The ‘Assessment Analysis Achievement’ risk assessment (or ‘AAA’ assessment for short) is used to assess parents/carers where findings have been made as to their responsibility for either causing physical injury to a child (or where their responsibility for causing the injury could not be excluded) or failing to protect the child and where such findings are denied by the parent/carer.
Assessing risk and parenting ability is a fundamental cornerstone of the Social Work profession. However, the way that families have been assessed has not drastically altered since the inception of the Children Act 1989. Over time the names of the assessments may evolve from a Social Work Assessment to a Core Assessment, a Child and Family Assessment or a Comprehensive Parenting and Risk Assessment, but the basics remain the same. There is a reliance on a parent showing insight and accepting the alleged risks in order to pave the way to rehabilitation.
How do you then approach a case when a parent denies the harm caused?
The “Resolutions” family therapy model was created and developed by English family therapists Susie Essex, John Gumbleton and Colin Luger. Advanced CCA’s AAA Resolution Model Assessment follows this model closely. The original approach was designed for use by professional therapists and whilst we are not qualified therapists, Independent Social Workers are trained to work in a therapeutic way with families.
The Resolutions Approach is designed exclusively for working with families who want to reunite, and where there is serious, alleged or substantiated child abuse but responsibility for the abuse is denied by the parent(s). It takes a radical approach to these situations, since it sets aside the pursuit of an admission from the suspected perpetrator in response to the pragmatic reality of child protection casework, that many suspected perpetrators will never admit responsibility, and takes a radically safety focused approach to the problem.
Assessments of this type have been undertaken for a number of years however, Courts have generally taken an extremely reluctant and cautious approach to a plan for rehabilitation historically and very few cases, resulted in reunification.
Recently in Re J, His Honour Judge Baker was invited to give a public judgment to demonstrate how the accumulation of circumstances within that case warranted the use of the resolutions approach. HHJ Baker had presided over previous proceedings relating to the mother’s younger child who had sustained inflicted injuries. The judge had made findings but couldn’t conclude who caused the injuries and it remained a case of uncertain perpetrator. Mother went on to have another child and sought a resolutions assessment.
Judge Baker understood that, in the right set of circumstances, the fact that a parent denies causing an injury need not rule out the possibility of that parent resuming care of or involvement in the care of that child. It may be possible to use the entire family and support network to build a protective regime around the child to ensure the child’s future safety. This gave new life to the Resolution Model Assessments.
Whilst our own Resolutions approach closely follows the original model, it aims to combine assessment and therapeutic working practices, to assist Local Authorities and Courts to achieve the best outcomes for children and their families and where possible, to keep families together, within a timeframe that is commensurate to a child’s need to secure a permanent attachment to a caregiver.
The AAA (Assessment, Analysis and Achievement) Assessment encompasses the aims and objectives of the Resolution Model Approach, as it was initially intended, and provides a framework for assessment more suited to therapeutic Social Work practice.
These are all high risk cases and as such, the assessments can only be undertaken by highly experienced practitioners. Our assessments offer a Resolution Model Approach that provides a risk assessment regarding the viability of rehabilitation where parental denial continues to be a feature. It involves the development of a detailed safety plan, involving supervision and monitoring by family members and professionals for a period of time. Rehabilitation to parent’s sole care will inevitably be a much longer process and requires the investment of the Local Authority to review progress of the plan.
To read more please visit our dedicated web page AAA Risk Assessments — Advanced CCA.
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Our team of Independent Social Workers are fully trained in providing Resolution Assessments, and we will supply you with the Social Worker most suited to your case requirements. Our reports will be presented to you within an agreed timescale, with evidence-based evaluations.
If you would like more information on Advanced CCA’s AAA Resolution Model Assessments or to make a referral for this assessment or any other assessment that we offer, then please do get in touch.
