Written question asked by Adrian Sanders (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 1 December 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 3 December 2009. It was answered by Baroness Primarolo (Labour) on Friday, 29 January 2010 on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Children: Protection

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what measures are in place to ensure that assessments of risk to children undertaken by local authorities assess all close family members.

Answer: The Government’s statutory guidance "Working Together to Safeguard Children" (2006) sets out the processes to be followed when undertaking an assessment of a child who is suspected to be suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm. That assessment will include consideration of the capacity of the parents’ or caregivers’ to respond appropriately to the identified needs of the child. This may involve interviews with the child’s parents or caregivers and with those known to the child, for example members of the wider family. It may also include interviews with professionals or other people who know the child’s parents or caregivers.

Secondary information