When gathering information together to make a report to social services the report-maker should:
- Be prepared to explain why they think the child is experiencing or at risk of harm: the nature of the concerns and evidence to support this. Is the evidence based on observation, facts, opinion or hearsay?
- Have the information available (Signs and indicators of abuse neglect and harm) for a report at hand, before contacting social services, unless there is a need for immediate action.
- Provide as much specific detail and evidence as possible. This is most likely to lead to a shared understanding between the report-taker and report-maker of the precise concern.
Example: ‘Karl is six years old and comes to school every morning complaining of hunger. He eats what he can at school’.
This account provides a general overview but does not give an indication of the nature and severity of the hunger. It is important to be specific as in the following;
‘Karl arrives in the morning and immediately asks what is for lunch. He keeps telling his teacher he is hungry and has not eaten since the he had his school dinner yesterday. We have found him in morning break going through the children’s lunch boxes taking out their snacks. At lunchtime he not only eats his dinner but asks for seconds and then tries to eat the leftovers on the other children’s plates’.
- Be aware that reports do not take place in a vacuum. Be honest andreflect on the factors that might be influencing the way in which the report is couched. For example:
- report-makers may worry that their relationship with the individual and their family will be affected and underplay concerns emphasising positives;
- they may be anxious about leaving a situation over a week-end and overplay concerns downplaying positives;
- they may be concerned about meeting agency threshold criteria and this exercises them more than identifying the needs of the individual. (See: Munro, Effective Child Protection 2008). Any of these factors can lead to over/under emphasising risk of harm.
- Document all the issues giving rise to the concern; discussions held, naming the discussant and the outcome and contact with the individual at risk their family and carers.
- Establish whether an early help assessment is in existence for any of the child/ren in the family.