How to write ‘to the child’ from Lincolnshire Youth Justice Service
Summary:
This comprehensive guidance document from Lincolnshire Youth Justice Service has been developed to inform youth justice practitioners on ‘writing to the child’. It covers the background and context of the model, the six key principles, stylistic tips and tricks, as well as helpful examples of how the model can be used in a variety of settings, such as case records and assessments.
Description:
How to write to the child is designed to introduce practitioners to the idea of writing to the child in assessments, to understand the importance of this model and to be able to successfully implement this into practice.
The guidance provides the background, theory and six key principles of the model. It demonstrates how writing to the child is aligned with the four tenets of Child First and how it can be used in case recording and assessments to benefit the children they work with, improving outcomes and ensuring their voices are heard. The model of ‘writing to the child’ ensures the child’s experience is central to work delivered with them.
The six key principles of ‘writing to the child’
- Safety
- Trust
- Choice
- Collaboration
- Empowerment
- Cultural consideration
This practice can be implemented across all processes and documents involving children in the youth justice system. It can be used for case recording, assessments, case supervision, and actions from planning meetings. The ‘writing to the child’ model is encouraged in the Prevention and Diversion Assessment Tool, and can be used in the AssetPlus assessment. Helpfully, the guidance also includes examples of how the model has been used in completed assessments as well as references to research mentioned.
Outcomes:
The practice has been widely used in children’s social care records and feedback from children is positive. It is linked to the tenets of Child First, which have been evaluated.
Contact:
| Name | Karen Robinson |
| Karen.Robinson@lincolnshire.gov.uk |