| 1. |
The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (Goodman et al, 1997; Goodman et
al, 1998). These scales are a modification of the very widely used instruments to
screen for emotional and behavioural problems in children and adolescents – the
Rutter A + B scales for parents and teachers. Although similar to Rutter’s, the
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire’s wording was re-framed to focus on a
child’s emotional and behavioural strengths as well as difficulties. The actual
questionnaire incorporates five scales: pro-social, hyperactivity, emotional
problems, conduct (behavioural) problems, and peer problems. In the pack, there
are versions of the scale to be completed by adult caregivers, or teachers for
children from age three to sixteen, and children between the ages of 11 to 16. These
questionnaires have been used with disabled children and their teachers and carers.
They are available in 40 languages on the Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaires website. |
| 2. |
The Parenting Daily Hassles Scale (Crinic and Greenberg, 1990; Crinic and Booth,
1991) aims to assess the frequency and intensity/impact of 20 potential parenting
‘daily’ hassles experienced by adults caring for children. It has been used in a wide
variety of research studies concerned with children and families – particularly
families with young children. It has been found that parents (or caregivers) generally
like filling it out, because it touches on many aspects of being a parent that are
important to them. |
| 3. |
The Recent Life Events Questionnaire (Taken from Brugha et al, 1985) helps to
define negative life events over the last 12 months, but could be used over a longer
time-scale, and significantly whether the respondent thought they have a
continuing influence. Respondents are asked to identify which of the events still
affects them. It was hoped that use of the scale will: |
| |
- result in a fuller picture of a family’s history and contribute to greater contextual
understanding of the family’s current situation;
- help practitioners explore how particular recent life events have affected the
carer and the family; and
- in some situations, identify life events which family members have not reported
earlier.
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| 4. |
The Home Conditions Assessment (Davie et al, 1984) helps make judgements
about the context in which the child was living, dealing with questions of safety,
order and cleanliness which have an important bearing where issues of neglect are
the focus of concern. The total score has been found to correlate highly with indices
of the development of children. |
| 5. |
The Family Activity Scale (derived from The Child-Centredness Scale – Smith,
1985) gives practitioners an opportunity to explore with carers the environment
provided for their children, through joint activities and support for independent
activities. This includes information about the cultural and ideological environment
in which children live, as well as how their carers respond to their children’s actions
(for example, concerning play and independence). They aim to be independent of
socio-economic resources. There are two separate scales; one for children aged two
to six, and one for children aged seven to twelve. |
| 6. |
The Alcohol Scale was developed by Piccinelli et al (1997). Alcohol abuse is
estimated to be present in about 6% of primary carers, ranking it third in frequency
behind major depression and generalised anxiety. Higher rates are found in certain
localities, and particularly amongst those parents known to social services. Drinking
alcohol affects different individuals in different ways. For example, some people
may be relatively unaffected by the same amount of alcohol that incapacitates
others. The primary concern therefore is not the amount of alcohol consumed, but
how it impacts on the individual and, more particularly, on their role as a parent.
This questionnaire has been found to be effective in detecting individuals with
alcohol disorders and those with hazardous drinking habits. |
| 7. |
Adult Wellbeing Scale (Irritability, Depression, Anxiety – IDA Scale. Snaith et al,
1978). This scale, which was based on the Irritability, Depression and Anxiety Scale,
was devised by a social worker involved in the pilot. The questions are framed in a
‘personal’ fashion (that is, I feel, my appetite is…). This scale looks at how an adult is
feeling in terms of their depression, anxiety and irritability. The scale allows the
adult to respond from four possible answers, which enables the adult some choice,
and therefore less restriction. This could enable the adult to feel more empowered. |
| 8. |
The Adolescent Wellbeing Scale (Self-rating Scale for Depression in Young People.
Birleson, 1980) was originally validated for children aged between seven and
sixteen. It involves 18 questions each relating to different aspects of a child or
adolescent’s life, and how they feel about these. As a result of the pilot the wording
of some questions was altered in order to be more appropriate to adolescents.
Although children as young as seven and eight have used it, older children’s
thoughts and beliefs about themselves are more stable. The scale is intended to
enable practitioners to gain more insight and understanding into how an
adolescent feels about their life. |
| 9. |
The Home Inventory (Cox and Walker, 2002) assessment through interview and
observation provides an extensive profile of the context of care provided for the
child and is a reliable approach to assessment of parenting. It gives a reliable
account of the parents’ capacities to provide learning materials, language
stimulation, and appropriate physical environment, to be responsive, stimulating,
providing adequate modelling variety and acceptance. A profile of needs can be
constructed in these areas, and an analysis of how considerable the changes would
need to be to meet the specific needs of the significantly harmed child; and the
contribution of the environment provided by the parents to the harm suffered. The
HOME Inventory has been used extensively to demonstrate change in the family
context as a result of intervention, and can be used to assess whether intervention
has been successful. |
| 10. |
The Family Assessment (Bentovim and Bingley Miller, 2001) provides a systematic
and systemic assessment in complex child care cases of family functioning, family
relationships, the quality of parenting and the parents’ capacity to adapt to the
children’s needs as well as the impact of family history. It provides a standardised
evidence-based approach to assessing current family strengths and difficulties
which have played a role in the significant harm of the child, and also in assessing
the capacity for change, resources in the family to achieve a safe context for the
child, and the reversal of family factors which may have played a role in significant
harm, and aiding the recovery and future health of the child. The Family Assessment
Profile draws together the assessment and provides qualitative and quantitative
information on the parents’ understanding of the child’s state, and the level of
responsibility they take for any significant harm or likelihood of harm, the capacity
of the parents to adapt to the children’s changing needs in the past and future, their
abilities to promote development, provide care-giving which enables their children
to have secure attachments with them as care-givers, provide adequate guidance,
care and to manage conflict, make decisions and relate to the wider family and
community. |
