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Assessment policy and practice

Assessment policy and practice

Assessment is a key process that allows social workers to make sense of the child’s situation and the nature and extent of their needs, so they can make a professional judgement on the best intervention to safeguard and promote the child’s welfare.

Analysis is an objective process that allows social workers to use the information gathered to build, test and refine hypotheses to explain what is happening in the family and in the child’s life and explore the processes that are bringing the situation about.

Research in Practice has produced a number of research briefs on analysis and critical thinking for social workers and supervisors.

Analysis and critical thinking briefing

Analysis and critical thinking - practitioners

Analysis and critical thinking - supervisors

Analysis and critical thinking - resources

This workbook helps social workers gather evidence of risk and the best option for intervention.

Safeguarding assessment and analysis of future risk

Last updated: 23 February 2026