Applying Ubuntu principles to assessing children and families in social work

Assessment continues to be a contested and debated concept within social work, with scholars offering varied definitions that emphasise different dimensions of the process. Crisp et al. (2005) note that no single, universally accepted definition exists. Dyke (2016) characterises assessment as the exercise of professional judgement concerning a service user’s circumstances, behaviour, and overall situation, a process that may also incorporate the evaluation of risk. In recent decades, a series of high-profile child deaths occurring despite social work involvement has intensified scrutiny of the English child protection system, particularly regarding its capacity to recognise and respond to risk. Griggs (2000) conceptualises assessment primarily as the identification of need. Coulshed and Orme (2012) describe it as a participatory process in which people with lived experience (PLE) contribute to developing an understanding of individuals in relation to their social and environmental contexts. Assessment also serves as the foundation for planning interventions aimed at sustaining, enhancing, or facilitating change.