Pre-birth assessment

When an assessment is carried out in relation to an unborn baby, it is called a pre-birth assessment. It is carried out in much the same way as other social work assessments but is completed before the birth. It will include the social worker speaking with the mother’s midwife and other relevant health practitioners.

The assessment will aim to find out:

• Whether the family need, or will need, extra support
• Whether the baby will be safe when they are born.

After a pre-birth assessment

There can be different outcomes to a pre-birth assessment. The outcome will depend on whether the unborn baby is assessed as requiring additional help as a child in need. Or if there are concerns that the baby will be likely to suffer significant harm once they are born. Sometimes the assessment will decide that no additional help is needed by children’s services.

See our Parents to be page for more information about pre-birth assessments.