Understanding and Meeting Different Clients’ Needs: Introduction

Every individual and family is of course unique and complex. Members of one separated family might differ widely from each other. Each person might have various aspects to their situation, which need to be understood together. Gender, ethnicity, age, disability, childhood experience, residence status, economic and educational background all interact and affect each other.

We should aim to:

• Maximise support for children from all sources including both parents and extended families
• Actively promote co-operation and stability for children
• Challenge conflict, attempts to alienate the other parent, and too many changes for children
• Be child-centred, and whole family aware rather than focussing only on the presenting parent. See this diagram.

Important notes – please read

The support ideas presented on this website are generic and are not tailored to any particular role or agency. Not all the ideas will be appropriate for your role or agency. As always it will often be necessary to work in partnership with other agencies including specialist agencies and the voluntary sector, or refer on to them. If in doubt on either count refer to your line management.

It is assumed that you are aware of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) to support agencies to work together to support children where they have unmet or unrecognised needs. For example in this context this may be necessary if a child’s separation experience is impacting on their wellbeing (but below the level of harm that would require a safeguarding referral), and needs the involvement of several agencies. Check if a CAF already exists for this child. Ask your manager if you may need CAF or Lead Professional training.

Manager and practitioner guides on the Common Assessment Framework and using CAF forms are available here.
http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/resources-and-practice/IG00063/

The Children’s Workforce Development Council pages on multi agency working are here:
http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/multi-agency

Follow Safeguarding Children guidelines at all times.
Always discuss a concern with your line management. Advice is available from within your agency and from your Local Safeguarding Board. For current official Safeguarding Children guidance go to:
http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/resources-and-practice/IG00182/
or search http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk

It can be very stressful to challenge mothers, fathers, and also at times colleagues in your own and other agencies, when you feel it is necessary to protect children. Make use of available support through personnel or independent support services if you need to.

See the Hardiker model and separation table for an example of how levels of separation difficulty might relate to the CAF and safeguarding levels 1-4.