Introduction
This guidance is for everyone who works with children and young people and their families in Devon, whether in a statutory or voluntary capacity. This guidance sits within our levels of need framework.
Please note that the guidance below is illustrative rather than a comprehensive list of indicators.
Basic care, safety and protection, guidance and boundaries
Universal (Level 1)
- Parent prioritises child’s needs and provides for child, e.g. appropriate nutrition, clothing and medical and dental care and knows where to access support
- Parent makes appropriate attempts to protect from danger danger and harm in home and elsewhere
- Parent works effectively with services in best interests of the child or young person.
- Sets consistent and appropriate boundaries taking account of age/development
- Mild disability, not impacting on basic care needs or safety
- Child is able to develop a sense of right and wrong
Early Help (Level 2)
- Signs parents are struggling to meet child’s basic care and emotional needs leading to inconsistent parenting, supervision, boundaries and child at risk of exposure to inadequately controlled hazards/risks, being over controlling.
- Lack of consistent routines in the home
- Responds inappropriately to boundaries/constructive guidance
- Child’s and/or parent’s learning/physical disability makes parenting challenging but is accessing services for support
- Parents struggling to prioritise child’s needs over their own needs and vulnerabilities because of their own poor mental health, or use of substances, domestic abuse, housing issues.
- Mother has missed some ante-natal appointments
- Young inexperienced parents with no family support.
Targeted services (Level 3)
- Food, supervision, warmth and providing basic care and emotional needs of child are erratic and inconsistent with impact on child’s health and wellbeing
- No effective boundaries set or set boundaries are ineffective – child starting to engage in anti- social/offending behaviour, parents unable to exercise control of child.
- Parents overly controlling or inappropriate use of sanctions/punishment
Specialist services (Level 4)
- Parents unable to meet the basic care, supervisory, guidance and emotional needs of child resulting in neglect/high risk situations with detrimental effect on the child’s wellbeing despite support being in place.
- Parent unable to protect child from harm including from physical discipline within the home, environmental risks or from other people who pose a risk
- Parent’s disability, mental health, domestic abuse housing, uses substances that significantly affects care of child/or unborn impacting on the day to day life of the child/or unborn baby
- Parent’s children previously removed from their care. Child/young person discloses abuse by parent/carer /professional/other. Previous history of parents unable to care for children
- Parent suffering from severe post-natal depression impacting self and child/ren
- Parent neglects to access ante-natal care where there are complicating obstetric factors that may pose a risk to the unborn child and or using drugs and alcohol excessively whilst pregnant.
- Parent not connecting with ante-natal services, vulnerabilities identified and some concerns regarding care needs of pre-birth and new-born being met.
General Health
Universal (Level 1)
- Healthy child, no concerns regarding growth and development with access to health advice services (GP/Dentist)
- Developmental checks and immunisations are up to date and other health appointments are attended.
- Adequate hygiene/clothing/exercise/sleep
- Mother attends all ante-natal check-ups and appointments
- Developmental milestones and motor skills appropriate
Early Help (Level 2)
- Child has health needs and/or developmental needs (including language and independent skills) that need monitoring. Support from health services and/or Action of SEN code of practice is required.
- Child not registered with GP/dentist
- Multiple attendances at primary acute Health Services with no established medical need.
- Minor concerns regarding poor hygiene/diet/ clothing/soiling/ wetting self/weight
- Child not brought to routine and non-routine health appointments
Targeted services (Level 3)
- Acute and /or chronic health problems with a severe impact on everyday functioning, including serious developmental delay and/or physical disability and very poor hygiene/ self-care/diet.
- Child not brought to appropriate health/dental care appointments which may impact negatively on child’s health/wellbeing. (indicators of neglect)
- Developmental milestones not reached due to neglect e.g. requires speech/ language interventions
Specialist services (Level 4)
- Child has severe complex health needs that are not being met which are attributable to parental non-engagement with health services leading to medical and/or dental neglect of the child.
- Suspected non-accidental injury/abuse /neglect
- Bruise/injury in non-mobile child Evidence of fabricated or induced illness.
- Refusing medical care
- Unexplained significant /injury
- Frequent injuries and /or delay in seeking medical attention. Unexplained medical symptoms where multiple unfounded illnesses reported to health service and limiting child’s everyday functioning although no medical evidence (possible fabricated injury).
Sexual Health and Identity
Universal (Level 1)
- Safe and age appropriate sexual development and activity
- Supportive family networks in regard to child’s identity and self-image, LGBT and demonstrates feelings of belonging and acceptance.
Early Help (Level 2)
- Sexually active over 13 years old.
- Sexting peers
- Some insecurities about sexual identity but has support from family and may need support from additional early help services
Targeted services (Level 3)
- Developmentally unexpected age inappropriate language / vocabulary / sexualized behaviours
- Concerns and/or discrimination regarding sexual identity with no visible support from family.
- Child/young person is demonstrating extreme poor self-image resulting in impact on physical and mental health e.g. self harm, suicidal ideation, eating disorders
- Isolates from peer groups with risk of being exploited online or within other networks where they are seeking supports and belonging
Specialist services (Level 4)
- Pregnancy if vulnerable /or sexually transmitted infections in young person under 16.
- Under 16 years old sexual contact reported
- Any sexual contact, interfamilial sexual contact or harmful sexual behaviours between children under 16 years of age
Substance use
Universal (Level 1)
- No evidence of child misusing drugs or alcohol
Early Help (Level 2)
- Child beginning to experiment with drug and alcohol use.
Targeted services (Level 3)
- Persistent excessive alcohol consumption and drug use which is having a impact on child’s health.
Specialist services (Level 4)
- Persistent drug/alcohol use where there are concerns, use will have significant/severe impact on health and safety of child/or unborn
Mental Health
Universal (Level 1)
- Child has healthy self-image and good mental health awareness
Early Help (Level 2)
- Some episodes of mental ill health (e.g. depression, PTSD, eating disorder) /self- harm but has access to appropriate support systems and is able to maintain daily activities.
Targeted services (Level 3)
- Moderate/persistent mental health issues.
- Child demonstrates thoughts, behaviours (e.g. self-harm, threats of suicide), distress and/or impact on functioning that may be consistent with a (working) diagnosis and treatment is focused on achieving short/medium term psycho-social goals.
Specialist services (Level 4)
- Acute and serious mental or physical health needs or behaviours where there is a concern for risk of life to self or others
- Risk of admission to psychiatric hospital
- Deterioration of mental health leading to risk to self and/or others (including increased self-harming)
Social, Emotional, and Behaviour
Universal (Level 1)
- Parents provide secure and consistent care. There is good quality attachment and relationships with parents that promote healthy development
- Parents show appropriate warmth, praise and encouragement
- Feelings and actions are appropriate responses to events. Demonstrates resilience.
- Child is involved in age appropriate social and leisure activities.
- Age-appropriate clothing, self-care skills and appearance.
- Takes responsibility for behaviour
- Responds appropriately to boundaries and constructive guidance
Early Help (Level 2)
- Erratic or inconsistent care from multiple carers with poor home routines and/or relationship/ attachment difficulties with parents/ carers.
- Parents highly critical of child and provide little warmth, praise or encouragement / inconsistent response
- Often has some difficulties in managing feelings and demonstrates inappropriate responses and actions effecting relationships with peer groups and/or adults including being overfriendly, withdrawn, angry or anxious.
- At risk of becoming involved in activities that are not age appropriate and can have a negative impact on emotional wellbeing.
- Experienced loss of significant adult or family members.
- Moderate stress, family disputes, anxiety, self-esteem or confidence issues impacting on child.
- Limited engagement in play with others/ has few or no friends
- Showing some difficulties with attachment
- Experiences bullying/ or is a bullying
- Subject to discrimination e.g. racial, sexual, disability, gender identity
Targeted services (Level 3)
- Child has experienced multiple main care givers and/or significant attachment and relationship difficulties with parents /carers resulting in difficult presentations of behaviour.
- Finds it difficult to cope with feelings, and displays anger, frustration, disruptive, challenging behaviours. Unable to express empathy
- Association with activities where there are use of substance & risk-taking with peers including child sexual exploitation offline/online
- Subject to severe bullying including online, discrimination or ism (racism, disablism)
- Difficulty in forming attachment between parent and baby (6wks-6 months) e.g. post-natal depression, anxiety, parental isolation
Specialist services (Level 4)
- Child and parent/carer has severe relationship breakdown.
- Challenging/disruptive behaviour putting self or others in danger, child beyond parental control.
- Child is emotionally abused / rejected /abandoned by family members. Presents as severely emotionally neglected. (low warmth, high criticism)
- Experiences persistent and prolonged discrimination/ socially isolated and alienated from others / distorted self- image.
- High risk indicators of young person involved in abusive/coercive relationship
- Persistent poor and inappropriate self-presentation.
- A child/young person subjected to sexual or criminal exploitation
- Child has no-one to care for them
Education and Learning Needs
Universal (Level 1)
- Access to educational/leisure provision and materials (books, toys etc.) appropriate to age and ability allowing for the acquisition of learning, skills and interests.
- Access to employment (including work- based learning) appropriate to age and ability, planning for career in adult life
- Good links between home and school
- Has experience of success and achievement
Early Help (Level 2)
- Patterns of regular school but has some identified learning needs.
- Low motivation to learn and/or behaviour likely to lead to risk of exclusion
- Requires a modified curriculum and timetable but learning expectations are still not being met
- Not in education, employment or training post 16
- Child is continually slow to develop age-appropriate skills
- Language and communication difficulties
- Regular under achievement or not reaching educational potential
Targeted services (Level 3)
- Consistently poor attendance/ nonattendance (under 16) and punctuality with parental acceptance
- Educational (or social or mental health needs) may result in educational placement out of school or away from home
- Greater or equal to 3 fixed term exclusions or greater than 15 days excluded in any year or permanently excluded.
Specialist services (Level 4)
- The parent actively prevents the child from learning or engaging with school with detrimental effects on child being able to have any kind of economic wellbeing.
- Child is not accessing any form of education and parents not engaging with professionals, preventing them from meeting their academic potential leading to inability to achieve economic wellbeing.
Family history, Functioning and Wellbeing
Universal (Level 1)
- Good family relationships, including where parents are separated or bereaves OR parental disputes not impacting on the child and is well managed, and child is supported
- Family provides good emotional support system between family members.
- No family history with statutory services or engagement with criminal activity.
- May have learning difficulties and/or physical or mental health difficulties in immediate family, but not impacting on child/well managed and supported.
Early Help (Level 2)
- Incidents of family or parental disputes/arguments that may involve children
- Loss of significant adult through bereavement, separation or imprisonment
- History of involvement with statutory services and criminal activity.
- Family member with learning disability and/or physical and/or mental health difficulties with mild impact on the child but requiring some support
- Family closely associated with other individuals known to agencies
- No effective support from extended family/friends
Targeted services (Level 3)
- Reported incidents of Parental domestic abuse which child is experiencing through witnessing/ listening to
- Loss of significant adult through bereavement or separation impacting significantly on emotional and/or physical/or mental health
- Family member with learning disability and/or’ physical and/or mental health difficulties impacting on wellbeing of child.
- Family involved in criminal activity/
- Direct carer receives custodial sentence
Specialist services (Level 4)
- Child experiences domestic abuse e.g. physical assaults, coercion and control, strangled, threats to kill
- Bereavement of parent/main care givers, no person with parental responsibility or family member able to care for the child.
- Past or current incidence of abuse, family member with learning disability and/or physical and/or mental health difficulties that places child at significant risk of harm, including exploitation.
- Family member involved in harmful criminal activity or parent is to be released from prison who could pose risk to child.
- Child has contact or residing with a person who has/is:
- Conviction(s) for offences against children (sexual, physical or neglect)
- Subject to multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA) or multi-agency risk assessment conference (MARAC) meetings
- Family with history of Child Protection Plans/previous removal of child
Housing, employment and finances
Universal (Level 1)
- Family’s accommodation is appropriate, stable, clean, warm, and tidy and there are no hazards which could impact the safety or the child
- Parents able to manage working or unemployment arrangements adequately and do not perceive them as unduly stressful
- Family has reasonable income or resources and are used appropriately to meet the needs of the family.
Early Help (Level 2)
- Family’s accommodation is stable but not kept clean and tidy and is not always free of hazards which could impact on the safety and wellbeing of the child as well as the sustainably of the tenancy
- Early notification of potential homelessness and not being accepted by Housing Department
- Family home would benefit from changes to support needs of the child with a disability.
- Parent’s income is affected by the level of care necessary for their child with a disability
- Housing causes family stress, overcrowding, temporary, not meeting needs of family
- Parents experience continuing stress due to unemployment/or stressful employment
- Difficulties managing household finances effectively/low/income/
- Debt/rent arrears/risk of evictions
- Intentionally homeless
- Family seeking asylum or are refugees
- Occasionally does not have adequate food, warmth, or essential clothing.
- Multiple house moves
Targeted services (Level 3)
- Family’s home is consistently poor and consists of health and safety hazards including hoarding. It is not suitable for a child with a disability or vulnerable child or young person
- Poor, inadequate, overcrowded home which has significant impact on health and/or wellbeing of child
- Chronic and long-term unemployment due to significant lack of basic skills or long-standing issues such as substance misuse/ offending etc.
- Debts/poverty making it difficult to meet the child’s basic needs e.g., Food, warmth or essential clothing but the child’s needs are prioritised by parent
- Multiple house moves leading to children changing schools and experiencing evictions, hostels, refuges, temporary housing.
Specialist services (Level 4)
- Accommodation places child in danger and/or is detrimental to health and wellbeing
- Family is homeless or imminent of being homeless and not being accepted by Housing Department
- Poverty leads to complete neglect of child’s needs
- The parents are consistently unable to budget/prioritise effectively and are resisting engagement with services
- Young person is homeless or risk of being homeless
Social and Community
Universal (Level 1)
- Family accessing generally good universal services in the neighbourhood and child’s environment is safe
- Family feels integrated into the community
- The neighbourhood is a safe and positive environment encouraging good citizenship
- Child has adequate social and friendship networks
- The family and child are legally entitled to live in the country indefinitely and have full rights to employment and public funds
Early Help (Level 2)
- Family intermittently accessing universal or targeted services – low level environmental factors impacting on child e.g. the family is experiencing social exclusion and/or there is limited supportive networks
- The child is affected by low level anti-social behaviour and/or discrimination in the locality
- The neighbourhood is known to have groups of children and/or adults who are engaged in threatening and intimidating behaviour and the child is intimidated and feels threatened in the area
- The family and child’s legal entitlement to stay in the country is temporary and/or restricts access to public funds and/or the right to work placing the child and family under stress.
- Difficulty accessing community facilities
Targeted services (Level 3)
- Family not accessing universal or targeted services, some concern for child’s safety within the environment
- Family is chronically socially excluded and isolated to the extent it has an adverse impact on the child
- The neighbourhood or locality is having a negative impact on the child –for example the child is victim of anti- social behaviour or crime has joined a gang and/or is at risk of being further victimized.
Specialist services (Level 4)
- Family refusing to engage, or address areas of risk/need identified
- Family is excluded, and child is seriously affected but the family actively resists all attempts to achieve inclusion and isolates the child from sources of support
- The neighbourhood or locality is having a profoundly negative effect on the child who has been a repeated victim of anti-social behaviour/discrimination, crime and is now at high risk of exploitation.
- Family members are detained and at risk of deportation or child is an unaccompanied asylum seeker.
- There is evidence child is exposed or involved in criminal activity to generate income for the family (e.g., illegal employment, modern day slavery, child exploitation).
- Status puts them at risk of involuntary removal from the country (e.g. asylum seeking families or illegal workers) or having limited financial resources/no recourse to public funds increases the vulnerability of the child to criminal activity (e.g. illegal employment, modern day slavery, child exploitation)
Safer Me
Sexual – Criminal
Universal (Level 1)
- Child or young person does not engage in inappropriate sexual, anti-social or criminal activity
Early Help (Level 2)
- Concerns regarding sexual development, including in school or early years setting
- Suspicion or low-level concerns child is engaging in anti-social behaviour and criminal activity.
Targeted services (Level 3)
- Child has been reported or witnessed to have been sexually harassed.
- Young person regularly involved in anti-social, criminal/violent/ risk taking behaviour or activities.
- Child starts to have items of clothing, money or gifts etc. that is explained but with some suspicion from parents or friends.
- Some changes in child’s behaviour that concern family or friends.
- Concerns over child’s friendship group, excessive receipt of texts/phone calls/ transmission of inappropriate images.
- Child/YP lacks a sense of safety that results in risk of danger
Specialist services (Level 4)
- Concern child (and parent) is being exploited, possible indicators:
- Child associating with older/controlling peers
- Strong parental concerns
- Persistent missing episodes
- Self-harm or changes in emotional wellbeing
- Isolating self from friends and family
- Physical assaults
- Unexplained injuries
- Coercion from an adult to share inappropriate images
- Changes to sexual behaviour
- Multiple serious criminal incidents
- Involvement in activities that would constitute arrestable offences
- Child is a victim of gun and knife crime which may result in threat to life or serious injury
Digital Safeguarding
Universal (Level 1)
- Child uses internet appropriately and parents ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.
Early Help (Level 2)
- Child at risk of being involved in negative internet and social media use or is a victim of harmful behaviours such as cyber bullying, trolling, sexualised behaviour.
- Addiction to gaming sites.
- Internet use is not monitored by parents.
Targeted services (Level 3)
- Child is engaged or is a victim of negative internet and social media use cyber bullying, trolling or excessively engaged in gaming which interferes with social functioning.
- The child is showing signs of secretive deceptive and potentially concealing internet and social media activities
Specialist services (Level 4)
- The child is secretive, deceptive and actively concealing internet and social media activities. Concern’s child is being groomed on the internet/ showing signs of addiction to gaming or pornography.
- Parents do not know child’s association with adults online.
Missing
Universal (Level 1)
- Young person has not been missing from school/home or employment
Early Help (Level 2)
- Concerns child may have had a missing episode
Targeted services (Level 3)
- Regularly missing from home, education, employment or training, including when whereabouts of the child/young person when missing are unknown
Specialist services (Level 4)
- Disappears or is missing from home for 72 hours or persistently going missing from home or school – being found out of their local area.
- Parents refusing to engage with supportive services or recognise any risk to their child.
- Parents are reporting child as missing and expressing concern regarding exploitation and/or changes in child’s behaviour which suggests inappropriate relationship
Radicalisation
Universal (Level 1)
- The child does not express any sympathy for ideologies linked to violent extremism or is being radicalized.
Early Help (Level 2)
- The child expresses sympathy for ideologies closely linked to violent extremism but is open to other views or lose interest quickly. There is the potential to become radicalized.
Targeted services (Level 3)
- The child or young person is at risk of becoming radicalised expresses beliefs that extremist violence should be used against people who disrespect their beliefs and values.
- Preventing Radicalisation – Safer Devon
Specialist services (Level 4)
- The child or young person is radicalized, supports people travelling to conflict zones for extremist/violent purposes or with intent to join terrorist groups
- Preventing Radicalisation – Safer Devon
Honour Based Violence and Forced Marriage
Universal (Level 1)
- There is no concern the child be subject to harmful traditional practices such honour based violence and forced marriage.
Early Help (Level 2)
- Concern the child is in a culture where harmful practices are known to exist (in the community or by family or extended family) however parents are opposed to the practices in respect of their children.
Targeted services (Level 3)
- Concern the child is in a culture where harmful practices are known to exist (in the community or by family or extended family) and parents are not opposed to the practices in respect of their culture although there is no evidence of actual or planned harm to the child or family member
Specialist services (Level 4)
- Child discloses fear of Honour Based Violence in respect of them or a family member
- There is evidence the child may be subject to harmful traditional practices and parents are opposed to resisting these practices
Female Genital Mutilation
Universal (Level 1)
- There is no concern the child may have been or is at risk of Female Genital Mutilation
Early Help (Level 2)
- Concern the child lives with family members where Female Genital Mutilation is known to have been performed, however parents are opposed to the practices in respect of their children.
Targeted services (Level 3)
- Guidance for FGM reporting
Specialist services (Level 4)
- Suspicion/risk of or known of a child being taken/prepared for Female Genital Mutilation
- Sibling has previously had FGM
Young Carer
Universal (Level 1)
- Child has no caring responsibilities
Early Help (Level 2)
- Child or young people who have a high level of responsibility for others (e.g. parents, siblings)
- No effective support from extended family or friends
Targeted services (Level 3)
- Young carer with little or no support and struggling to cope
- Young carer impacting on development of self
Specialist services (Level 4)
- Sole carer/young carer with no supervision or support from adults, unable to cope impacted severely on their health/social/emotional wellbeing.
- Young carer who is entitled to, or is requesting a young carer assessment of their needs
Private Fostering
Universal (Level 1)
- The child is not privately fostered
Early Help (Level 2)
- The child is privately fostered by adults who have been assessed by children’s services to be appropriate carers.
- Local authority has been notified as per the requirements of ‘The Children’s (private Arrangements for Fostering) Regulations 2005
Targeted services (Level 3)
- Family difficulties where child is now staying with adults who are not child’s parents for less than 28 days
Specialist services (Level 4)
- Child under 16 has been or will be staying with non-related adults for more than 28 days – ‘private foster carers’ who have not been assessed by children’s services
- Concern child is a victim of child exploitation, domestic slavery, or being physically abused in their private foster placement.
If you have any feedback on the Level of Need tool, please contact the Devon SCP team.