ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENT SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE

With your chosen case study, you MUST clearly provide analytical (rationale, reasoned,  methodical) information/arguments for this FOUR ( 4 ) aspect of the assignment question:

1. Critically apply an understanding of key concepts and foundational knowledge of practice guidance that underpin the assessment of need, risk, support and care for children and/ or adult.
2. Critically reflect on models and theories of assessment and support care planning for children and/or adults.
3. Critically engage with legislation, policy and practice guidance related to assessment and support/care planning 
4. Demonstrate an understanding of effective social work, through promoting the involvement of children and/or adults in social work processes and the development of skills in the empowerment of service users.

Please note:

• Those words in bold are command words and you must know what they mean
• Those underlined words are keywords you must pay attention to by defining or explaining their meanings, in relation to the case study.

Command word explained:

Critically  –

• Look for more depth
• Use supporting details
• Apply the theory
• Focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the points of view being expressed
• Challenge conventional thinking

Apply –

• Use a procedure in a given situation or
• choose appropriate actions  or
• Demonstrate effectiveness  or
• Use technical terms

Demonstrate –

• Show in an explicit way, i.e.
• Use illustrations or examples to make clear what must be done to produce a result or outcome

Essay Structure (3000 words)

Children & Families Case Study

Introduction (approx. 150 words)

• Simply needs to say what you are going to say in the essay

Body Paragraph 1 – (approx… 685 words) This can be subdivided into more paragraphs, depending on the number of points

Section 1 – Critically apply an understanding of key concepts and foundational knowledge of practice guidance that underpin the assessment of need, risk, support and care for children.

• Provide definitions of social work assessment (For example, the 5 part assessment process from Milner, Myers and O’Brian or another one), explain what this might mean in working with John and family.
• Definitions of need and of risk (provide citations and references)

Body Paragraph 2 – (approx… 685 words) This can be subdivided into more paragraphs, depending on the number of points

Section 2– Critically reflect on models and theories of assessment and support care planning for children and/or adults.

• Introduce the Common Assessment Framework (CAF)
• Explain the 3 Domains of the CAF – identify and analyse indicators in relation to each of the 3 domains  (i.e. Child Development, Parental Capacity, and Extended Family and Environmental Factors) and how they show up in or relate to John’s scenario
• Link this to a discussion of risk and strengths – for example, do certain indicators act as protective factors (strengths) or do they increase your concerns around risk (risk factors)
• Discuss the voice of the child John in relation to the assessment process.

Body Paragraph 3 – (approx… 685 words) This can be subdivided into more paragraphs, depending on the number of points

Section 3 – Critically engage with legislation, policy and practice guidance related to assessment and support/care planning 

• This case study doesn’t clearly align with the Children’s Act 1989 as it is most like a Tier 2 Early Help Intervention based on the info on the case study.
• You can mention the Children Act(s), but it is more useful to discuss the levels (tiers) of need in Children’s Services and locate John in this. 
• For policy, discuss (Department for Education (DoE), 2018) “Working Together to Safeguard Children”. Consider multi-agency working. This is also a good place to bring in the role of the School in Safeguarding and working with the school. 
• Research: Bring in any research (cite your sources) that can help inform your intervention with John.

Body Paragraph 4 – (approx… 685 words) This can be subdivided into more paragraphs, depending on the number of points

Section 4 – Demonstrate an understanding of effective social work, through promoting the involvement of children and/or adults in social work processes and the development of skills in the empowerment of service users.

• Discuss anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practices.
• Discuss promoting the involvement of children in social work processes and the development of skills in the empowerment of service users. 
• Include in your discussion, how to engage John (where and how do you meet him) and Anne 
• Address empowerment issues:
  • How can your interventions empower and support John and his family?
  • Think about the pressures on John and Anne.
  • How can they be supported to address these?

Conclusion (approx.. 100 words)

• Needs to summarise/review briefly on what you’ve said.
• This is very short because you’ve already outlined your argument.
• No new information here.