Navigation menu list for sections above the current page

Home

NSPCC inform

Research, statistics and information

Research reports

How safe are our children?

Ten pitfalls and how to avoid them

What research tells us

By Karen Broadhurst, Sue White, Sheila Fish, Eileen Munro, Kay Fletcher, and Helen Lincoln (September 2010)

Ten pitfalls and how to avoid them: what research tells us (PDF, 265KB) aims to provide practitioners with a concise and accessible summary of research relevant to the initial stages of assessment in children’s services.

It revises and updates a previous NSPCC report: Assessing risk in child protection (Cleaver, Wattam, Cawson and Gordon, 1998).

Since the publication of the original booklet, there have been significant changes to processes of referral and response in local authority children’s services that have necessitated this revision. 

This updated version has been written primarily for local authority practitioners who undertake statutory initial assessments and make Section 47 (Children Act 1989) enquiries, but will also appeal to professionals in health, welfare, education and criminal justice services.

It offers invaluable advice to all practitioners tasked to make robust, evidence-based judgements in child welfare that pay due regard to needs and risks.

Ten pitfalls and how to avoid them: what research tells us (PDF, 265KB)

The NSPCC offers a range of child protection training courses. You may be interested in:

• Analysis and professional judgement
  
  
• Child neglect
  
  
• Communicating with children
  

Help for children & young people

ChildLine

0800 1111

Help for adults concerned about a child

Help and advice

0808 800 5000