Assessments

Assessment Timescales in Children's Services: Complete Guide UK

January 2025•12 min read

Understanding Statutory Timescales

Timescales in children's social care exist to ensure children receive timely protection and support. They represent maximum timeframes—not targets to work towards—with the expectation that decisions and actions happen as quickly as the child's needs require.

This guide covers the key timescales social workers need to know, from initial referral through to care proceedings.

Referral and Initial Response

Within 1 working day: Decision on whether to accept referral as requiring a statutory response and what action to take.

When a referral is received, a decision must be made within one working day about:

  • Whether the threshold for statutory intervention is met
  • What type of response is needed (e.g., assessment, strategy discussion, signposting)
  • Whether immediate protection is required

If the referral is from a professional, they should be informed of the decision within one working day.

Child and Family Assessment

Maximum 45 working days: Child and family assessment must be completed from point of referral.

Key points about the 45-day timescale:

  • The clock starts from the date of referral, not acceptance
  • 45 days is the maximum—many assessments should be completed sooner
  • The pace should be determined by the child's needs
  • Short-term decisions should not wait for assessment completion
  • The assessment is an ongoing process, not a single event

When Concerns Escalate During Assessment

If child protection concerns emerge during a child and family assessment, a strategy discussion should be convened immediately—there is no need to wait for the assessment to complete.

Section 47 Enquiries

Initiated immediately following strategy discussion that determines child protection enquiries are needed.

While there is no specific statutory timescale for completing Section 47 enquiries, Working Together 2023 expects them to be completed within the 45-day assessment timescale. However:

  • Enquiries should be conducted with appropriate urgency
  • The decision about whether the child has suffered or is likely to suffer significant harm should be made as soon as possible
  • If an ICPC is required, the Section 47 must be completed in time to inform that conference

Child Protection Conferences

Initial Child Protection Conference (ICPC)

Within 15 working days of the strategy discussion (or last strategy discussion if more than one) that initiated the Section 47 enquiry.

This is one of the strictest timescales in child protection. Exceptions should be rare and always documented with clear rationale.

Review Child Protection Conference (RCPC)

First review: Within 3 months of ICPC
Subsequent reviews: At intervals of no more than 6 months

Review conferences should consider:

  • Progress against the child protection plan
  • Whether the child continues to be at risk of significant harm
  • Whether the plan should continue, change, or end

Core Group Meetings

First core group: Within 10 working days of ICPC
Subsequent core groups: At least every 4-6 weeks

Core groups are responsible for developing and implementing the child protection plan. They should include all key professionals and family members.

Child in Need Planning

CIN reviews: First review within 4-6 weeks, then at least every 3 months

While Child in Need timescales are less prescriptive than child protection timescales, regular review is essential to ensure the child is receiving appropriate support.

Looked After Children

Reviews for Looked After Children

First review: Within 20 working days of becoming looked after
Second review: Within 3 months of first review
Subsequent reviews: At least every 6 months

Visiting Looked After Children

First week: Within first week of placement
First year: At least every 6 weeks
After first year: At least every 3 months (may be extended to 6 months in exceptional circumstances)

Care Planning

  • Care plan must be in place before a child becomes looked after (unless emergency)
  • Placement plan must be in place before placement begins
  • Health assessment within 20 working days of becoming looked after
  • Personal Education Plan within 20 school days

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Public Law Outline (PLO)

Pre-Proceedings

Letter before proceedings: Sets out concerns and gives parents opportunity to address them. No specific timescale, but should allow reasonable time for response (typically 4-6 weeks).

Care Proceedings Timescales

26-week limit: Care proceedings should be completed within 26 weeks of application. Extensions only granted in exceptional circumstances.

Key court dates within proceedings:

  • Day 2: Case management hearing
  • By day 20: Advocates meeting
  • By week 12: Case management conference
  • By week 18: Issues resolution hearing
  • By week 26: Final hearing

Pre-Birth Assessments

Pre-birth conference (if needed): Should be held by gestational week 32, or as soon as possible if referral received later.

Pre-birth assessment and planning requires:

  • Early identification of risk factors
  • Assessment completed before birth where possible
  • Birth plan in place before delivery
  • Clear contingency plans for emergency situations

Managing Timescales Effectively

When Timescales Cannot Be Met

If a timescale genuinely cannot be met:

  • Ensure there is a legitimate reason (not just workload)
  • Document the reason clearly in records
  • Seek management agreement for any extension
  • Set a revised timescale and work to meet it
  • Consider what interim actions are needed to protect the child

Practical Tips

  • Calculate deadlines from day one and put them in your diary
  • Build in buffer time for unexpected delays
  • Communicate early if you anticipate difficulties
  • Don't wait for all information—start working with what you have
  • Remember that timescales are maximums, not targets

Key principle: Timescales exist to protect children, not to create administrative burdens. The child's needs should always drive the pace of work—sometimes faster than timescales require, and only in exceptional circumstances slower.

Conclusion

Understanding and meeting statutory timescales is a fundamental part of children's social work practice. These timescales ensure that children receive timely protection and that families are not left waiting indefinitely for support and decisions.

While meeting timescales can be challenging given workload pressures, they exist to ensure children's welfare is prioritised. Good time management, clear communication, and robust recording systems all help ensure timescales are met while maintaining the quality of practice.