PARENTING ASSESSMENTS
What will they ask in a parenting assessment?
They will ask about any identified diagnosis or considered learning need or disability.
Your early life experience, history, siblings, position in the family, parentage, number of house moves, number of schools attended, behaviour management techniques used by your parents.
Your families involvement, they will want to find out your attitude towards professionals so never slag professionals off even if you feel they have seriously let you down.
They will want to know if your parents or you have ever been involved with social care or have been in the care system? Your education; schools attended, the attitude of your family to education, school attendance, academic achievements, any bullying issues.
Your employment; Friendships, experiences of friendships throughout childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Adolescence and early adult relationships. Ability to build and maintain
long-standing stable relationships. Any defining events, births, deaths, parental separation, absent parent (reason), abuse, adoption. Any criminal history, conduct a Police check; any current Court proceedings or Orders; probation, ASBO etc. Any violent behaviour; during the assessment, they will be considering your ability to regulate emotions, responses to stress factors, understanding of the impact of violence on children.
Any physical or mental ill-health issues, current or previous, including post-natal depression.
Any substance misuse, current or recent.
They will be assessing your presentation and personal hygiene. Overall skill and knowledge in relation to parenting. So talk about positive parenting and do a few online courses which may help. We have a page with courses if you want them.
They will assess your confidence levels and self-esteem. Current relationship; is it supportive, nurturing, is it abusive – physically or psychologically (Do not tel them if this is the case. If you are in an abusive relationship you need to get out of this now they are not there to help with this.. Only with helping you with the child.
They will want to know if you would choose the partner or the child if asked to make a choice?
Understanding of and attitude towards the concerns of the local authority; parent’s insight into the impact of their behaviour on the child; the level of responsibility accepted & desire to change. Level of understanding that you show regarding your responsibility to provide the child with a safe environment. There will be an exploration of your perceptions of what works well and your worries within the family. (Keep it all positive where possible. )
Your ability to recognise the positives and negatives in your own experience of being parented and a willingness not to mirror negative behaviours in your own parenting.
Your previous experience at being responsible for children. Who takes on the main carer role for children and what is your expectation of your partner's role in caring for children. Ability to take responsibility for your own actions and life skills budgeting,
organisation etc. Any other children not part of the assessment if so any contact orders or restrictions in place.