Most social workers in adult social care work in services that primarily focus on the immediate presenting issues faced by clients and their accompanying care and support needs, rather than in services that are specifically organised around supporting people who have experienced trauma. However, many people who are affected by trauma seek support from social care services, whether or not the service considers itself to work with survivors.

For example, issues such as substance use, mental health problems, homelessness, self-harm, being in a domestically abusive relationship or being in the criminal justice system are often symptomatic of past trauma. And there is evidence that people who are in contact with mental health services are more likely than others to have experienced traumatic events (Sweeney et al, 2018).

This is why it’s important to recognise trauma and to understand how it can influence an individual’s way of relating to their situation and how their “behaviour” is often about keeping themselves safe, because that is how they’ve coped in the past.

Talking about trauma

Despite clear evidence linking psychological distress to experiences of trauma, survivors often report that they are rarely asked about traumatic experiences (Read et al, 2007).

When asked, practitioners say that they are afraid of asking about traumatic experiences for two main reasons: that they are paying attention to the person’s immediate needs, or that they are concerned that asking about the person’s experiences might cause them distress.

These are understandable concerns, and it can be difficult to get the balance right. Not asking about traumatic events can give a message that the worker isn’t interested, or that it is too shameful to talk about, but asking in an insensitive way or at the wrong time can cause distress.

Asking about traumatic events: practice tips

• Consider the purpose of asking about the person’s experiences of trauma:
  Is it relevant to your work with them? How long are you expecting to work with each other? How will it help you to meet their needs if you know about their experiences? Does it feel ethical and safe to ask this question at this time?
• Don’t ask during a crisis:
  During a moment of heightened distress is not a sensible time to ask questions which encourage the person to revisit past traumatic events.
• Offer a brief normalising statement before asking:
  The purpose of this is to “warm up” the person to the idea that you are going to ask about some difficult experiences, rather than it coming out of the blue. The statement should include a recognition that they do not need to answer. For example, you could say: “I’m going to ask you about some experiences which you may have had during your life. The reason for this is that it can sometimes help us to understand difficulties later on. It’s ok if you don’t want to answer these questions at this time.”
• If a person makes a disclosure of abuse:
  If a person gives information about an identifiable person who has harmed them, then most agencies will require you to pass this information on to the relevant safeguarding authorities.

It is good practice to remind people about the limits of confidentiality as soon as possible in the conversation, so that they can make informed choices about how much to say to you. It can also be sensible to ask whether the person has ever spoken about it before, and what happened as a result.

If someone makes a disclosure, validate it and reassure them that it’s good that they have spoken about it. Also check out their current situation – are they safe and free from abuse now? If appropriate, it can be a good idea to ask the person what sense they have made of their experiences and how they think they relate to their current situation.

It’s important to focus on what they would like to happen next and what sources of support they can draw on. If possible, offer a follow-up contact, such as an appointment or a phone call with you at an agreed time, to reassure them that you aren’t rejecting them.

Throughout the conversation, be aware of your non-verbal communication – regulate yourself by breathing steadily, keep your speech slow and measured, and try to remain calm and still. The person speaking will be very tuned-in to your responses, and may be expecting to see non-verbal signs that you feel uncomfortable or that you will reject them.

References

Read J, Hammersley P and Rudegeair T (2007)
‘Why, when and how to ask about childhood abuse’
Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, Volume 13, Issue 2, p101-10

Sweeney A, Filson B, Kennedy A, Collinson L and Gillard, S (2018)
‘A paradigm shift: relationships in trauma-informed mental health services‘
BJPsych Advances, Volume 24, Issue 5, p319-33

If you have a Community Care Inform Adults licence, log in to access the full guide and read more on the different types of trauma and how the Power Threat Meaning Framework encourages practitioners to shift their thinking from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What’s happened to you?”

Understanding the child’s experience

The short- and long-term impact of parental substance misuse on children can be significant. Understanding the child’s experiences is central when working with parental substance misuse.

It is important to bear in mind that children may know a great deal about their parent’s use of substances, despite best efforts to keep things hidden. Even very young children may know that ‘something’ is going on and can be sensitive to the shifts in their parent’s presentation, such as the changing sights and smells of the house or how their parents are responding to them and each other (Houmoller et al, 2011).

It may be difficult to directly ask the child about their parent’s substance misuse. The parent might not want you to, or might believe the child knows nothing, or the child might feel worried about telling a professional. In these situations, a good starting point is to assess what a ‘typical’ day or week looks like for the child.

For example, you could talk about who they see, what happens, who looks after them or who they go to for help if they need something or are scared. These kinds of questions may help to unpick what the child’s experiences are, and how safe and stable they feel home life is.

Tips for working with children

Below are recommendations for how to approach working with children affected by parental substance misuse. These recommendations have been developed from studies where researchers talked to children about what they wanted from professionals.

• Use a non-judgmental approach: Studies show that children can experience discrimination or stigma from professionals as a result of their parent’s substance misuse (Muir et al, 2022). Children are also very likely be aware of the shame and stigma that surrounds parental substance misuse. Professionals need to approach these conversations mindful of the language they use about substance misuse and the child’s parents/carers and the assumptions they may have made about the child’s experiences.
• Provide stability and consistency: Children affected by parental substance misuse may have experienced a great deal of inconsistency in their lives and may therefore be particularly affected by things like staff turnover. Aiming to ensure a stable and consistent professional figure in a child’s life is important. To create this stable relationship, there are important things a social worker can do such as:

• • Booking visits ahead of time, making the child aware of the location and time and giving notice if things change and the visit is not possible.
  • Not over-promising; ensuring that you follow through on what you say you will do (eg making a referral).
  • Being honest about who you share information with and why, and what might happen as a result.
  • Being clear about your role in their life, how long you might be in their life for and what might happen when you are no longer their social worker.
  • Ensuring a managed ending which the child can prepare for.

• Use professionalism: Children value professionals who are non-confrontational in their approach (O’Connor et al, 2014; Houmoller et al, 2011) and who do not ‘quiz’ the child about their parent’s substance misuse (Muir et al, 2022). Children want professionals who are reliable and proactive in responding to disclosures made by them (Muir et al, 2022). Children also need to know that professionals are trustworthy and safe and that the information they share is safe. Some information children tell professionals may need to be written down or shared with other people, which requires professionals to be transparent about information sharing.
• Listen and understand: It is important that children are listened to, respected and believed. Children value flexibility in how professionals communicate and engage with them (Muir et al, 2022). Some children particularly value being able to just ‘sit’ in a safe place with a professional (eg in a teacher’s office) and not necessarily talk about anything. Children also note that the most supportive professionals tend to have a good understanding of parental substance misuse (Houmoller et al, 2011). If children have additional needs around communication, social workers need to give further consideration to ensure they are listened to and understood and ensure that their approach is appropriate to the child’s development and needs. Inform Children users can find additional information and advice can on this in these case studies from a specialist team on working with disabled children.
• Acknowledge and respect the child’s expertise: Children are experts in their own lives. Children may also have considerable strategies already in place to protect themselves and their siblings. These might include having a safe family member or friend to talk to or stay with, having a safe space in the house away from their parents, writing in journals or practising mindfulness (Muir et al, 2022). Children may also have coping strategies which are potentially harmful, for example, isolating themselves (Velleman and Templeton, 2007). When working with children, it is important to respect their expertise and potentially build on their protective strategies if it is appropriate to do.
• Support the whole family: Children report wanting practical and emotional support for them and their family. Practical support, such as financial support and help with day-to-day issues, may immediately improve a child’s life. Emotional support can be provided through one-to-one support, group work or specialist support in the local area. There are also useful websites which have resources for children affected by parental substance misuse. Children may also want support in understanding more about substance misuse. Many children report being frightened by their parent’s substance use, including worrying about them dying or being very unwell. Children do not necessarily have age-appropriate ways of finding out information about substance misuse. The signposting section in the full guide includes some resources which may be helpful to use when working with children and young people.
• Use holistic interventions: Interventions which work to help achieve best outcomes for children and families are:

• • holistic, providing support for different issues in family life;
  • integrated, with different professionals working collaboratively with the family and each other;
  • long term, as substance misuse is a relapsing and remitting issue which is unlikely to be resolved quickly and without ongoing support;
  • engaged with the whole family, with support available for the children as well as the adults in the family (McGovern et al, 2022).

What to read next

• Parental mental illness
• Increasing parental motivation and aspiration
• Parenting assessments

References

Houmoller, K, Bernays, S, Wilson, S & Rhodes, T (2011)
Juggling Harms: Coping with Parental Substance Misuse

Muir, C, Adams, E. A, Evans, V et al (2022)
‘A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies Exploring Lived Experiences, Perceived Impact, and Coping Strategies of Children and Young People Whose Parents Use Substances‘

McGovern, R, Newham, J, Addison, M, Hickman, M, Kaner, E (2022)
‘The effectiveness of psychosocial interventions at reducing the frequency of alcohol and drug use in parents: findings of a Cochrane Review and meta-analyses‘

O’Connor, L, Forrester, D, Holland, S & Williams, A (2014)
‘Perspectives on children’s experiences in families with parental substance misuse and child protection interventions’

Templeton, L, Velleman, R (2007)
Understanding and modifying the impact of parents substance misuse on children

Hearing directly from people with lived experience of social care is one of the most powerful and effective ways to learn and reflect on social work practice.

Author, motivational speaker and care leaver Jenny Molloy, in partnership with Community Care Inform, will be sharing her experience of childhood neglect, parental addiction and domestic abuse, in a session at Social Work England’s Social Work Week 2025.

She will discuss the opportunities missed by professionals to help her and how practitioners can intervene more effectively with children today. She will also share the complex trauma arising from her childhood that has lasted long into adulthood.

The session takes place on Wednesday, 19 March 2025, from 1.30pm-2:30pm and you can book your free place now.

About Jenny Molloy and CC Inform

Jenny, writing under the penname Hope Daniels, is the bestselling author of Hackney Child, Tainted Love, Neglected and This Isn’t Love, which was reviewed recently in Community Care.

She is also a practice improvement consultant, who works with several organisations to support positive change in social work, in which capacity she has worked for many years with Community Care Inform, providing learning on topics including neglect, child sexual exploitation and trauma.

Community Care Inform delivers expert-produced practice guidance, in a quick and accessible format, to help social work professionals make and evidence their decisions, through our subscription-based Inform Adults and Inform Children sites.

For information on how we can help you and your team, contact us at ccinformhelpdesk@markallengroup.com or on 020 3915 9444.

Social Work Week

Social Work Week, which runs from 17 to 21 March 2025, is a free programme of events on social work, with other sessions this year covering topics including the future of the profession, artificial intelligence, retention, fitness to practise and social work’s public image.

You can book tickets for individual sessions now.

Most social workers have less time for learning than they did 12 months previously, research for Community Care Inform, set out in a newly published report, has found.

The trend has been driven by high caseloads and team vacancy levels, and has affected practitioners’ career development, confidence and resilience.

The Learning Landscapes study also identified a gap between the time practitioners felt they needed for learning each week and the time they had available, leading almost a fifth (18%) to consider leaving their current employment.

The vast majority of practitioners had attended some training in the previous 12 months, with the average being five days. However, over half had had to cancel at least one day of training during that time due to work commitments.

The findings of Learning Landscapes have now been published in a whitepaper.

Cancelled training a key issue

Workforce leaders who have seen the findings said they chimed with their experience of the pressures on staff to make time for learning.

Gemma Durrant, head of learning and development, children’s services, at Hampshire County Council, said it had a 26% cancel on-the-day rate across all of its courses.

She said cancellation rates had been much lower for a course on implementing a new case management system, which she attributed to greater senior management buy-in.

Tackling non-attendance at training

At Birmingham Children’s Trust’s attendance was very high for social work training, said Sophie Gilbert, head of its learning academy.

One potential factor in this was the fact that, when a person did not attend a course, the learning and development team emailed their manager to ask why.

For Surrey County Council, cancellation rates had fallen by 50% after it started charging teams for non-attendance, said principal social worker in children’s services Kasey Senior.

She said that, while she and learning and development colleagues did not want people to feel blamed, the charging policy had led assistant directors and service managers to think more about decisions to cancel training.

Making a reality of protected time

As with Inform’s 2022 survey, giving practitioners protected time was respondents’ favoured way for organisations to support learning, being cited by 53% of respondents to the 2024 research.

Workforce leaders polled by  said their organisations offered protected time, but very few said that these policies worked in practice.

Hampshire offers all social workers five days’ protected learning a year, but Gemma said the council did not monitor take-up.

“It’s about personal responsibility – some people say, ‘that’s what I’m doing’, others are not bothered and [some] get overwhelmed,” she said. “I don’t want to say to people, ‘it needs to be this number of hours per month’, as that may not work for everyone.”

Supporting experienced practitioners’ development

Kasey said there was a gap in the provision of protected learning time for practitioners who were four-plus years’ qualified.

“[Their ] learning is based on their relationship with their manager,” she said. “If that’s working, fine. But we’re not monitoring it.”

If you are a principal social worker or workforce lead, or work in practice development, and are interested in finding out about the Learning Landscapes study, please email rebekkah.tabern@markallengroup.com for more information.

What is reflection?

There are many definitions of reflection, but essentially it is about thinking things through carefully, considering things from different perspectives and possibly restructuring the way that we see things.

In many ways, it is about the way we think. Reflection also helps us to learn from experiences. When the learning from reflection is put into practice, this becomes reflective action/reflective practice.

Why is reflection so important for students?

It is generally agreed that reflective practice is important in social work. However, it is worth asking a student why they think there is an emphasis on critical reflection. When we understand why we need to do something, it generally motivates us to develop our skills in that area.

Reflection is vitally important for social work in general, but it is perhaps even more important for students, because it is so closely linked to the process of learning. A deeper approach to learning involves critically reflecting on new ideas and linking them with existing knowledge.

Taking a reflective approach means the learner will understand the knowledge they acquire and apply their learning to new situations. Deep learning assists with problem solving and making wider connections, resulting in a new and different understanding.

Sometimes students are not always aware of the importance of reflection and see it as simply something that is required as part of their portfolio evidence.

Supporting students to recognise the vital importance of reflective practice and asking them to read around the subject will be important if they lack commitment.

Reflective questioning

It can be very tempting for practice educators to ask information-based questions in supervision to find out what is happening for the people who are receiving support and to ensure the student is meeting agency requirements. They may also be tempted into providing solutions, advice and guidance to students.

This often cuts across students developing as truly reflective practitioners. Learning is much more likely to occur where a practice educator asks reflective questions to assist the student to consider the situation and find their own solutions. This also role models good practice in social work.

People sometimes look to practitioners to provide the solution, which can lead to them developing ‘learned helplessness’. Social workers who are able to use their skills to support people to develop their own ‘solutions’ are generally better, more effective practitioners.

McClure (2002) suggested that reflective practice is about a process of dynamic questioning and developed a range of “reflective questions” that can be used to assist in reflective practice – either in writing or in reflective discussions. The following questions are adapted from those suggested by McClure for use in supervision with a student:

• Tell me about what you did…
• What were you aiming for when you did that?
• What exactly did you do?
• Why did you choose that particular action?
• What theories/models/research informed your actions?
• What were you trying to achieve?
• What did you do next?
• What were the reasons for doing that?
• How successful was it?
• How do you know? What criteria are you using to judge success?
• What alternatives did you have?
• Could you have dealt with the situation any better?
• How would you do it differently next time?
• How do you feel about the whole experience?
• How did the person/carer/other worker feel about it?
• How do you know they felt like that?
• What sense can you make of this considering your past experiences/what we have discussed/your university studies (and so on)?
• Has this changed the way in which you will do things in the future? How?

Skilled, dynamic reflective questioning very often leads to more questions rather than ‘answers’. This can be very challenging for students who feel a pressure to ‘know’ something.

I find it useful to explain that even after over 30 years in social work I don’t know things. Sharing this with students can be helpful because the creation of uncertainty through reflective questioning and reflective practice more generally may create a crisis of confidence.

A willingness to live with uncertainty is important to social workers. In his report into the death of Victoria Climbié, Lord Laming introduced the phrase “respectful uncertainty” to describe the attitude social workers need to maintain in their work (Lord Laming, 2003).

References

Lord Laming (2003)
The Victoria Climbié Inquiry
Command Paper 5730

McClure, P (2002)
Reflection in Practice: Making Practice Based Learning Work
University of Ulster

If you have a Community Care Inform Adults licence, log in to access the full guide. You can access more supervision guidance on the practice education knowledge and practice hub.

Generally, direct work can include:

• Exploring children’s memories of events.
• Helping children to process traumatic experiences.
• Undertaking life story work.
• Helping with social aspects of the child’s life.

Building a trusting relationship

Direct work with children and young people requires, along with materials and techniques to help them talk, specific social work skills that include:

• active listening;
• sensitivity;
• a ‘mentalised’ approach (the ability to understand we all have minds that contain intentions, thoughts and feelings that are different from others’).

Recognising the hard emotional work that a child will do in direct work sessions and taking steps to create a nurturing environment can be invaluable, and it is always worth asking those who are caring for the child what drinks and snacks he or she can have whilst in the room with you.

The main thing that children say is helpful in allowing adults to work with them is the quality of that adult’s capacity to listen actively to them and to hear the things they are not saying.

Equally important is that when adults tell the child that something will happen, it does. So, be mindful of the language you use as anything that sounds like a promise is just that to the child. Reliable, confident, kindly and attentive adults, who appear genuinely interested, are singled out as special people.

Setting the tone

A general principle of direct work is that it should create the conditions for the child to speak. This requires the social worker to be an active listener, not a busy ‘doer’.

The purpose of direct work is to provide secure conditions for the child or, to use Bion’s term, ‘containment’, so that the child can feel safe to express their feelings. It consists of quiet, sensitive observation, with the aim of occasionally lubricating the process.

Reactions to the child should be congruent with what they are saying and doing, including your tone of voice. Although it is sometimes appropriate to be bright and cheerful, you do not want to give the impression that every session will be fun, and sensitivity and good observations skills are important.

You should seek meaning in what the child is expressing – both verbally and non-verbally. This requires self-awareness so that the social worker can distinguish their own feelings from those of the child.

What to take to direct work sessions

You may not know much about a child before a visit other than basic details such as name and age. Also, it could be that only one visit will be undertaken.

Social workers need to know not only what has happened, but also its meaning for the child. They need to be able to enter the child’s inner world without necessarily having weeks to develop a relationship. Therefore, a general selection of toys and materials should be available for all visits. Consider bringing:

• a few (washable) felt-tip/coloured pencils;
• a small soft doll;
• a few toy animals;
• a few small cars;
• some paper.

Other ideas of activities to bring include:

• puppets;
• buttons;
• play people in family groups;
• farm animals;
• musical instruments;
• Play-Doh.

Many practitioners have books that they use for children in particular circumstances. Teams should be encouraged to share what they use and how they do so, perhaps building up a team resource bank.

Whilst there is a ‘right’ way to engage children, active listening being the most important attribute, there is no ‘right’ number of toys or games to have on hand.  Practitioners make choices as to what they offer and how they offer it.

It is always important, though, to reflect on your practice and see if it is giving you the best results you would expect. Watching a colleague at work with a child, team-based discussions on working methods and your own reading can refresh you and challenge you to work differently.

Some practitioners can engage the child using simple materials such as papers and pens, using their own experiences to draw out information. However, most children will engage more readily if provided with an activity as an introduction to the work and, for some, it is important that you do the task too.

Sitting beside, rather than face to face, with a child allows dialogue to develop and a sense of sharing.

The work you do with children may help them to understand themselves better; this is particularly true when practitioners use tools such as ecomaps and genograms.

Picking a location for direct work

Direct work should be carried out somewhere quiet, where the child feels safe, where you are not going to be interrupted and where the child knows how to get to the toilet. Children engaged in potentially stressful situations often need to go to the toilet at regular intervals, as a way of regulating their emotions as well as due to the physical desire to urinate.

In complex family situations, practitioners may want to see and meet the child in a neutral space, and some social workers plan with parents or carers to see the child at their school.

Although this has the advantage of being an environment free of family or parental influence, it brings the home situation into the school for the child which may be distressing for them. Perhaps a better neutral space for some children is a children’s centre, Cafcass office or other office space.

Using observation

Simply observing a child during free play is a good way of gaining insight into their usual ways of playing and interaction with other children and their toys. Using direct work in addition allows practitioners to gain a great understanding of a child’s lived experiences.

It is important to remember that children up to four years of age tend to think in egocentric and concrete ways, and care should be taken when interpreting their behaviours. You should seek advice when considering what their behaviour might mean and avoid making assumptions about what children can understand.

McLeod (2008) states that even pre-school children can have a mature understanding of an abstract concept, such as death, if it is relevant to their experience and when they have had it sensitively explained to them.

Developmental capacity

With older children, direct work may focus on mediation between them and their parents or carers. As with younger children, bear in mind they are conscious of non-verbal signs such as posture, tone of voice, gesture and facial expression.

Direct work with older children can include a focus on:

• their relationships;
• bullying;
• sexual identity;
• family disharmony;
• confidence;
• making and keeping friends,
• their life story.

Many unaccompanied asylum-seeking children may have experienced trauma in their country of origin and need help processing this. They may also need support managing feelings of loss or in establishing their identity in a new country without the support of their loved ones.

Practise using the activities beforehand and attempt to predict any questions that may arise. It will be important to think about what ‘expressing their view’ might mean to the child.

Cultural norms should be considered; for example, different cultures have proximity comfort zones and social norms about direct eye contact and hand gestures. Some cultures find it unacceptable to sit on the floor, and some may find it unacceptable for a child to name their parents.

In addition, adults from some cultures do not get involved in their children’s play, which could result in the child finding the social worker’s interest in completing direct work activities puzzling or uncomfortable.

If you have a Community Care Inform Children licence, log on to access the full guide and learn more about conducing confident direct work with children and young people.

What to read next

• Directory of direct work tools to use with children and young people
• Introduction to direct work with children and young people: a quick guide 
• Writing up direct work for case records and court reports

References

Bion, W, R (2023)
Learning from experience 

McLeod, A (2008)
Listening to Children: a practitioners guide

The number of people with dementia from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds in the UK is growing rapidly. According to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia (2013), there were 25,000 people from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups with dementia in England and Wales. This number is expected to double to 50,000 by 2026 and rise to over 172,000 by 2051.

Contributing factors include the ageing of those who migrated to the UK in the decades immediately after the second world war; increasing awareness and willingness to seek diagnosis; and the possible higher risk of developing dementia due to higher levels of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in certain black, Asian and minority ethnic groups (Alzheimer’s Research UK, 2019).

In 2024, the Office of Health Economics published an evidence review of inequalities in dementia, finding high quality evidence that people from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups living with dementia are less likely to have access to timely diagnosis, present later for assessment, have a lower diagnosis rate and are less likely to access support services than the white British population (Hodgson et al, 2024).

The full Community Care Inform Adults guide promotes a person-centred approach to supporting individuals, while encouraging practitioners to work in a culturally competent way, and presents the following tips for practice.

Practice tips

• Treat everyone as an individual by applying a person-centred approach to supporting people with dementia and their families.
• Understand different socio-economic barriers that individuals may face when accessing care.
• Work in a culturally competent way – be open and respectful.
• Know your local area and who should be accessing your service – record self-ascribed ethnicity.
• Make links with local community groups in order to promote dementia awareness, develop partnership working and learn about how they view dementia as a condition.
• If services are refused, do not assume ‘they look after their own’. Explore whether the services are meeting cultural needs adequately – maybe an aspect of the provision can be changed or adapted?
• Include cultural issues within assessments.
• Take account of practical needs, including meals, personal care preferences and religious and end-of-life practices.
• Recognise faith communities as a vital part of the wider support network.
• Promote effective communication – access interpreters where needed.
• Use translated written materials, but with caution.
• Provide services in different languages.
• Ensure culturally appropriate resources are available and used, for example, during reminiscence groups.
• Pay attention to how support for carers is marketed to ensure people who may not relate to the term “carer” can access them.

References

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia (2013)
Dementia does not discriminate: the experiences of black, Asian and minority ethnic communities

Alzheimer’s Research UK (2019)
Reducing your risk of dementia

Hodgson, S; Hayes, H; Cubi-Molla, P and Garau, M (2024)
Evidence Review in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Inequalities in Dementia: Unveiling the Evidence and Forging a Path Towards Greater Understanding
Office of Health Economics

If you have a Community Care Inform Adults licence, log in to access the full guide. The guide forms part of Inform Adults’ dementia knowledge and practice hub.

Safeguarding concerns about disabled children may arise for practitioners working in any type of children’s social work team. This includes front door referrals (of children who may or may not already be known to a local authority due to disability), as well in the course of assessing and providing support services for disabled children and their families. They can also arise when working with looked-after and adopted children.

It is therefore vital for all social workers to understand the specific challenges and issues involved in safeguarding disabled children and young people and those with special educational needs.

Applying professional curiosity

Professional curiosity is key in all safeguarding practice to help challenge assumptions and gain a greater understanding. The City of London and Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership (CHSCP) provides helpful questions to consider in the context of safeguarding disabled children:

• What is the disability, special need or impairment that affects the child/young person?
• How does the disability or impairment affect the child on a day-to-day basis?
• How does the child communicate? If someone says the child can’t communicate, ask how the child indicates if they want something.
• How does the child show they are happy or unhappy?
• Are there or have there been concerns about parenting or abuse?
• Are there any concerns about the parenting of non-disabled children in the family?
• What support for the child and family is in place? What is working well and what interventions or support have not worked well?
• What resources are available to support the disabled child from within their own family network?
• Have both parents and/or anyone with parental responsibility been engaged in the assessment and/or intervention?
• Has a family group conference been considered?
• Have you reviewed the ‘local offer’ for children with additional needs or consulted with specialist workers/the disabled children’s service to ensure the child is accessing all the services they are entitled to (eg short breaks)?
• Are there differences of opinion about the experiences of the child in the professional network and, if so, what may this be about?
• Where there are multiple hypotheses about what might be happening for a child, does your plan reflect this and work to address all possible scenarios of concern?
• Would you consider the same safeguarding options if the child was not disabled?

Assessing support needs for disabled children in need

Under the Children Act 1989, local authorities are under a general duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need.

Any child with a disability who meets the definition of a ‘disabled child’ under the Children Act 1989 is automatically a child in need. Children whose condition falls outside of this definition may still qualify for section 17 support – see the quick guide to definitions and duties in relation to disabled children. 

Local authorities have statutory duties to assess the needs of and provide services to disabled children. Assessments should be carried out in accordance with the statutory guidance, Working Together to Safeguard Children, with social workers taking a strengths-based, child-centred approach to inform decision making about support offered to the family in the child’s best interests (Department for Education, 2023).

Key considerations:

1. A good assessment takes a holistic, child-centred approach and is able to explore problems, beliefs, explanations, emotions, attachments and contextual factors within a family dynamic and to develop hypotheses (Dallos and Vetere, 2003).
2. For disabled children and their families, practitioners can benefit from having training and experience to develop the appropriate knowledge of conditions including autism, learning disabilities, and mental health needs (Clements and Aiello, 2021).
3. Practitioners need to ensure they are hearing the child, including that they are seen and spoken to alone when there are child protection concerns, with parents not used as interpreters (NSPCC, 2016).
4. A co-production approach can help increase trust between parents and professionals when discussing sensitive or difficult topics if safeguarding concerns emerge.

Recognising indicators of maltreatment

The DfE practice guidance Safeguarding Disabled Children (2009) includes a list of possible indicators of abuse or neglect:

• a bruise in a site that might not be of concern on a child who can walk, such as the shin, might be of concern on a non-mobile child;
• not getting enough help with feeding, leading to malnourishment;
• poor toileting arrangements;
• lack of stimulation;
• unjustified and/or excessive use of restraint;
• rough handling or extreme behaviour modification (eg deprivation of liquid, medication, food or clothing);
• unwillingness to try to learn a child’s means of communication;
• ill-fitting equipment (eg callipers, sleep boards, inappropriate splinting);
• misappropriation of a child’s finances;
• invasive procedures which are unnecessary or are carried out against the child’s will.

Responding to disclosures of abuse

When a child or young person does seek help, practitioners can support the process by taking time to prepare for difficult conversations, including by considering how to use activities to explore challenging topics and how technology can enable a child or young person to share their views.

Remember that when working with any child, the concept of ‘disclosure’ can be unhelpful. It suggests a one-off communication to make something known. This is often not how children communicate things we should be concerned about and does not recognise the responsibility of professionals to notice and observe words, signs, and behaviours, and respond in ways that allow more information to be shared.

This is true for all children, but particularly children with communication needs or who are non-verbal.

If you have a Community Care Inform Children licence, log on to access the full guide, and learn more about safeguarding disabled children.

References

Clements, L and Aiello, A L (2022)
Institutionalising parent carer blame

City of London & Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership (CHSCP) (2024)
Safeguarding disabled children practice guidance 

Department for Education (2023)
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023

Department for Education (2009)
Safeguarding disabled children: practice guidance

Dallos, R and Vetere, A (2003)
Working Systemically with Families: Formulation, Intervention and Evaluation.

NSPCC (2016)
Deaf and disabled children: learning from case reviews

Guidance

The full guide focusses on the duties of social workers carrying out age assessments and the practical steps you need to take before, during and after an age assessment with a young person. It draws on the Age Assessment Guidance published by the Association of Directors of Children’s Service (ADCS), the key document for social workers in England.

Social workers in Wales should use the Welsh government’s Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children: Age Assessment Toolkit (Welsh Government, 2021).

The assessing social worker role

If an age disputed young person presents, or is referred, to a local authority, managers need to allocate two qualified and registered social workers to undertake the assessment.

Both social workers must have experience of working with children and young people, and of undertaking assessments of children in need. At least one social worker should have experience of working with young asylum seekers and undertaking age assessments. Where this proves difficult, local authorities may wish to consider using an independent social worker with relevant experience or making arrangements with other local authorities.

The two social workers and manager need to discuss and agree roles in planning the assessment and conducting the interview(s) and schedule time for different aspects of the work, to ensure the assessment can be completed promptly.

Planning the assessment should consider the skills and experience of the workers involved. Tasks will include:

• gathering and reviewing any information already available;
• practical arrangements, such as booking a venue, an interpreter and an appropriate adult;
• planning the assessment interviews (perhaps including formulating some areas of discussion or questions);
• drafting the assessment report.

One social worker can ‘lead’ the interview(s) with the other mainly or solely taking notes. Check if there are local policies in place. The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) age assessment guide advises that if both workers take notes, it may be difficult for the lead social worker to observe changes in the young person’s expression or body posture.

Planning and preparing

Before the age assessment, consider:

1. Has the young person been informed that an age assessment is going to be conducted, and are arrangements in place to ensure they been given the information they need about the process and the support available to them?
2. Have arrangements been made for an appropriate adult and interpreter to assist with the interview(s)?
3. Has a suitable venue been arranged?
4. Has relevant country of origin and background information been collated and read by both assessing social workers?
5. Have arrangements been made to gather any relevant information available from other sources, including any documentation?
6. Is each social worker clear about their role in the interview(s)?

Conducting interviews

Throughout the interview(s), be alert to indicators of potential vulnerabilities in the young person that have not already come to light, such as human trafficking, mental health concerns and any other safeguarding issues. Take a child friendly and sensitive approach throughout, including checking that questions have been understood and offering breaks.

The following are essential requirements for starting an age assessment interview:

1. Two registered social workers must be present. The same social workers should be present for all interviews.
2. Ensure that the young person is fit to be interviewed (ie check on their welfare and wellbeing).
3. The purpose of the interview(s), possible outcomes, the roles of professionals and how the information may be shared must be explained to the young person.
4. The explanation needs to include that the role of the appropriate adult is to support the young person, and that the interpreter’s role is to translate communication, not provide advice or represent the child.
5. Ensure that the young person understands the interpreter (eg do they speak the same dialect?) and are comfortable with them.
6. Record whether and how the young person has indicated that they understand the purpose of the assessment, the interpreter and the role of the appropriate adult.

Questioning the young person

Simple, open-ended questions should generally be used, and you should ensure that questions are not confusing, repetitive or oppressive. Questions should cover issues related to the young person’s social history, family background and development.  The purpose is to develop a picture of the young person’s life and experiences, not to catch them in a “lie”.

The young person should be asked their age and date of birth and given the opportunity to explain how they know their age and date of birth.

British Association of Social Workers (BASW) guidance (2023) suggests asking:

• “Tell me about your family.”
• “Tell me about your time at school.”
• “Tell me about your journey to the UK. Were you unwell on the journey? Were you hurt or injured in any way?”
• “How long did your journey take? When did you leave?”

Questions like these allow the young person to provide a detailed narrative, support an initial gathering of information of their needs (eg around education and health), and allow you to explore more focused age assessment questions.

Analysing the information

The following ADCS guidance outlines what you should consider when analysing the information (2015):

• The statements of the child or young person.
• Country of origin information.
• The child or young person’s individual history and experiences, particularly any traumatic events.
• The child or young person’s cultural background, education level, gender, maturity, developmental stage and behaviours.
• The views and opinions of other professionals (eg key workers or foster carers, educators, medical professionals);
• Any medical evidence (eg psychological reports).
• The documentation presented: are you able to verify the documents through channels that do not put the child or young person at risk? It should be noted that if a child or young person’s document is assessed to be false, this does not necessarily mean that they are lying about their age.
• The weight given to each piece of information collected. Not all information needs to be given the same weight, and the evidence will need to be considered on a case-by-case basis. You should avoid placing too much weight on physical appearance and demeanour.

Clarifying information/’minded to’ meetings

Prior to the final decision, the social workers should meet with the young person to discuss the factors that led to their opinion. Again, the appropriate adult and interpreter should be present.

If the conclusion is that they are not a child, the young person should be given the opportunity to respond to all the points that have led to that conclusion.

The meeting should also be used to check whether any information has been misunderstood, misinterpreted or missed. If the young person offers any further information or explanation, this should be considered before the final decision is made.

The BASW guide refers to these as ‘minded to’ meetings. As well as demonstrating openness to new information, these are important legally, “since judicial review claims on age assessment have been won simply because the social worker failed to conduct a ‘minded to’ meeting” (BASW, 2023).

It is important to document each part of the process and the reasoning behind decisions and conclusions, including the views of others and any differences of opinion.

Following a ‘minded to’ meeting and the consideration of any further information, a final decision can be made.

If you have a Community Care Inform Children licence, log on to access the full guide and learn more about carrying out age assessments.  

References

Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) (2015)
Age Assessment Guidance: Guidance to assist social workers and their managers in undertaking age assessments in England 

British Association of Social Workers (BASW) (2023)
Age Assessment: A Practice Guide

Attending a court of law can cause significant anxiety for social care practitioners. Being able to understand what is expected and prepare effectively is often key to managing anxiety and building confidence.

The following is a practical preparation checklist that sets out some of the things it are beneficial to do in the run-up to the hearing to help you get ready for the experience.

• Find out the date of the hearing as early as possible.
  This means you will know how much time you have to prepare and can do this in a planned way.

• For a face-to-face hearing, find out the time of the hearing and the time that you need to arrive.
  You can decide the best way of getting to and from the court in a timely way. Think about parking availability, commuting times and any planned travel disruptions.

• For a remote hearing, find out what the method of joining will be (telephone or video) and if the equipment you have is suitable. Make sure you have a way to charge your device on the day and that you will have good access to the internet. Also, plan where you will join the hearing – make sure your chosen location is private and available on the day.
  You can then make sure you have the right equipment and it is working.

• Find out at what point in the hearing you are likely to be called.
  Knowing this will alleviate anxiety and manage expectations on the day.

• Make sure you know the name of the barrister (counsel) who will be representing your organisation in court. Ask your legal representative who is likely to be in court.
  This will help you understand what will happen on the day and who will be present.

• Talk to your line manager about any additional support you need from them on the day.
  If the experience is likely to be particularly challenging, it may be possible for your line manager to accompany you to court for moral and emotional support.

• Review your written evidence; set aside some time in your diary and liaise with your line manager about other workload as required.
  The better you know your own evidence the more confident you will be on the day, the easier you will find being questioned and the less likely you will be to provide a conflicting oral account of your written testimony.

• Find out from your legal representative the kind of questions that will be asked.
  This will enable you to practise your responses and build your confidence.

• Role play different scenarios during supervision.
  This enables you to test out different possible scenarios in a safe environment.

• Meet your legal representative to explore:
  – If your evidence conflicts with that of others submitted.
  – Any gaps in your own evidence.
  – Any key areas of dispute.
  – Any elements of your practice that could be questioned.
  This will enable you to anticipate where you may be cross-examined, so that you can prepare potential responses and reduce the risk of being caught off guard in court.

• Ask your legal representative who will be cross-examining you.
  Specifically, establish whether P (the person at the heart of the case) or a family member intends to question you. This can be particularly challenging as they may pose different questions to that of a barrister, and may also become angry or upset themselves. If this is likely, discuss with your legal representative how best to respond to such questions and emotions.

• Reflect on your own practice in supervision or in your own time.
  This will help you consider if there is anything you would have done differently on reflection. You will need to be honest if questioned about this.

• Talk through any anxieties or concerns as soon as possible and as regularly as required.
  This will help you to keep your anxiety in check and prevent any undue stress from building up.

If you have a Community Care Inform Adults licence, log in to access the full guide. The guide forms part of Inform Adults’ knowledge and practice hub on court skills.