Assessment, Child Protection and Wellbeing Services are delivered across three areas in the county: Eastern, Northern and Southern.
Assessment
Our Assessment Service primarily undertakes assessments as defined by Section 17 (child in need assessments) and Section 47 (child protection assessments) of the Children Act 1989. All referrals come direct from MASH, the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub. Following assessment, social workers may progress the case to an Initial Child Protection Conference, initiate court proceedings, accommodate a child into care, recommend that a more detailed assessment is undertaken (core assessment), arrange for the case to be picked up by a “Team Around the Child” (TAC) or close the case. Assessment social workers are not expected to hold cases long term.
Advanced social work professionals and social workers working at Level 2 also form part of the Assessment Service. Here, we complete assessments, consistent with the Children Act S17, and provide specialist advice and guidance to the professional network. Assessments completed by Level 2 social workers are also determined by MASH.
The Assessment service undertakes Section 7 and Section 37 reports on new cases. These are reports requested by Courts. Transfer out of this service will be timely and smooth if the work with the family is to remain in children’s social work.
Child Protection and Wellbeing (CPW)
Our Child Protection and Wellbeing service is responsible for all cases from the point of transfer by Assessment until case closure or transfer to the Permanence & Transition Service. The CPW Service will hold all children’s cases where there is a child protection plan, a child in need plan, where the child is looked after under Section 20 (other than those aged 16 and over) and there is no plan for permanency arrangements and all court work which will be undertaken until the close of proceedings. Social Workers in CPW also carry out the more detailed assessments on children. The CPW Service will host most of the activity in children’s social care and will manage high volumes of high risk cases.
Here at Devon County Council, we work hard to provide safe, caring homes for children and young people who aren’t able to live with their birth families. We do this by working closely with our carers, children and young people, their social workers and birth families.