CHILD CARE PROCEEDINGS & CHILD PROTECTION – ASSESSMENTS AND CONSULTING SERVICE
We provide comprehensive assessments and bespoke consulting including clinical supports for professionals and foster carers regarding children in Care. Our psychologists and independent social workers are chosen because of their experience and expertise and all have a minimum of 5 years post qualification experience working with children and families in child protection / child welfare / CAMHs settings.
In addition, we provide specialist Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy assessments and intervention supports.
Assessments are available in person nationwide and we also operate a full range of telehealth services.
For information on the KAC consultants servicing your area, simply contact Grace who will be happy to assist you with an overview. Detailed CV's can be provided on foot of a referral.
Phone: 01-8982305 or 086-0121514
Make A Referral
- Simply download a referral form here or send us an email
- We endeavour to respond to your referral request within 24 hours. In certain circumstances we may request additional information about the case in order to provide you with the most appropriate assessment package.
- Once we have received the referral form, we endeavour to provide you with a transparent quote, timeline and CV details regarding our proposed assessor(s) within 48 hours; where a matter is urgent it will be given priority 24 hour turnaround.
Parental Capacity Assessments / Reunification Viability Risk Assessments
Our experienced team of independent Psychologists and Social Workers, are available for single discipline (Psychological) and multi-disciplinary Parenting Capacity Assessments.
Our customised, evidence informed Parenting Capacity assessments can assist with complex decision-making in Child Care and child protection matters.
Our Assessment Framework is informed by:
- Assessment Framework of Children in Need and their Families (DOH, UK, 2001)
- Signs of Safety (Turnell)
- Fowler, J.; A Practitioner’s Tool for Child Protection and the Assessment of Parents.
- Lundy’s Model of Child Participation
- Budd, K (2001) Parenting Capacity assessment protocols.
- ‘APA Guidelines for Evaluation in Child Protection Cases’
- Statutory factors which define ‘Best Interests of the Child’ (per Guardianship of Infants Act (1964) as amended by Children and Family Relationships Act, 2015)
- Trauma-informed practice
Reunification Viability
Assessing the readiness of a child to return home to a parent’s care is a sensitive and detailed piece of assessment, which requires considerable clinical expertise. Our highly experienced consultants can greatly assist in planning and decision making in the best interests of the child having taken into account the child’s ascertainable views.
Our assessment approach is informed by the latest international research on attachment, resilience, and risk assessment. We are further informed by the NSPCC’s 2015 model; Reunification – An Evidence-informed Framework for Return Home Practice.
Section 20, Child Care Act, 1991
Where substantial safety and welfare concerns exist, the Court may require a social work assessment pursuant to Section 20 of the Child Care Act to determine if any further orders are required under the 1991 Act and inform the Court regarding any other actions needed for the child’s welfare.
We routinely provide independent Social Work assessments in these circumstances as agents of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.
Social Care - Supervised Contact Service – Cork only
We have a team of social care workers available for child and family support work and supervised contact.
Independent Case Reviews / Second opinion
We are available to conduct robust reviews on an independent basis for the Courts and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.
Bespoke Clinical Guidance for your team
We provide customized clinical guidance to Social Work teams, foster carers and children’s residential care teams. The service is tailored to suit the needs of each case and can be delivered by one of our our Senior Clinical, Counselling or Forensic Psychologists. Multidisciplinary Team supports are also available on a conferencing basis or regular scheduled guidance basis.