Page 1 of 6

Conclusion

This learning object has shown how the process of gathering information is much more than just asking questions and writing down the responses. These are some of the key messages covered which should underpin your practice:

  • It is very easy to miss important information in an assessment as people do not always directly convey what is important due to their situation, feelings, capabilities and previous experiences etc.
  • Wherever possible, to get the fullest and most accurate picture, workers should encourage people to communicate their views, thoughts and feelings at their own pace and in their own words.
  • Workers need to ensure they take into account everything they see and hear as well as what might be lying under the surface (e.g. emotions and interpersonal dynamics).
  • Research and theory are important in helping us analyse information gathered so that we can make sense of it in context.

Page 2 of 6

Conclusion

To work in accordance with these principles workers need to feel confident and competent in using a range of methods, skills, tools and approaches. This means not just reading and thinking about theories and models but actively practising how to go about gathering information in the ways suggested.

We should also not forget to take into account how workers might be affecting the situation being assessed. Many people feel anxious about being judged or misunderstood when they are being watched and assessed. This can make them behave differently or give false or misleading information.

Page 3 of 6

Conclusion

A final point to emphasise is how workers need to step back and reflect on when and how their own assumptions and prejudices impact on the way they gather information (Le Riche and Tanner, 1998).

Our own values, culture and previous experiences have a strong bearing on how we make sense of what we see and hear. There is a danger that the views we form in practice will be influenced more by such personal factors than professional knowledge and values. For example, it is important that our view on Lorraine's family home and parenting capacity in the video is based more on research findings on good-enough home environments than our own family and parenting experiences.

Page 4 of 6

Conclusion

Using one of the areas that particularly interests you in this learning object write down two or three ways in which you will try and use the learning points on your next assessment visit.

Page 5 of 6

Conclusion

We will now finish the learning object with some clips of children talking about what it was like for them to be asked things in an assessment (transcript from the child's world video).

Transcript of NSPCC video excerpt from 'The Child's World'

Girl 1: At first I thought it was stupid writing things down and filling in charts, but after a while I realised it helped me to say what I wanted.

Boy 1: The best thing you can do is talk to me and take note of what I say.

Boy 2: I kept saying something, you know, anything, and they kept changing it into what suited them the best and what's easier for them to do and quicker.

Girl 2: I couldn't really say a lot cos Nan was there. Indoors is very private and you don't talk to people you don't know, but we had this stranger coming in and wanted to know the ins and outs of everything. Would've been a lot better if we'd gone somewhere, even if it was just the car.

Girl 1: I was really scared. Social workers take children away from home. I didn't want to leave my Mum so I didn't tell her anything.

Girl 3: I felt really embarrassed. If only she had spent time getting to know me. I really didn't know who she was and what she wanted.


Copyright

© Copyright 2000, 2006 NSPCC and The University of Sheffield

This video excerpt is reproduced with the kind permission of NSPCC and The University of Sheffield and is taken from the DVD The Child's World. To obtain further information or a copy of this DVD please send an email to: learningresources@nspcc.org.uk

Page 6 of 6

Conclusion

This completes your study of this learning object. If there is anything that did not seem clear you may find it helpful to return to that section to see if it makes more sense second time round.

If you would like to learn more about Communication Skills, please visit SCIE's other e-learning resources on the SCIE web site (http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/elearning/index.asp).

You have now reached the end of this learning object. You may want to go back and re-visit sections as sometimes things only make sense second or third time round! You can also visit the References section now for ideas for extra reading/research.