Practitioners can encounter significant challenges when determining whether a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. These include:
- subjective, inconsistent interpretation of abuse and neglect in other words is my concern your concern?
- agreeing what ‘significant’ means;
- variations between agencies and indeed individuals in the same agency when interpreting significant harm;
- lack of clarity regarding role and responsibilities to make and/or contribute to judgements;
- organisational expectations regarding thresholds;
- the quality of communication between practitioners;
- workload;
- a risk averse society leading to a watch my back approach.
Therefore, each case must be assessed based on evidence and a multidisciplinary analysis and judgement regarding:
- the individual child their needs, health and well-being;
- parenting capacity;
- family circumstances.