This issue of Child Psychology and Psychiatry Review is devoted to consideration of the new Needs Assessment Framework for children and families who are the concern of Social Services Departments, the new Youth Justice Assessment for children and young people who break the law, and the processes for the assessment of special educational needs. The new frameworks provide different professional approaches to children and should have a significant impact on the work of all professionals involved with children and families. In many cases the processes of all three areas should overlap and be integrated.

The Framework for the assessment of children in need and their families (Department of Health et al., 2000) has been developed to provide a systematic way of analysing, understanding and recording what is happening to children and young people within their families and the wider context of the community in which they live. From such an understanding of what are inevitably complex issues and inter-relationships, clear professional judgements can be made. These judgements include whether the child being assessed is in need, whether the child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, what actions must be taken, and which services would best meet the needs of this particular child and family. The Assessment Framework was issued jointly by the Department of Health, Department for Education and Employment and Home Office. It was issued as Section 7 Guidance under the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970, which means it must be complied with unless local authorities can justify why not.

The Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families signifies a major achievement in the development of a coherent approach to promoting the welfare of children while safeguarding them from harm. In this article, the aspirations of the Framework are considered, with particular focus on the challenges posed by the Framework, not only to the practice of social workers but also to the status of the social work profession. The area of professional judgement making is discussed, along with the threats to the effective implementation of the Framework. The author concludes that the Framework could bring about not only a better deal for children and families service users, but a new era of professional respect for social workers.

A scheme is described that involves close collaboration and joint working arrangements across agencies in achieving a tightly organised multi-agency specialist assessment of families in severe difficulties. It is presented as one model of multi-agency assessment work that fits with concepts in the new Framework document.

This article analyses assessment procedures for young offenders aged 10 to 17 years who receive a police Final Warning or appear before Youth Courts in England and Wales. Members of Youth Justice Teams (YOTs) use detailed ‘Asset’ forms to collate information about the background, education, life-style and personal characteristics of the young people. The replies are scored to indicate the risk of further offending and the YOTs make their recommendations for intervention. The author points out that punishment has to be proportional to the crime but many young people and their families require long-term help if they are to be diverted from crime.

This paper outlines current legislation and Code of Practice on the identification, assessment and special provision for children with special educational needs in England and Wales. It then highlights the proposals for changes presented in the consultation documents for new legislation and a revised Code of Practice. Changes include simplifying the process of identification and assessment, a greater emphasis on early identification, intervention and integration in mainstream schools, improving the training of teachers and learning support assistants, giving a voice to children themselves and a greater emphasis on collaborative partnership between schools, local educational authorities and parents. The positive advances and some concerns are discussed.

All families have attachments; some may be secure, others insecure, and family and marital therapists inevitably have to relate to these. This paper discusses ways in which the therapist can establish a temporary secure base within therapy, which helps families to feel safe enough to explore new ways of relating. The overall aim is to help them to create a more secure family or couple base at home, from which they can explore new solutions during and after therapy. A new school of therapy is not proposed as therapists can also use their own approaches when a secure therapeutic base is established.