Independent Assessor - what to expect?

[Shaftesbury]

Children's Services have arranged for an expert independent assessor to visit me at my home to assess my level of understanding of the risks sex offenders pose to children. CS also want to know I am capable of making the right decisions to keep my children safe and to assess my judgment.

I have been told the assessor will be at my house for FIVE HOURS.

Is there anybody out there who knows what this visit will entail? Why will it take so long? Will they purely be asking questions or will they do anything else?

Thanks for all responses.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Shaftesbury,

Thank you for your post.

Children’s services assessments will generally:

• look at each child’s needs,

• your ability as a parent to meet those needs and whether you need any extra help in doing so,

• The risks to your children –such as a partner who poses a danger due to his/ her sexually risky behaviour) and the protective factors (such as your of understanding of the risks). Do you need any extra help in protecting your children?

• The assessment would also look at the environment that you and your children live in and assess any community or family or friend support.

I assume this general assessment would have already been substantially completed. Although you need to be mindful that the social worker will always be assessing and re assessing.


The expert assessment, you refer to, by an independent assessor will be for those parts of the assessment that the social worker is not qualified to do.
The assessment is to look specifically at your ability to protect your children from the risks of sexual abuse.

Has the social worker or independent assessor stated how the assessment will be carried out? If not, I would telephone and ask how the 5 hours will be organised. Can they put this in writing?

Will they be seeing your children and your interaction with them individually at different times of the day? Or just you? Will they be assessing your relationship with your partner-with him being present and your ability to set boundaries with him?

Will the assessment test your knowledge of grooming behaviour for example, and how to recognise the signs?

I would expect the assessment to also consider what support might be available to enable you to protect your children against the risks of your partner.

If you have not done so, you could discuss the assessment with an independent organisation such as the
Lucy Faithfull Foundation .


Best wishes,

Suzie


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