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Freedom of Information Request - Parenting Assessment Frameworks. Models and Tools Used (Childrens Social Care) (FOI/6007)

Message from Nottinghamshire County Council - 17 July 2025

Dear ***** *****,

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 – REQUEST FOR INFORMATION REFERENCE FOI/6007

Thank you for your request for information relating to Freedom of Information Request - Parenting Assessment Frameworks. Models and Tools Used (Childrens Social Care).

We are now able to provide the following information:

1. Assessment Tools, Models, and Frameworks
A list of the parenting assessment frameworks, models, tools currently used by your local authorities Children"s Services to assess parenting capacity. This may include, but is not limited to, tools used in statutory assessments, early help interventions, court-directed parenting assessments.

Family hubs use the Family Star
Children’s Social Care Assessment and Family Support and Safeguarding Teams use a Child and Family Assessment
For children with a child protection plan where a more details assessment is needed a Child and Parenting Assessment is completed

There are a variety of tools and resources available for practitioners to use when assessing parenting capacity, they include the resources in the attached files:

Assessment toolkit
Neglect toolkit
Safeguarding Children – Assessment and Analysis
Strengths based assessment check lists

2. Access to Materials
Where available, please provide electronic copies of these frameworks, models, tools. If these are publicly available online, a link to the relevant resource will suffice.

Attached

3. Inclusion of Trauma and Adversity
Please confirm whether any of the assessment frameworks, models, tools you use explicitly include consideration of trauma, including adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)other forms of adversity in the lives of parents.

We have delivered a series of learning events for practitioners using the research in practice Supporting trauma-experienced parents workshops
Supporting trauma-experienced parents | Research in Practice

As a part of the families first partnership programme of work we are in the process of developing a learning pathway for the whole workforce
Trauma-Informed Practice (awareness → responsiveness)

Trauma-Aware - Understands what trauma is and its impact
Trauma-Sensitive - Adjusts practice to avoid re-traumatisation
Trauma-Informed - Embeds trauma principles in all interactions
Trauma-Responsive - Actively supports healing and resilience

We have a specialist Developmental Trauma and Attachment Team (DTAT) who offer a range of assessments and interventions
The Developmental Trauma and Attachment Team (DTAT) is a team of specialist social workers in children’s social care, with additional therapeutic training. This supports our work with children and families where developmental trauma and attachment affects their emotional well-being. We work in an evidence-based way supported by specialist training we have undertaken.
Our evidence based approach
Specialist trauma informed training
Further information about Beacon House can be found here (https://beaconhouse.org.uk/)
The goal with a child who has experienced developmental trauma is to help them to regulate their nervous system.
The first stage for trauma recovery for children requires repeated, attuned, sensitive and safe interactions with significant adults – this is essential for relational stability.
Dyadic developmental psychotherapy (DDP)
Further information about the Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Institute (DDPI) can be found here Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Institute - DDP Network
DDP can be applied as a therapy or as a set of principles. At the core of DDP is its therapeutic stance based on intersubjectivity and the PACE model (Dan Hughes).
DDP is based on relationship and connection rather than primarily on providing information, problem-solving and reassurance.
DDP, at all levels involves the experience of safety, conversations, stories and integrated sense of self and a coherent narrative.
Systemic practice
Further information about the Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice - the UK’s leading organisation for family and systemic psychotherapists and practitioners - can be found here Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (aft.org.uk)
The usefulness of systemic interventions for families of children and adolescents with varied difficulties has been shown in meta-analyses, systematic literature reviews and controlled trials, among other studies.
It is effective from early childhood until old age, covering all developmental phases.
Working therapeutically with individuals together with their families and/or significant others enables the use of individuals’ relationships as a resource and reduces stress and difficulties for all family members.
Systemic family work and other family-based therapies, such as psycho education parents’ groups, are examples of systemic interventions. With fresh research demonstrating the usefulness and effectiveness of various family interventions, the body of evidence supporting systemic family work is expanding.
DTAT is a county-wide team of qualified social workers in children’s social care, with additional therapeutic training. We work with the family system, including children and young people up to 18 years-old, and their parents or carers. We focus on supporting where there are concerns about young people’s emotional and mental health being impacted by trauma and attachment associated with a history of adverse childhood experiences.
0115 804 4700
Email: [email protected]
DTAT enquiries are available during the following days and times

2pm until 5pm Monday to Thursday; and
2pm until 4.30pm on Fridays

We can offer:
Developmental trauma and attachment assessment
This looks at the factors that may have contributed to and/or disrupted a child’s attachments. It includes exploring individual family history and considering the impact on a child’s trauma and losses in their lives. This helps to identify significant stressors, consider relationships and the strengths within these. Assessment helps to form an analysis of needs, evaluating past and present strategies being used to resolve the presenting challenges. It also forms an agreed understanding of the issues within the family and relationship dynamics.

4. Training and Implementation
Please provide information on any specific training you provide to staff on the use of these parenting assessment frameworks, models, tools.

All practitioners have an introduction to strength based practice training
All social work teams have had assessment planning workshops – All social work teams have social work practice consultants who act as a critical friend to do assessment planning jointly with social workers
Safeguarding Children Assessment and Analysis Framework (SAAF) a systematic, robust, evidence-based and time-efficient model and a range of methods for assessing and analysing in the safeguarding context. All social workers attend this training as a part of the ASYE or induction
- Child Protection, Assessment, Analysis and Decision Making using the Safeguarding Assessment and Analysis Framework (SAAF) This framework is designed for use with children where there are concerns that the child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm. It is designed to reduce the likelihood of re-abuse of a child or children, by supporting social workers, lead practitioners and team managers to make better decisions about how to intervene effectively.
- The aim of the training:
- The training aims to improve participant’s assessment, analysis and decision-making skills and to reduce the likelihood of re-abuse of children. The Safeguarding Assessment and Analysis Framework (SAAF) provides an evidence-based framework for the assessment of risk and harm, decision making and of planning interventions.
- Training prerequisites
- This event is open to social workers and lead practitioners in the Assessment Service, Family Support and Safeguarding Teams, Children’s Disability Service, Looked after Children’s teams, Development Trauma and Attachment team and Independent Reviewing Officers, Child Protection Chairs.
- Objectives
  Through attending the training participants will:
- Understand the principles of assessment and patterns of harm and protection.
- Understand and be able to use the Safeguarding Assessment and Analysis tools including:
- The identification of harm and protection through gathering information about a child’s developmental needs, parenting capacity and family and environmental factors. Organising the information to identify strengths and difficulties in all dimensions of the assessment framework. Analysing the patterns of harm and protection.
- Use the child protection decision making tools including the profile of harm, the SAAF analysis, the prospects for successful intervention.
- Use the SAAF interventions tool to develop a plan of intervention.
NSCP Safeguarding Children at Risk of Neglect Level 3
- Neglect is not always easy to identify by practitioners. The NSCP training will help practitioners to identify the signs, indicators, symptoms, and risk factors associated with it.
- To help participants to develop their understanding of the impact of neglect on the lived experience of the child.
- To consider strategies for working with families with complex needs; assessing risk and working towards effective interventions
- To increase awareness of current research and tools for assessing neglect ( including the new Nottinghamshire Neglect Toolkit) within the legal and procedural context
- Develop skills in professional judgement relating to assessment of need and risk and be able to support capacity for change
- Develop effective strategies for working with families within a multi-agency framework
Viability Assessments
- Aims and Objectives:
- To improve how we complete viability assessments ensuring we have a better understanding of:
- Why, when and how viability assessments are completed.
- Improving consistency across the local authority, ensuring that workers are familiar with the process, guidance and the templates that are used.
- Ensuring that we feel confident in concluding that an assessment is negative if it is clearly not viable.
Court Skills – Taking The Stand – 2 day training for social workers who have completed the ASYE.
- The aims and objectives are:-
- For you to feel confident in writing good quality analytical assessments for court
- To provide an understanding of the Court system, different types of hearing, and the different roles within a court
- To increase your confidence when preparing to attend court
- To provide a safe space to practice giving evidence
Special Guardianship Orders
- The aim of the session is to improve practitioners understanding of Special Guardianship Orders and the assessment and planning required for the court.
- Learning outcomes:
- Understand the legal basis of SGOs and the reason for a social worker assessment.
- Understand the features of the assessment report and the checks and references required.
- Understand best practice and useful tools for assessing prospective special guardians and making recommendations.
- Understand and be able to complete Special Guardianship Support Plans.
WHY A BALANCED HOLISTIC ANALYSIS IS SO IMPORTANT – Legal briefing
- Stephen Williams is returning to deliver another short legal briefing to staff following on from the positive response to his last briefing back in November. Stephen is a local barrister who specialises in public law care proceedings. He is known and respected for his detailed knowledge of the law and the relevant facts. You can read more about him, as well as reading recent articles he has written here:- St Mary"s Chambers | Stephen Williams (stmarysfamily.co.uk)
- Stephen will focus on how to remedy commonly seen errors and omissions observed in social work evidence, in particular final evidence and evidence for interim care orders. The talk will cover:
- What does the case of Re B-S really say about social work evidence
- What is a global holistic analysis
- Why it is essential for social workers to avoid a linear analysis.
- Please prioritise this training, which is relevant for anyone writing social work reports or supervising staff who write social work reports.
- This virtual session will take place on teams.
- Please use this link on Monday 23rd June 10.00am
WORKING WITH PARENTS WITH A LEARNING DISABILITY IN THE COURT SETTING
- A legal briefing by our solicitors and Family Service colleagues who will provide a session about how best to work with parents who have a learning disability when undertaking assessments, and within a court setting.
- Andrew Edwards, child care solicitor will cover:
- Care proceedings involving learning disabled parents – what do the court and parties expect from us
- Legal requirements and guidance on what we should be doing to keep children together with their parents.
- Working together with Adult Social Care colleagues to assess the parents’ needs.
- Richard Connell, child care and adult care solicitor will cover:
- Capacity Assessments
- Role of Official Solicitor
- Mental Capacity- and relevant specific areas of decision making
- Criteria for Adult Services
- Lucy Jephson and Gemma Watts, family service colleagues will cover:
- An overview of the Parenting Assessment of Learning Disability (PALD).
- Provide an understanding of when and why these are offered, what to expect when we are working together in a PALD.
- share tools and approaches colleagues can take away for their own work.
5. Policy Guidance Documents
Advise of and share where possible any internal policy guidance documents that outline the approach your local authority takes to assessing parenting, including any trauma-informed practice principles that underpin this work.

Nottinghamshire Procedures Assessments
Attached – assessment planning folder

6. Evaluation Audit Reports
Any evaluation, audit, internal review reports relating to the use effectiveness of the parenting assessment tools, models frameworks mentioned above.
Evaluation of the Safeguarding Children Assessment and Analysis Framework (SAAF) -brief

We trust this now satisfies your request and that you find this information to be helpful, however if you are unhappy with the way in which your request has been handled, then please email us at [email protected] quoting the reference FOI/6007 and we will be happy to review your request

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Yours sincerely

Courteney Aldridge

Complaints and Information Team

Chief Executives Department

Nottinghamshire County Council

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