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The following guidance should be read in conjunction with Chapter 3 of Assessing Children in Need and their families, Practice Guidance (DOH 2000).

1. The basic needs of disabled children are no different to those of any other child. However, their impairments may create additional needs and you need to be aware of this in making an assessment.
2. Disabled children are far more likely than non-disabled children to be the subject of multiple assessments by health, education and social services. There are several reasons for this:
   • There are more disabled children in groups already socially disadvantaged.
   • Disabled children are more likely to have a number of experiences that may trigger assessment.
   • Assessment has become the route to ordinary entitlements for many disabled children and their families.
   • Assessment of special educational needs.
3. When planning an assessment involving a disabled child, it is important to:
   • Think about your own understanding of disability
   • Take into account the child's experience and understanding of assessment;
   • Take into account the family's experience and understanding of assessment;
   • Be clear about the focus of an assessment;
   • Find out who else is currently involved with the child;
   • Gather information from existing assessments;
   • Access helpful information on specific childhood impairments.
4. For practice points on each facet of the domains please read p79 - p101 in Chapter 3 of Assessing Children in Need and their families: Practice Guidance (DOH 2000)
5. In carrying out an assessment, the social worker should try to involve disabled children and young people. This demonstrates a respect and valuing of the child as a person. The social worker may face a number of barriers in doing this, not least lack of confidence in their own skills. Other barriers may be:
   • Others may not expect this to happen;
   • Workers may not feel confident about their own skills;
   • Develop a broad and flexible definition of communication
   • Standard assessment approaches may not work;
   • Involve others who can support communication with the child;
   • If parents or others are to be directly involved negotiate clear ground rules at the start;
   • Be responsive and flexible

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