Tools for Assessment, Analysis and Planning

Child and Family Training with others was commissioned by the Department of Health, to develop training materials to support professionals to use a range of standardised assessment tools when making assessments using the National Assessment Framework.

Training in the use of the Attachment Style Interview was developed in partnership with the Lifespan Research Group at Royal Holloway University of London and Child and Family Training.

More recently a model of analysis, planning interventions and identifying and measuring outcomes using the Assessment Framework has been developed and is included in the training.

The assessment tools are referenced in a range of DCSF guidance and procedures linked to the Assessment Framework including:

• Initial and core assessments
• Working Together 2006
• Every Child Matters
• The Integrated Children’s System
• Looked After Children Records
• Safeguarding Children materials
• Practice Guidance on Preparing and Assessing Adopters and on Assessing Support Needs of Adoptive Families

• Assessing children’s needs, the quality of parenting and a range of family and environmental factors
• Exploring the children’s experiences at home, at school and elsewhere


• Analysis, planning effective interventions and assessing change
• Initial and core assessments
• Safeguarding and specialist assessments – assessing the level/risk of significant harm and the possibility of rehabilitation
• Preparing reports for court in care proceedings under the Public Law Outline and in Private Law cases relating to residence and contact issues
• Planning for permanency andassessing and supporting adoptive parents, foster carers and kinship carers

Training can be tailored to link in with the Getting it right for every child in Scotland, UNOCINI in Northern Ireland and the Framework for the Assessment of Vulnerable Children & their Families in the Republic of Ireland.

Child and Family Accredited Trainers have been trained by the authors of each of the assessment tools and deliver training across the UK, Europe and elsewhere.

Training can either be commissioned for groups of staff in agencies or individuals can attend Open Courses organised by Child and Family Training.