiently may need to receive the specialist assessment and support provided at Tier 3.
It is acknowledged that children may move from one tier of need to another and that agencies (including universal services) may offer support at more than one tier.
Figure 2
5. Eligibility for Children’s Social Services/Care
The Children Act 1989 places a general duty on the Local Authority to “safeguard and promote the welfare of children within their area who are in need and so far as is consistent with their welfare, promote the upbringing of children by their families by providing a range and level of services to meet their needs”.
The Children Act 1989 defines a ‘Child in Need’ as:
▪ A child who is unlikely to achieve or maintain, or have opportunity of achieving or maintaining, a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision of services by a local authority;
▪ A child whose health or development is likely to be significantly impaired or further impaired, without the provision of services;
▪ A child who has a substantial and permanent disability.
These are not clear-cut definitions and allow room for discussion and professional judgement about the level of need and the associated risk.
The attached Multi-agency Needs/Risks Matrix – Appendix 1 has been developed to help inform decision making about when to refer a child to Children’s Services and what to expect in terms of who should receive a service and with what level of priority.
The content of the tiers has been developed taking into account the learning from local and national serious case reviews, good practice and other case reviews and audits as well as the needs of the local population.
Tiers 1 and 2 indicate the circumstances in which NSCB partner agencies would be expected to intervene and provide support to a child and family in order to prevent the need for a specialist service. Tiers 3 and 4 identify the point at which Children’s Services will become involved.
All children receiving a service from Children’s Social Services/Care will have a clear plan in place, whether this is a child protection plan, ‘Child in Need’ plan, Looked After Children (LAC) care plan or a plan specific to their circumstances.
For children in need of protection, the Child Protection conference and the Core Group members are in effect the Team Around the Child. In these circumstances the social worker is always the lead professional.
Children who have been confirmed as a ‘Child in Need’ and not subject to a Child Protection Plan and/or who are not a ‘Looked After Child’ but are never the less ‘in need’, that meet Children’s services threshold will also require a Team Around the Child to be formed by the social worker in order to develop a formal multi-agency plan of action to meet the child’s needs. All ‘Child in Need’ plans will be co-ordinated by the lead professional from Children’s Services, monitored and reviewed at least every six months in some circumstances where a child is in receipt of services as a ‘Child in Need’ there may be occasions where the lead professional role should be.
Often once it is considered that the threshold for Child In Need/Child protection plans is no longer required the plan will be “stepped down” to and EHA, following the agreed step down process.
As stated previously, any concern around Child Sexual Exploitation should be immediately referred into children’s social care.
6. The Early Help Assessment (EHA)
The aim of the EHA is to help identify, at the earliest opportunity, a child, young person’s or family’s additional needs which are not being met by the universal services they are receiving and to provide timely and coordinated support to meet those needs. Once the need for an EHA is identified then a referral should be made to the Early Help Hub where they are in operation. These locality based meetings bring together a wide range of professionals who share information about the child and the family and identify which service is best placed to complete the EHA and work with the family. If the EHA identifies that multi-agency support is required to meet the needs of the child and family then this team becomes the Team Around the Child/ Family. The parent/carer and TAC/TAF must then agree who is best placed to become the Lead Professional
The EHA:
▪ Is a process for carrying out a common holistic assessment, to help everyone working with the child, young person or family’s understand information about their needs and strengths, based on discussions with the child, young person and their family as appropriate;
▪ Uses a standard form to help record and where appropriate, share with others the information given during the assessment;
▪ Can only be undertaken with informed and explicit consent from the child/young person and/or their parents/carers.
The lead professional role can be identified at any point from one of the other professionals involved in the Team Around the Child. One example of this might be where a child has a disability and a health worker might be a more appropriate lead professional.
|Tier 1 – Universal Needs |
|No additional support needs |
| | |Assessment |
|Features |ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES |Process |
|Children with | |These children require no additional support|
|Tier 1 needs |Parents or Carers Capacity |beyond that which is universally available. |
| | |An EHA is not needed for these children. |
|Children with no additional needs and where there| | |
|are no concerns. Typically these children are | |Examples of key universal services that |
|likely to live in a resilient and protective | |provide support at this level: |
|environment where their needs are met. These | | |
|children will require no additional support | |Education |
|beyond that which is universally available. | |Children’s Centres, Family Centres & Early |
| | |Years |
|These indicators need to be kept in mind when | |Health Visiting Service |
|assessing the significance of indicators from | |Midwifery |
|Tiers 2-4 | |School Nursing |
| | |GP |
| | |Youth Services |
| | |Police |
| | |Housing |
| | |Voluntary & Community Sector |
| | |Connexions |
| | |Health Improvement teams |
| | |Core/community health services |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| |Basic Care Safety and Protection | |
| |Parents/Carers able to provide care for child’s needs | |
| | | |
| |Emotional Warmth and Stability | |
| |Parents/Carers provide secure and caring parenting | |
| | | |
| |Guidance Boundaries and Stimulation | |
| |Parents/Carers provide guidance and boundaries to help| |
| |child develop appropriate values | |
| | | |
| |Family and Environmental Factors | |
| |Family History and Well-Being | |
| |Supportive family relationships | |
| |Family may be from a country which practises FGM/EFM | |
| |but well integrated into their community and no other | |
| |indicators of need | |
| | | |
| |Housing Employment and Finance | |
| |Child fully supported financially accessing all | |
| |welfare benefits | |
| |Adequate housing | |
| | | |
| |Social and Community Resources | |
| |Social and friendship networks exist | |
| |Safe and secure environment | |
| |Access to regular and positive activities | |
| | | |
| |Child or Young Person’s Developmental Needs | |
| |Learning/Education | |
| |Attendance at school/college/training (above 90%) | |
| |No concerns around missing from school, or concern | |
| |around child sexual exploitation. However, | |
| |professionals need to be aware of children missing | |
| |from school during part of the school day. | |
| |Professionals within this tier should be aware of the | |
| |risk indictors outlined in the following sections. | |
| |Acquired a range of skills/interests, experiences of | |
| |success/achievement | |
| |No barriers to learning | |
| |Sound home/school link | |
| |No concerns around cognitive development | |
| | | |
| |Health | |
| |Physically healthy, developmental checks up to date | |
| |Adequate and nutritious diet, regular dental and | |
| |optical care | |
| |Good state of mental health | |
| | | |
| |Social, Emotional, Behavioural, Identity | |
| |Demonstrates age appropriate responses in feelings and| |
| |actions | |
| |Good quality early attachments, child is appropriately| |
| |comfortable in social situations | |
| |Knowledgeable about the effects of crime and | |
| |antisocial behaviour (age appropriate) | |
| |Able to adapt to change | |
| |Able to demonstrate empathy | |
| |Positive sense of self and abilities | |
| | | |
| |Family and Social Relationships | |
| |Stable and affectionate relationships with caregivers | |
| |Good core relationships with siblings | |
| |Positive relationships with peers | |
| | | |
| |Self-Care and Independence | |
| |Developing age appropriate level of practical and | |
| |independent living skills | |
| |Appropriate dress for different settings – allowing | |
| |for age | |
| |Good level of personal hygiene | |
| |Able to discriminate between ‘safe’ and ‘unsafe’ | |
| |contacts | |
| |Knowledgeable about sex and relationships and | |
| |consistent use of contraception if sexually active | |
| |(age appropriate) | |
| |No concerns around going missing from home, no issues | |
| |around child sexual exploitation. However, all | |
| |professionals working within this tier need to be | |
| |aware of the risk indictors outlined in the following | |
| |sections. | |
|Tier 2 – Low to Vulnerable |
|Threshold for targeted support for children with additional support needs |
| |ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES |Assessment |
|Features | |Process |
| |NB In assessing need and risk that require additional | |
| |services, multiple factors are likely to be present | |
| | | |
|Children with |Parents or Carers Capacity | |
|Tier 2 needs | |A multi agency assessment e.g. EHA should be |
|These children can be defined as needing some | |completed with the child/family to identify |
|additional support without which they would be | |their strengths and needs. The action plan |
|at risk of not meeting their full potential. | |should identify the child’s additional |
|They will have a range of vulnerabilities/needs | |needs, appropriate services and interventions|
|which when considered together produce a more | |to meet those needs and who will act as the |
|complex situationwhich requires agencies to be | |lead professional. |
|able to work together in a cohesive waythrough | | |
|the use of the EHA. Typically this would include| |If an assessment is refused and the needs of |
|most of the families who would be identified | |a child cannot be met, and may escalate, a |
|through our Supporting Families Local Plan., a | |referral to Children’s Social care should be |
|lead professional will be identified to | |considered. As a minimum there should be a |
|coordinate a plan around the child/family. | |consultation with Children’s Services. |
| | | |
| | |Exit Strategy |
| | |The TAF should aim to enable the child and |
| | |family’s move back to universal services’ |
| | |support. |
| | | |
| | |Key agencies that may provide support at this|
| | |level will be members of the locality based |
| | |Early Help hub. |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| |Basic Care, Safety and Protection | |
| |Requiring support to provide consistent care e.g. safe| |
| |and appropriate childcare arrangements; safe and | |
| |hygienic home conditions; adequate diet | |
| |Parental health problems that may impact on child’s | |
| |health or development unless appropriate support | |
| |provided | |
| |Parental mental health issues that may impact on the | |
| |health or development of the child unless appropriate | |
| |support provided | |
| |Parental learning difficulties that may impact on the | |
| |health or development of the child unless appropriate | |
| |support provided | |
| |Parental health/disability that may impact on the | |
| |health or development of the child unless appropriate | |
| |support provided | |
| |Parental substance misuse that may impact on the | |
| |health or development of the child unless appropriate | |
| |support provided | |
| |Poor engagement with universal services likely to | |
| |impact on child’s health or development | |
| |Parents/carers have had additional support to care for| |
| |previous child/young person | |
| |Poor supervision and attention to safety issues | |
| | | |
| |Emotional Warmth and Stability | |
| |Requiring support for consistent parenting regarding | |
| |praise and discipline, where the child’s future | |
| |development maybe impaired | |
| |Lack of response to concerns raised about child’s | |
| |welfare | |
| |Inconsistent response to the child emotional needs. | |
| | | |
| |Guidance Boundaries and Stimulation | |
| |Requiring support for consistent parenting in respect | |
| |to routine and boundary setting | |
| |Parent has age-inappropriate expectations that child | |
| |or young person should be self -reliant | |
| |Lack of response to concerns raised about child | |
| |Lack of appropriate parental guidance and boundaries | |
| |for child’s stage of development and maturity | |
| | | |
| |Family and Environmental Factors | |
| | | |
| |Family and Social relationships and Family Well-Being | |
| |Parents/Carers have relationship difficulties which | |
| |may affect the child | |
| |Parents/Carers request advice to manage their child’s | |
| |behaviour | |
| |Children affected by difficult family relationships | |
| |Child is a teenage parent | |
| |Child is a young carer | |
| |Low level concerns about domestic abuse | |
| |Parent was a Looked After Child (LAC) | |
| |Large family with several young children under five | |
| |Minor to moderate incidences of domestic violence. | |
| |This could be infrequent behaviour or of a short | |
| |duration, such as controlling behaviour, verbal abuse | |
| |and aggression. Any physical violence (including | |
| |threats or use of weapons) leading to injuries would | |
| |be placed at level three or four. Together with any | |
| |domestic violence where there are unborn babies or | |
| |babies under 12 months. | |
| |Older female members of the family have undergone FGM | |
| |Other family members have undergone a forced marriage | |
| | | |
| |Housing, Employment and Finance | |
| |Overcrowding (as per local housing guidelines) that | |
| |has a potential impact on child’s health or | |
| |development | |
| |Families affected by low income/living with poverty | |
| |affecting access to appropriate services to meet | |
| |child’s additional needs | |
| |Low income plus adverse additional factors which | |
| |affect the child’s development | |
| |Housing is in poor state of repair or severely | |
| |overcrowded | |
| |Teenage parent living independently | |
| |Children’s needs not being prioritised in how income | |
| |is spent. | |
| | | |
| |Social Integration and Community Resources | |
| |Insufficient facilities to meet needs e.g. | |
| |advice/support needed to access services for disabled | |
| |child where parent is coping otherwise | |
| |Family require advice regarding social exclusion e.g. | |
| |hate crimes, harassment, and disputes in the community| |
| |Child associating with peers who are involved in anti | |
| |social or criminal behaviour | |
| |Limited access to/awareness of contraceptive and | |
| |sexual health advice, information and services | |
| |Family demonstrating low level anti-social behaviour | |
| |towards others | |
| |Parents/Carers are socially excluded, have no access | |
| |to local facilities and require support services | |
| | | |
| | | |
| |Child or Young Person’s Developmental Needs | |
| | | |
| |Learning/Education | |
| |Truanting, non attendance or punctuality issues, | |
| |attendance | |
| |below 90% | |
| |Identified language and communication difficulties | |
| |linked to other unmet | |
| |needs | |
| |Lack of adequate parent/carer support for child’s | |
| |learning | |
| |Lack of age appropriate stimulation and opportunities | |
| |to learn | |
| |Few or no qualifications leading to NEET (not in | |
| |education, employment or training) | |
| |Child/young person under undue parental pressure to | |
| |achieve/aspire | |
| |No aspiration for young person | |
| |Not educated at school (or at home by Parents/Carers) | |
| |The child’s current rate of progress is inadequate | |
| |despite receiving appropriate early education | |
| |experiences | |
| |Pre-school children not attending free | |
| |entitlement(less than 90% attendance) | |
| | | |
| |Health | |
| | | |
| |Concerns about reaching developmental milestones | |
| |Not attending routine appointments e.g. immunisations | |
| |and developmental checks | |
| |Persistent minor health problems | |
| |Baby tooth/teeth removed due to dental decay | |
| |Weight is significantly above or below what would be | |
| |expected | |
| |Missing set appointments across health including | |
| |antenatal, hospital , GP, Dentist appointments | |
| |Low level mental health or emotional issues requiring | |
| |additional health service intervention | |
| |Evidence of risk taking behaviour i.e. drug/alcohol | |
| |use, unprotected sex. | |
| |Social, Emotional, Behavioural, Identity | |
| | | |
| |Emerging anti-social behaviour and attitudes and/or | |
| |low level offending | |
| |Child is victim of bullying or bullies others | |
| |Expressing wish to become pregnant at young age | |
| |Low level substance misuse (current or historical) | |
| |Low self esteem | |
| |Limited peer relationships/social isolation | |
| |Expressing thoughts of running away | |
| |Received fixed penalty notice, reprimand, final | |
| |warning or triage of diversionary intervention | |
| |Disruptive/challenging behaviour at school or in | |
| |neighbourhood | |
| |Behavioural difficulties requiring further | |
| |investigation/diagnosis | |
| |Signs of identifying with a radical or extremist group| |
| |Self-Care and Independence | |
| | | |
| |Lack of age appropriate behaviour and independent | |
| |living skills that increase vulnerability to social | |
| |exclusion | |
| |Early onset of sexual activity (13-14); sexually | |
| |active young person (15+) with some risk taking | |
| |behaviours e.g. inconsistent use of contraception | |
| |Low level alcohol/substance misuse (current or | |
| |historical) | |
| | | |
| | | |
| |Child Sexual Exploitation Low Level Risk Indicators | |
| | | |
| |(The risk indicators within this Thresholds document | |
| |have started in tier two to support professionals to | |
| |identify early any concerns around CSE and make a | |
| |referral to children’s social care). | |
| | | |
| |Regularly coming home late or going missing | |
| | | |
| |Over sexualised dress | |
| | | |
| |Sexualised risk taking including on the internet | |
| | | |
| |Unaccounted for money or goods | |
| | | |
| |Associating with unknown adults or other sexually | |
| |exploited children or young people | |
| | | |
| |Reduced contact with family and friends and other | |
| |support networks | |
| | | |
| |Sexually transmitted infections | |
| | | |
| |Experimenting with drugs and/or alcohol | |
| | | |
| |Poor self-image, eating disorders and/or some | |
| |self-harm | |
|Tier 3– High to Complex |
|Threshold for Children in Need |
| |ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES |Assessment |
|Features | |Process |
| |In assessing need and risk that require additional | |
| |services, multiple factors are likely to be present | |
| | |A Multi-agency Assessment (EHA or Children |
|This Tier applies to those children identified |Parents or Carers Capacity |and Families Assessment)should be used as the|
|as requiring specialist support. It is likely | |first assessment tool of choice. This may be|
|that for these children their needs and care are| |used to support a referral to |
|at present significantly compromised. Only a | |specialist/targeted support. |
|small fraction of children will fall within this| | |
|band. These children will be those who are | |Children’s Services |
|highly vulnerable or experiencing the greatest | |Will decide on their response based on the |
|level of adversity. | |information supplied in the referral. If |
| | |appropriate they will undertake their C&F |
|Child in Need: | |Assessment and complete a Child in Need Plan.|
| | |Following this the case may: |
|These children may be eligible for a Child in | |Be closed |
|Need service from Children’s Services and are | |Be actioned |
|potentially at risk of developing acute/complex | |Lead to a fuller assessment |
|needs if they do not receive early statutory | |Stepped down to EHA |
|intervention. If a social worker is allocated | | |
|they will usually act as the lead professionals | | |
|and coordinate services. | |Exit Strategy |
| | | |
|Definition: | |A TAF formed may also be required to support |
| | |child moving out of complex needs with an |
|Section 17 of the 1989 Children Act | |agreed action |
| | |Plan. This could include continuing |
|‘is unlikely to achieve or maintain a | |multi-agency support coordinated by a Lead |
|reasonable standard of health or development’| |Professional to enable the child and family’s|
| | |move back to universal services |
|‘health or development is likely to be | | |
|significantly impaired’ without the provision | | |
|of LA services | | |
| | | |
|Or s/he is disabled | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| |Basic, Care, Safety and Protection | |
| |Parent/Carer is unable to meet child’s needs even with| |
| |support and not providing adequate care | |
| |Serious concern that an unborn child is at risk of | |
| |significant harm | |
| |Chronic or acute neglect where food, warmth and other | |
| |basics often not available | |
| |Parent/carer has mental health difficulties that has a| |
| |direct impact on child’s health or development | |
| |Parent/carer substance misuse that has a direct impact| |
| |on child’s health or development | |
| |Parental learning difficulties that have a direct | |
| |impact on child’s health or development | |
| |Parental health/disability that has a direct impact on| |
| |child’s health or development | |
| |Child exposed to contact with individuals who pose a | |
| |risk of physical or sexual harm to children | |
| |History of previous child protection concerns | |
| |Child missing from home or school | |
| | | |
| |Emotional Warmth and Stability | |
| |Parent is emotionally unavailable | |
| |Succession of carers or child young person has | |
| |multiple carers, but no significant relationships with| |
| |any of them | |
| |Inappropriate child care arrangement | |
| |Inconsistent parenting impairing emotional and | |
| |behavioural development | |
| |Parental instability affects capacity to nurture | |
| |Parents/carers own emotional needs compromise those of| |
| |the child/young person | |
| | | |
| |Guidance Boundaries and Stimulation | |
| |Child/young person receives little positive | |
| |stimulation despite appropriate | |
| |toys being available | |
| |Parents/carers provide inconsistent boundaries or | |
| |present a negative role model which seriously impacts | |
| |on child’s development | |
| | | |
| |Family and Environmental Factors | |
| |Family and Social Relationships and Family Well-Being | |
| | | |
| |Child is privately fostered | |
| |Unaccompanied asylum seeking children | |
| |Child subject to a court application where a s7 or s37| |
| |report has been ordered to be completed by children’s | |
| |social care | |
| |Pre-birth assessment where a history of past child | |
| |protection concerns | |
| |Risk of family relationship breakdown leading to need | |
| |for child to become looked after outside of family | |
| |network | |
| |Child is a young carer requiring assessment of | |
| |additional needs | |
| |Child requires assessment for respite care service due| |
| |to family circumstances and has no appropriate | |
| |friend/relative carer available to support | |
| |Parents/carers are unable or unwilling to continue to | |
| |care for the child | |
| | | |
| |Domestic Violence | |
| | | |
| |Factors to take into account (these are not exclusive | |
| |factors and careful professional judgement should be | |
| |made with each case) which would indicate greater risk| |
| |and necessitate the need to undertake a C&F | |
| |assessment/ S47 Child Protection enquiry : | |
| | | |
| |Domestic abuse which is moderate to significant which | |
| |includes injuries regardless of whether the child or | |
| |young person was present or not. This could also | |
| |include less significant incidences but where there | |
| |has been more than three in a twelve month period. The| |
| |following should be taken into consideration: | |
| | | |
| |Any serious single incident whether the child was | |
| |present or not. | |
| |Several lesser incidents whether children are present | |
| |or not. | |
| |Any incident where there is a baby under 12 months or | |
| |an unborn baby whether present or not. | |
| |Victim has been identified and referred to MARAC. | |
| | | |
| |Incident (s) of serious and / or persistent physical | |
| |violence in the family | |
| |Increasing in severity /frequency and or duration | |
| |Use of weapons | |
| |Sexual Assault | |
| |Choking/Strangulation | |
| |Assault during pregnancy | |
| |Kidnapping/prolonged imprisonment | |
| |Obsessive/Controlling Behaviour | |
| |Threats of suicide/suicidal behaviour | |
| |Extreme humiliating or degrading behaviour | |
| |History of previous assaults (including pervious | |
| |partners) | |
| |Victim and/ children indicate that they are frightened| |
| |of the abuser, placed in fear by looks, actions, | |
| |gestures and the destruction of property (emotional | |
| |and psychological abuse) | |
| |Recent separation or repeated | |
| |separation/reconciliation/ongoing couple conflict | |
| |Stalking/harassment of mother/children | |
| |Increased risk of isolation | |
| |Abuse through the use of texting/social network sites | |
| |(Facebook) | |
| |Abuser breaching bail conditions/civil protection | |
| |orders/non contact orders | |
| |Victim required medical treatment but not sought/or | |
| |explanation for injuries implausible | |
| |Recurring or frequent requests for Police intervention| |
| | | |
| |Incident (s) of violence occurs in the presence of | |
| |children and young people and consider the duration of| |
| |exposure. | |
| |Threats of harm to parent/and or children. | |
| |Excessive jealousy / possessiveness of abuser | |
| |domineering in the relationship. | |
| |Financial control maintained by the abuser. | |
| |Abuser has a history of domestic violence in previous | |
| |relationships. | |
| |Other violence to take into account: | |
| |Violent behaviour and/or threats towards other family | |
| |members or friends ( to include details of any | |
| |convictions where known). | |
| |General violent behaviour and threats outside of the | |
| |family home (to include details of any convictions | |
| |where known). | |
| |Animal abuse. | |
| |Child abuse. | |
| |Attitudes to take into account: | |
| |Sexual jealousy | |
| |Supporting or condoning domestic abuse | |
| |Minimising/denial/blame | |
| |Unwillingness to engage with any assessment or | |
| |disengagement from the assessment or from services. | |
| |Animosity / aggression and hostility towards | |
| |professionals. | |
| | | |
| |Housing, Employment and Finance | |
| | | |
| |Homeless child in need of accommodation including | |
| |16-17 year olds | |
| |Extreme financial difficulties impacting on ability to| |
| |have basic needs met | |
| |No access to funding/community resources | |
| |Family at risk of eviction having already received | |
| |support from Housing services | |
| | | |
| |Social and Community Resources | |
| | | |
| |Child or family need immediate support and protection | |
| |due to harassment/discrimination and have no local | |
| |support | |
| |Significant levels of targeted hostility towards the | |
| |child and their family, and conflict/volatility | |
| |Family plan to take a prolonged holiday to a country | |
| |where FGM/EFM is prevalent or another European country| |
| | | |
| |Child Sexual Exploitation Risk Indicators (any of | |
| |those risk factors identified above in tier two and | |
| |one or more of the following: | |
| |NEEDS ADDING | |
| | | |
| |Child or Young Person’s Developmental Needs | |
| |Learning/Education | |
| | | |
| |Child not in education, in conjunction with concerns | |
| |for child’s safety | |
| |Chronic non attendance/truanting/authorised | |
| |absences/fixed term exclusions | |
| |Statement of Special Educational Needs | |
| | | |
| |Health | |
| | | |
| |Chronic/recurring health problems with missed | |
| |appointments, routine and non routine | |
| |Child with a disability in need of assessment and | |
| |support to access appropriate specialist services | |
| |Serious delay in achieving physical and other | |
| |developmental milestones, raising significant concerns| |
| |Frequent accidental injuries to child requiring | |
| |hospital treatment | |
| |Mental health issues requiring referral to CAMHS, | |
| |including self harm or suicidal thoughts | |
| |Poor or restricted diet despite intervention. | |
| |Child has chronic health problems or high level | |
| |disability which with extra support may/may not be | |
| |maintained in a mainstream setting | |
| |Learning significantly affected by health problems | |
| |Significant dental decay that has not been treated | |
| |recurrent or ongoing risk taking behaviour | |
| |late boking( 32 weeks) in pregnancy | |
| | | |
| |Social, Emotional, Behavioural, Identity | |
| | | |
| |Child with serious level of unexplained and | |
| |inappropriate sexualised behaviour | |
| |Child is at risk of sexual exploitation | |
| |Child missing from home and concerns raised about | |
| |their physical and emotional safety and welfare | |
| |Child whose behaviour is putting them at risk, | |
| |including substance and alcohol misuse | |
| |Evidence of regular/frequent substance misuse which | |
| |may combine with other risk factors | |
| |Evidence of escalation of substance use and of | |
| |changing attitudes and more disregard to risk | |
| |Continuous breeches of curfew. order with other | |
| |risk-taking behaviours that impact on the child’s | |
| |welfare and safety | |
| |Frequently goes missing from home | |
| |Failure or inability to address serious (re)offending | |
| |behaviour leading to risk of serious harm to self or | |
| |others | |
| |Child/young person beyond parental control – regularly| |
| |absconds from home and places self at risk of | |
| |significant harm | |
| |Young people experiencing current harm through their | |
| |use of substances | |
| |Sudden announcement of engagement to a stranger | |
| |Expressing opinions which condone offending by one | |
| |group, cause or ideology towards others | |
| | | |
| |Self-Care and Independence | |
| | | |
| |Child suffers accidental injury as a result of | |
| |inadequate supervision | |
| |Child found wandering without adequate supervision | |
| |Child expected to be self reliant for their own basic | |
| |needs or those of their siblings beyond their | |
| |capabilities, placing them at potential risk | |
| |Severe lack of age appropriate behaviour | |
| | | |
| |Child Sexual Exploitation Medium Risk Indicators (any | |
| |of those risk factors identified above in tier two and| |
| |one or more of the following) | |
| | | |
| |Getting into cars with unknown adults | |
| |Associating with known CSE adults | |
| |Being groomed on the internet | |
| |Offering to have sex for money or another payment and | |
| |then running before sex takes place | |
| |Disclosure of a physical assault and refusing or | |
| |withdrawing a formal complaint | |
| |Being involved in CSE though hotspots, known house or | |
| |recruiting grounds | |
| |Having an older girlfriend/boyfriend | |
| |Non school attendance or excluded from school | |
| |Staying out overnight with no explanation | |
| |Breakdown of residential placements due to behaviour | |
| |Unaccounted for money or goods including mobile | |
| |phones, drugs and alcohol | |
| |Multiple sexually transmitted infections | |
| |Self-harming that requires medical treatment | |
| |Repeat offending | |
| |Gang member or association with gangs | |
Please note some of these families will be managed under the Complex Child In Need Protocol which is in Appendix 2
|Tier 4 – Complex or Acute: |
|Threshold for Child Protection |
| |ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES |Assessment |
|Features | |Process |
| |In assessing need and risk that require intensive | |
| |specialist services, multiple factors are likely to be| |
| |present | |
| | | |
|Children with |Parents or Carers Capacity |Children’s Services |
|Tier 4 Needs | |will decide on their response based on the |
|Children requiring specialist/statutory integrated| |verbal information as repeated in the written|
|support | |notification form. In the case of suspected |
| | |abuse they will follow the Working Together |
|Child Protection | |procedures as laid out in the NSCB |
|Children experiencing significant harm that | |Procedures. On the basis of a C&F Assessment|
|requires statutory intervention such as child | |a decision will be made whether to hold an |
|protection or legal intervention. These children | |Initial Child Protection Conference. |
|may also need to be accommodated (taken into care)| | |
|by the /Children’s services either on a voluntary | |Key agencies that may provide support at this|
|basis or by way of Court Order | |level: |
| | |Children’s Services – Social Care, Fostering,|
|Definition | |Adoption Teams |
|Section 47 of the 1989 Children Act. Child or | |Police |
|young person. Where a child is at risk of | |Other statutory service e.g. SEN services; |
|significant harm. Through neglect, physical, | |Education & Child Psychology |
|emotional or sexual abuse. | |Specialist health or disability services |
| | |Youth Offending Team |
|Process | |Targeted drug and alcohol |
|Agencies should make a verbal referral either to | |CYPS |
|the Initial Response Team or the Local Children’s | |Family support services |
|Services | |Voluntary & Community Services |
|Team depending on local arrangements and accompany| |Children’s Centres |
|this with written referral form | |LIST |
| | |Targeted Adolescent Services |
| | |Services at universal level |
| | | |
| | |Exit Strategy |
| | |Children’s Services |
| | |Will work with the child and their family |
| | |either to reduce the risk to a child in need |
| | |and ultimately a move out of statutory |
| | |interventions as described in Tier 3, or will|
| | |embark on Court Proceedings to accommodate |
| | |the child or young person in a kinship, |
| | |fostering or residential placement, or to |
| | |place the child for adoption. |
| | | |
| |Basic Care Safety and Protection | |
| | | |
| |Parents/carers are unable to care for the child | |
| |Parents/carers have or may have abused/neglected the | |
| |child/young person | |
| |Pre birth assessment indicates unborn child is at risk| |
| |of significant harm | |
| |Parents’ own needs mean they cannot keep child/young | |
| |person safe | |
| |Parent unable to restrict access to home by adults | |
| |known to be a risk to children and other adults | |
| |Child/young person left in the care of an adult known | |
| |or suspected to be a risk to children, or lives in the| |
| |same house as the child | |
| |Low warmth, high criticism is an enduring feature of | |
| |the parenting style | |
| |Parent’s own emotional needs/experiences persistently | |
| |impact on their ability to meet the child/young | |
| |person’s needs | |
| |Parent/carer has mental health issues, that present a | |
| |risk of significant harm to the child | |
| |Parent/carers’ substance misuse that presents a risk | |
| |of significant harm to the child | |
| |Parental learning difficulties that present a risk of | |
| |significant harm to the child | |
| |Parental health/disability that presents a risk of | |
| |significant harm to the child | |
| |Concerns about sexual exploitation | |
| | | |
| |Emotional Warmth and Stability | |
| | | |
| |Deliberate cruelty or emotional ill treatment of a | |
| |child resulting in significant harm | |
| |Child is continually the subject of negative comments | |
| |and criticism, or is used as a scapegoat by a | |
| |parent/carer, resulting in feelings of low worth and | |
| |self-esteem and seriously impacting on the child’s | |
| |emotional and psychological development | |
| |Previous child/young person(s) have been removed from | |
| |parent’s care | |
| | | |
| |Guidance Boundaries and Stimulation | |
| | | |
| |Lack of appropriate supervision resulting in | |
| |significant harm to child | |
| |Child is given responsibilities that are inappropriate| |
| |for their age/level of maturity resulting in | |
| |significant harm to the child | |
| |Adult in a position of trust, staff member or | |
| |volunteer behaves in a way that results in harm to a | |
| |child, or that might indicate unsuitability to work | |
| |with children | |
| | | |
| |Family and Environmental Factors | |
| | | |
| |Family and Social Relationships and Family Well-Being | |
| | | |
| |Assessment identifies risk of physical, emotional, | |
| |sexual abuse or neglect | |
| |History of previous significant harm to children, | |
| |including any concerns of previous child deaths | |
| |Family characterised by conflict and serious, chronic | |
| |relationship difficulties | |
| |Parent/carer has unresolved mental health difficulties| |
| |which affect the wellbeing of the child | |
| |Adult victim of Domestic Abuse is assessed as high | |
| |level risk and the child (including unborn) is at | |
| |risk of significant harm | |
| |Child’s carer referred to MARAC | |
| |Members of the wider family are known to be, or | |
| |suspected of being a risk to children | |
| |Child needs to be looked after outside of their | |
| |immediate family or parents/carers due to | |
| |abuse/neglect | |
| | | |
| |Domestic Violence | |
| | | |
| |Factors to take into account, alongside those | |
| |identified in level 3: | |
| | | |
| |Repeated serious and /or severe physical violence-life| |
| |threatening violence. Attention to the frequency, | |
| |duration and severity of violent behaviour the | |
| |children and young people are exposed to. | |
| |Use/assault with weapons. | |
| |Abusers violation of protective and or child contact | |
| |orders. | |
| |Criminal history of abuser, gangland connection, | |
| |generalised aggression, history of anti-social | |
| |behaviour, aggression towards previous partners/family| |
| |members. | |
| |Intense stalking/harassment behaviour of | |
| |abuser-increased risk of isolation. | |
| |Recurring of frequent request for Police intervention.| |
| |Victim required treatment for injuries sustained. | |
| |Medical attention was required but not sought or | |
| |injuries explanation is implausible. | |
| |Threats to kill or seriously injure victim/and or | |
| |children. | |
| |Victim is very frightened of the abuser and believes | |
| |intent of threats. Retaliatory violence a concern. | |
| |Victim is intensively controlled/may present as | |
| |submissive, worn down by the abuse. | |
| |Victim is pregnant/victim is abused in the post natal | |
| |period/recently separated with new baby raised risk | |
| |level. | |
| |Confirmed emotional/psychological abuse of mother. | |
| |Sexual assault / suspected sexual abuse of victim. | |
| |Incidences of violence witnessed and occurred in | |
| |presence of children-distressed/aftermath of incident.| |
| |Children/young person has directly intervened in | |
| |incidences. | |
| |Child/young person summoned help/disclose immediate | |
| |heightened risk to this child of being | |
| |‘punished’/adverse reaction from the abuser and/or | |
| |mother assess adults reaction to child’s disclosure. | |
| |Children may disclose another form of abuse to draw | |
| |attention to the situation. | |
| |Child or young person has been physically assaulted / | |
| |abused. | |
| |Confirmed emotional abuse of child or young person. | |
| |Suspected/confirmed sexual abuse of child or young | |
| |person. | |
| |Abuser is a perpetrator of child abuse but may not | |
| |have been prosecuted. Abuser is known to MAPPA. | |
| |Victim has been identified and referred to MARAC. | |
| | | |
| |Housing, Employment and Finance | |
| | | |
| |Hygiene conditions within the home present a serious | |
| |and immediate environmental/health risk to children | |
| | | |
| |Child or Young Person’s Developmental Needs | |
| |Health | |
| | | |
| |Parents/carers refusal to recognise or address high | |
| |level disability, serious physical and/or emotional | |
| |health problems | |
| |Carers refusing medical care endangering | |
| |life/development | |
| |Child not accessing appropriate medical care which | |
| |puts them at direct risk of significant harm | |
| |Concerns that a child is suffering or likely to suffer| |
| |harm as a result of fabricated or induced illness | |
| |Sexually Transmitted Infection in a child under 13 | |
| |Child who is suspected to having suffered | |
| |non-accidental, or serious unexplained, injuries | |
| |Concealed/denied pregnancy or birth | |
| |Reluctance by child to take part in PE which may be | |
| |linked to FGM having taken place | |
| |FGM is identified | |
| | | |
| |Social, Emotional, Behavioural, Identity | |
| | | |
| |Challenging behaviour resulting in serious risk to the| |
| |child and others | |
| |Failure or inability to address complex mental health | |
| |issues requiring specialist interventions | |
| |Under 13 engaged in sexual activity | |
| |Under 16 concerns re coercion to engage in sexual | |
| |activity | |
| |Subject to sexual exploitation under 18 years of age | |
| |missing from home for repeated short periods of time | |
| |or prolonged periods | |
| |Young people with complicated substance misuse | |
| |problems requiring specific interventions and/or child| |
| |protection and who can’t be managed in the community | |
| |Using the internet to buy suspect materials or | |
| |download terrorist literature | |
| | | |
| |Self Care and Independence | |
| | | |
| |Child is left “home alone” without adequate adult | |
| |supervision or support and at risk of significant harm| |
| |Distorted self image and lack of independent living | |
| |skills likely to result in significant harm | |
| |Young person prevented from going on to higher/further| |
| |education and EFM is suspected | |
| |Young person travels abroad without family’s | |
| |permission | |
| | | |
| |Child Sexual Exploitation High Level Risk Indicators | |
| |(any of those risk factors identified above in tier | |
| |three and one or more of the following: | |
| | | |
| |Child under the age of 13 and engaging in sexual | |
| |activity | |
| | | |
| |Pattern of street homelessness and staying with an | |
| |adult believed to be sexually exploiting them | |
| | | |
| |Child under the age of 16 years meeting different | |
| |adults and exchanging or selling sexual activity | |
| | | |
| |Travelling considerable distances to meet different | |
| |adults | |
| | | |
| |Removed from known ‘red light’ area or known hotspots | |
| |by professionals due to suspected CSE | |
| | | |
| |Being taken to clubs and hotels by adults and engaging| |
| |in sexual activity | |
| | | |
| |Disclosure of serious sexual assault and then | |
| |withdrawal of statement | |
| | | |
| |Abduction and forced imprisonment | |
| | | |
| |Being moved around for sexual activity | |
| | | |
| |Disappearing/disengaging from all professional contact| |
| |and not accessing support | |
| | | |
| |Child or young person does not see or accept the risks| |
| | | |
| |Being bought/sold/trafficked | |
| | | |
| |Multiple miscarriages or terminations | |
| | | |
| |Indicators of CSE in conjunction with alcohol and drug| |
| |misuse | |
| | | |
| |Indicators of CSE alongside serious self-harm | |
| | | |
| |Receiving rewards of money or goods for recruiting | |
| |peers into CSE | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
Appendix 1
The following are indicators which may aid in decision making when considering the Thresholds. The Risk Indicators in relation to CSE, FGM, EFM and Hate crime outlined above should be considered thought the age ranges in Appendix 1:
|Tier 1 Universal Needs |INDICATORS |
| |CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT |AGES 0-4 |AGES 5-13 |AGES 14-18 |
|These are children and families where there| | | | |
|are no concerns. Typically these children |Health |Appropriate height and weight |Appropriate height and weight |Appropriate height and weight |
|are likely to live in a resilient and | |Physically healthy |Physically healthy |Physically healthy |
|protective environment where their needs | |Developmental checks up to date |Developmental checks up to date |Medical checks up to date |
|are met. These children will require no | |Adequate and nutritious diet |Adequate and nutritious diet |Adequate and nutritious diet |
|additional support beyond that which is | |Regular dental and optical care |Regular dental and optical care |Regular dental and optical care |
|universally available. | |Warm attachment with carers |Good state of mental health |Good state of mental health |
| | | |No misuse of substances |Sexual activity appropriate for age |
|These indicators need to be kept in mind | | | |No misuse of substances |
|when assessing the significance of | | | | |
|indicators from Levels 2-4. | | | | |
| |Education/Learning |Experiences of success/ |Acquired a range of skills/interests |Acquired a range of skills/interests |
| | |Achievement |Experiences of success/achievement |Experiences of success/achievement |
| | |No concerns around cognitive development |Access to books, toys, as appropriate |No concerns around cognitive development |
| | |Access to books, toys as appropriate |Enjoys and participates in educational and |Access to books, games, activities as |
| | |Enjoys and participates in educational group |community activities |appropriate |
| | |activities within pre school settings |Sound home/school link |Enjoys and participates in educational and |
| | |Parents engaged |Articulates aspirations |community activities |
| | |Able to communicate ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ |Attends school regularly |Sound home/school link |
| | | |No concerns around cognitive development |Planned progression beyond statutory education |
| | | | |In EET or NEET up to a maximum of 12 weeks |
| |Emotional & Behavioural Development |Demonstrates age appropriate responses in |Demonstrates age appropriate responses in |Demonstrates age appropriate responses in |
| | |feelings and actions |feelings and actions |feelings and actions |
| | |Good quality early attachments |Good quality early attachments |Good quality attachments/relationships |
| | |Able to demonstrate awareness of others |Able to adapt to change |Able to adapt to change |
| | | |Able to demonstrates empathy |Able to demonstrate empathy |
| |Identity |Positive sense of self and abilities |Positive sense of self and abilities |Positive sense of self and abilities |
| | |Can demonstrate feelings of belongingness |Can Demonstrate feelings of belongingness |Can demonstrate feelings of belongingness and |
| | |and acceptance |and acceptance |acceptance |
| | | | | |
| |Family & Social Relationships |Stable and affectionate relationships with |Stable and affectionate relationships with |Stable and affectionate relationships |
| | |caregivers |caregivers |Good core relationships with siblings |
| | |Good core relationships with siblings |Good core relationships with siblings |Positive relationships with peers |
| | |Positive relationships with peers |Positive relationships with peers |Emerging Social integration |
| |Social Presentation |Appropriate dress for different settings |Appropriate dress for different |Appropriate dress for different settings- |
| | |Good level of personal hygiene |settings-allowing for age and fashion |allowing for fashion |
| | |Enjoys positive attention-appears relaxed |Good level of personal hygiene |Good level of personal hygiene |
| | |with a happy disposition. |Able to discriminate between ‘safe’ and |Reasonably at ease in social situations, and |
| | | |‘unsafe’ contacts |sufficiently discriminating between ‘safe’ and |
| | | |Appears reasonably at ease in social |‘unsafe’ contacts |
| | | |situations | |
| |Self Care Skills |Growing level of competencies in practical |Growing level of competencies in practical |Competency in practical skills and emerging |
| | |skills, such as feeding, dressing. |skills. |independent living skills |
|Tier 2 Low to Vulnerable |INDICATORS |
| |CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT |AGES 0-4 |AGES 5-13 |AGES 14-18 |
|These are children and families whose | | | | |
|circumstances may make them vulnerable and |Health |Weight not increasing at rate expected |Weight not increasing at rate expected |Excessive or low weight gain |
|may affect the child’s health, educational, | |Concerns regarding developmental milestones |Not attending routine appointments |Concerns about developmental progress e.g. |
|or social development. | |Not attending routine appointments |Concerns about developmental progress |overweight/underweight/ |
| | |Persistent minor health problems |Persistent minor health problems |enuresis |
|Children and families who might be defined | |Limited diet |Limited diet e.g. no breakfast and limited |Not attending routine appointments |
|as falling within this level may need some | |Feeding problems |money for school lunch |Persistent minor health problems |
|additional support without which they would | | |Dental care not sufficient in attendance for |Limited diet e.g. no breakfast and limited |
|be at risk of not meeting their full | | |checks/treatment |money for school lunch |
|potential. At this level consideration | | |Vulnerability to mental well-being problems |Dental care not sufficient in attendance for |
|should be given as to whether a multi agency| | |e.g. acrimonious divorce of parents, unduly |checks/ |
|assessment e.g. EHA should be completed. | | |anxious, angry or defiant |Treatment |
| | | |Smokes |Concerns regarding mental wellbeing e.g. |
| | | |Enuresis and encopresis |acrimonious divorce of parents, unduly |
| | | |Not registered with a GP |anxious, angry or defiant |
| | | | |Consensual sexual activity |
| | | | |Experimenting with substance misuse |
| | | | |Smokes |
| |Education/Learning |Not accessing any pre-school setting |Requires a greater degree of |Requires a greater degree of |
| | |Not always engaged in organised activities |individualisation above and beyond expected |individualisation above and beyond expected |
| | |e.g. poor concentration, low motivation |differentiation of the curriculum. |differentiation of the curriculum. |
| | |Not thought to reaching his/her potential |Poor punctuality |NEET for 12 weeks or more(16-18) but |
| | |Home/setting link not well established | |available |
| | |Poor peer relationships | |Poor punctuality |
| | |Speech and language difficulties |Regular school absences |Regular school absences |
| | |Little evidence of stimulation from carer(s)|Not always engaged in learning e.g. poor | |
| | | |concentration, low motivation |Not always engaged in learning e.g. poor |
| | | |Not thought to be reaching his/her |concentration, low motivation |
| | | |educational potential |Not thought to be reaching his/her |
| | | |Home/school link not well established |educational potential |
| | | | |Home/school link not well established |
| | | | |Limited evidence of progression planning |
| | | | |At risk of making ill-informed/inappropriate |
| | | | |decisions about progression |
| |Emotional & Behavioural Development |Hostile behaviour |Some difficulties with peer group |Some difficulties with peer group |
| | |Some difficulties with family relationships |relationships |relationships |
| | |Some difficulties with peer group |Some evidence of inappropriate responses and |Some evidence of inappropriate responses and |
| | |relationships |actions |actions |
| | |Some evidence of inappropriate responses and|Child can find managing change difficult |Young person finds managing change difficult |
| | |actions |Not always able to understand how own actions|Not always able to understand how own actions|
| | |Child finds managing change difficult |impact on others |impact on others |
| | |Multiple carers |Multiple house moves |Multiple house moves |
| | |Multiple house moves |Multiple carers | |
| | |Poor routines | | |
| | |Late toileting | | |
| | |Separation anxiety | | |
| |Identity |Some insecurities around identity expressed |Some insecurities around identify e.g. low |Limited self-confidence |
| | |e.g. low self esteem |self-esteem, low aspirations for the future |Child/young person subject to discrimination |
| | |Limited self-confidence |Child/young person subject to discrimination |through social inequity and negative life |
| | |Child/young person subject to discrimination|through social inequity and negative life |experiences |
| | |through social inequity and negative life |experiences |Victim of crime |
| | |experiences |Poor self-confidence |Poor self-confidence |
| | | |Signs of deteriorating mental wellbeing |Signs of deteriorating mental health |
| | | |Victim of crime |Few if any recognised achievements |
| |Family & Social Relationships |Chaotic routines |Chaotic routines |Chaotic routines |
| | |Child has lack of positive role models |Child has lack of positive role models |Child/young person has lack of positive role |
| | |Child has some difficulties sustaining |Relationships with carers characterised by |models |
| | |relationships |inconsistencies |Relationships with carers characterised by |
| | |Inconsistent parenting |Child has some difficulties sustaining |inconsistencies |
| | |Family lack social networks |relationships |Child has some difficulties sustaining |
| | | |Few recognised achievements |relationships |
| | | |Family lack social networks |Few recognised achievements |
| | | | |Family lack social networks |
| |Social Presentation |Clothing for younger children may be ill |Lack of school uniform impacting on |Lack of school uniform impacting on |
| | |fitting |progress/relationships in school |progress/relationships in school |
| | |Child may not always be clean |Clothing for younger children may be ill |Clothing for younger children may be ill |
| | |Child can be either overfriendly or |fitting e.g. too tight shoes |fitting e.g. too tight shoes |
| | |withdrawn |Child may not always be clean – may suffer |Child/young person may not always be clean – |
| | | |from teasing at school about being ‘smelly’ |may suffer from teasing at school about being|
| | | |Child can be either over friendly or |‘smelly’ |
| | | |withdrawn |Child can be either over friendly or |
| | | |Child appears to be alone and unconnected |withdrawn |
| | | | |Child appears to be alone and unconnected |
|LEVEL 3 |INDICATORS |
| |CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT |AGES 0-4 |AGES 5-13 |AGES 14-18 |
|These are children and families whose | | | | |
|circumstances mean they may be very |Health |Persistent growth faltering |Persistent growth faltering |Chronic health problems |
|vulnerable | |Child has chronic health problems |Child has chronic health problems |Learning significantly affected by health |
| | |Concerns about developmental progress |Learning significantly affected by health |problems |
|Children and families who might be defined | |Untreated dental decay |problems |Limited/restricted diet – no breakfast, no |
|within this level will require a | |Behaviour difficulties requiring further |Limited/restricted diet – no breakfast, no |lunch money |
|coordinated multi-agency response. | |investigations |lunch money |Significant dental decay that has not been |
|Typically this will involve the lead | | |Significant dental decay that has not been |treated |
|professional completing a multi agency | | |treated |Substance misuse including persistent use of |
|assessment e.g. EHA and Team Around the | | |Substance misuse including persistent use of |alcohol |
|Family (TAF) meeting. | | |alcohol |‘Unsafe’ sexual activity |
| | | |Behaviour difficulties requiring further |Refusing medical care |
| | | |investigation |Behaviour difficulties requiring further |
| | | |Signs of low mood, anxiety or self inflicted |investigation |
| | | |injuries |Teenage pregnancy |
| | | | |Signs of low mood, anxiety or self inflicted |
| | | | |injuries |
| |Education/Learning |. | |. |
| | |Poor relationships between home/pre school |Not educated at school (or at home by parents)|Not educated at school (or at home by |
| | |setting |The child’s current rate of progress is |parents) |
| | |Inappropriate social behaviour |inadequate, despite receiving appropriately |NEET(16-18) for more than 12 weeks and not |
| | |Carer regularly fails to provide stimulation |structured early education experiences |available for opportunities |
| | |Unresolved speech and language difficulties | |The child’s current rate of progress is |
| | |The child’s current rate of progress is | |inadequate, despite receiving appropriately |
| | |inadequate, despite receiving appropriately | |structured early education experiences |
| | |structured early education experiences | | |
| |Emotional & Behavioural Development |Poor peer relationships |Poor peer relationships |Poor peer relationships |
| | |Disruptive/challenging behaviour at pre school|Starting to offend and re-offend |Cannot maintain peer relationships e.g. is |
| | |setting or in neighbourhood |Child finds it difficult to cope with anger |aggressive, bully, bullied etc. |
| | |Child withdrawn/unwilling to engage |and frustration |Starting to offend or re-offend |
| | |Limited ability to understand how actions |Disruptive/challenging behaviour at school or |Young person finds it difficult to cope with |
| | |impact on others (4 years old) |in neighbourhood |anger and frustration |
| | | |Child withdrawn/unwilling to engage |Unable to connect cause and effect of own |
| | | |Limited ability to understand how actions |actions |
| | | |impact on others |Disruptive/challenging behaviour at school or|
| | | |Cannot maintain peer relationships e.g. is |in neighbourhood |
| | | |aggressive, bully, bullied etc. |Young person withdrawn/unwilling to engage |
| | | |Unable to connect cause and effect of own |Rarely able to understand how actions impact |
| | | |actions |on others |
| | | |Unable to display empathy |Unable to display empathy |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| |Identity |Demonstrates significantly low self-esteem in |Child experiences persistent discrimination |Young person experiences persistent |
| | |a range of situations |e.g. on the basis of ethnicity, sexual |discrimination e.g. on the basis of |
| | |Very poor self confidence |orientation or disability |ethnicity, sexual orientation or disability |
| | |Signs of deteriorating emotional well being |Child is socially isolated and lacks |Demonstrates significantly low self-esteem in|
| | |Child is socially isolated and lacks |appropriate role models |a range of situations |
| | |appropriate role models |Demonstrates significantly low self-esteem in |Young person is socially isolated and lacks |
| | | |a range of situations |appropriate role models |
| | | |Very poor self-confidence |Very poor self-confidence |
| | | |Child’s self-image distorted and may |Child/young person’s self-image distorted and|
| | | |demonstrate fear or persecution by others |may demonstrate fear or persecution by others|
| | | |Mental Well being concerns becoming |Mental well being concerns becoming |
| | | |problematic and manifest |problematic and manifest |
| | | |Victim of serious crime |Victim of serious crime |
| |Social Presentation |Behaviour is inappropriately sexualized |Behaviour is inappropriately sexualised |Behaviour is inappropriately sexualised |
| | |Clothing is regularly unwashed and frequently |Child may be provocative in |Child may be provocative in |
| | |ill fitting |behaviour/appearance |behaviour/appearance |
| | | |Clothing is regularly unwashed and frequently |Clothing is regularly unwashed and frequently|
| | |Child’s poor hygiene leads to alienation from |ill fitting |ill fitting |
| | |peers | | |
| | |Rejection or taunting by peers |Child’s poor hygiene leads to alienation from |Child’s poor hygiene leads to alienation from|
| | |Child unable to discriminate and likely to put|peers |peers |
| | |self at risk |Alienates self from school |Alienates self from school |
| | | |Rejection or taunting by peers |Rejection or taunting by peers |
|LEVEL 4 |INDICATORS |
| |CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT |AGES 0-4 |AGES 5-13 |AGES 14-18 |
|These are children whose needs and care | | | | |
|at the present time are likely to be very|Health |Unresolved growth faltering |Unresolved growth faltering |Lack of food may be linked with neglect. |
|significantly compromised. | |Carers refusing or denying medical care |Carers refusing medical care endangering |Dietary needs persistently not being met and |
| | |endangering life/development |life/development |resulting in significant harm |
|Children and families who might be | |Persistently missing routine health |Dietary needs persistently not met |Sexual activity that raises concerns for the |
|defined within this level will require a | |appointments |Habitual substance misuse |welfare of the child or young person, |
|specialist assessment from , for example,| |Dietary needs persistently not met |Pregnancy |particularly around CSE |
|Social Care, YOS, CYPS, SEN. | | |Acute mental health problems e.g., threat of |Pregnancy |
| | | |suicide, psychotic episode, severe |Acute mental health problems e.g., threat of |
| | | |depression, |suicide, psychotic episode, severe |
| | | |Sexual activity and concern around CSE |depression, |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| |Education/Learning |Has additional educational needs which require |No school placement |No school placement |
| | |the involvement of LA support services to |Has additional educational needs which |Has additional educational needs which |
| | |augment the settings own resources. The needs |require the involvement of LA support |require the involvement of LA support |
| | |are more than likely to be significant and |services to augment the schools own |services to augment the schools own |
| | |complex. Differentiated classroom practice over|resources. The needs are more than likely to |resources. The needs are more than likely to |
| | |time has not resulted in sufficient progress |be significant and complex. Differentiated |be significant and complex. Differentiated |
| | |towards meeting learning targets. The child |classroom practice over time has not resulted|classroom practice over time has not resulted|
| | |requires an Individualised programme with |in sufficient progress towards meeting |in sufficient progress towards meeting |
| | |tailored Interventions. |learning targets. The child requires an |learning targets. The child requires an |
| | | |Individualised programme with tailored |Individualised programme with tailored |
| | | |Interventions. |Interventions. |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| |Emotional & Behavioural Development |Evidence of a persistent insecure attachment to|Abuses other children |Abuses other children |
| | |carers |Puts self or others in danger |Puts self or others in danger e.g. missing |
| | | |Prosecution for offences – resulting in court|Prosecution for offences – resulting in court|
| | | |orders, custodial sentences, ASBOs etc |orders, custodial sentences, ASBOs etc |
| | | |Regularly involved in anti-social/criminal |Regularly involved in anti-social/criminal |
| | | |activities |activities |
| | | | | |
| |Identity |Child has internalised negative criticism and |Child has internalised discrimination and |Young person has internalised discrimination |
| | |behaviour reflects poor self image |behaviour reflects emotional harm |and behaviour reflects emotional harm |
Appendix 2-Decision Making Flowchart
Am I Concerned About This Child?
(Tier 4)
[pic]
-----------------------
Keeping Children and Young People Safe from Harm, Abuse and Neglect
Early Help Assessment
Complex
High
Increasing Need
Universal
Tier 4
Acute needs requiring urgent, intensive children’s Services statutory support.
Threshold for child protection reached
Tier 3
High level complex needs requiring a targeted integrated response from Children’s Services. This is the threshold for a ‘Child in Need’.
Threshold for child protection may be reached
Tier 2
Targeted early intervention. Needs not clear, not known or not being met.
Use common assessment (EHA)
Response is universal support services and/or targeted preventative services and TAF support.
Tier 1
No identified additional needs
No identified risks
EHA not required
No
NFA
Yes
Is this child at risk of significant harm?
Use referral procedure of Tier 3 agency
Continue with plan
Yes
No
Is this still a Tier 2 need?
Complete a EHA; identify needs and plan and review
No
Yes
Will this require Tier 3 intervention?
Follow Safeguarding Procedures and refer in immediately to Children’s Services
Yes
No
Can my agency provide the support the child/family needs?
Consider completing EHA if it would be helpful
No
Yes
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