Capacity to Change Understanding and Assessing a Parent's Capacity to Change within the Timescales of the Child

Keeping children at home with their families, whilst seeking to protect them from significant harm, remains a challenge for legal, social care, health and education professionals. At a time when expert evidence is relied upon less to inform critical decisions in children’s lives, this edited book brings together a range of professionals who are specialists in the issues involved when assessing whether a parent has the ability to change in order to meet their child’s needs, and to do so within the child’s time scales.

The aim of the book is to provide a structure that explains the process of case formulation in child and family assessments, focusing on the needs of the child and the parent’s capacity to meet them in the child’s timescales. From a developmental perspective the book explores a wide range of issues, each with a focus on the central issue of capacity and timescales, including attachment needs, child abuse and developmental trauma, the needs of the adults including their mental health, learning difficulties, and drug and alcohol misuse.

The needs of the child are explored from a range of perspectives including their own voice, their parenting experience and life at school. Contributions include issues identified from a social work, legal and health perspective, as well as assessment and formulation.

Using evidence and clinical practice the book provides a formulation matrix for understanding the necessary process that is required in undertaking robust child law case assessments. The book is written with reference to models of practice and evidence, but also written by practitioners sharing case examples and insights into clinical work.

It is aimed at the legal profession and those seeking to gain greater understanding and skills in child law and practice.