Social Assessment Reports
SOCIAL ASSESSMENT REPORTS
Karen is an experienced Independent Consultant and Report Writer and conducts Social Assessments for the Children’s Court of Queensland.
Karen is typically commissioned through Legal Aid via a Separate Representative to conduct comprehensive Social Assessment Reports.
The reports complied by Karen, whilst covering the requirements of the Children’s Court and the legislation, are independent and comprehensive.
Karen is a child-focused consultant and report writer. At all times, the child’s best interests are paramount and at the forefront during the report writing process.
WHAT IS A SOCIAL ASSESSMENT REPORT?
A Social Assessment Report is usually requested through a Separate Representative to assist the Separate Representative in representing your child/children before the Children’s Court of Queensland.
A Social Assessment Report provides the court with an independent opinion on your child/children’s best interests and assists the court in determining decisions that affect their future.
A Social Assessment Report is designed to assist the Separate Representative to represent the child/children and guide the Court in determining such recommendations as Child Protection Orders (including Contact Arrangements).
How is the information collected to compile a Social Assessment Report?
- Once KKM Consulting Services is commissioned to conduct a Social Assessment Report, all parties concerned will be contacted by our office to organise interviews, assessments and observations.
- Karen will conduct in-home interviews and assessments and speak with the adults/parents and carers concerned in the Social Assessment Report. (Karen’s preferred method of compiling a Social Assessment Report is through the practice of home visits and interviews conducted at each respective parent and carers’ residences. In the event that this is not possible, the interviews and assessments will be conducted at an office).
- Karen will conduct interviews, observations and assessments with the family and significant people involved in the family including services and extended family members and all parties directly concerned with the Social Assessment Report. This will include the children involved, the parents, foster carers and kinship carers, the child safety officer for the child/children, current and ex-partners (where appropriate), significant person’s, and other relevant professionals such as counsellors and doctors. Our quotes and fees are determined by the needs of the family and the complexity of the assessment.
- Karen will also attend family time arrangements at the Child Safety Service Centre to conduct observations and assessments of contact occurring between the respective parent/s and child/children at the times indicated by Child Safety.
- Family history;
- Children’s history;
- Your children’s individual needs;
- All parties involved, their views, concerns and proposals;
- Safety issues to the children or adults;
- Your child’s views (A child will only be interviewed if they meet the requirements of an appropriate age to be interviewed, otherwise an observation only will occur).
How you can prepare for your interview and assessment for your Social Assessment Report:-
- If the child/children is in your care, inform the child/children that Karen will be attending your residence to work out what is in the best interests of them as to whom they spend time with.
- The appointments take approximately two hours to conduct.
- Think about what you feel is in the best interests of your child/children, and why you think that is best for them.
Consider any concerns or issues you wish to discuss and any proposals you would like to put forward.
What happens with the information collected:-
Once the information has been collected and interviews, assessments and observations are conducted, Karen will collate the information into a comprehensive Social Assessment Report and release the report to the Separate Representative. The Social Assessment Report will be a comprehensive document with recommendations to assist the Separate Representative to represent the child/children and guide the Children’s Court of Queensland in determining Child Protection Orders for the child/children concerned.
Who will see the report:
A copy of the Social Assessment Report will be given to:
The Separate Representative or your lawyer, who will file it with the court or tribunal, The Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs and anyone else involved in the proceedings.
At no times should the Social Assessment Report be given, shown or copied for anyone not associated with the report.