Parenting capacity is one of 3 core elements which Social Work practitioners assess when concerns about a child's welfare are raised. The other 2 elements are the child's developmental needs, and wider family and environmental factors. These 3 elements are inter-related and cannot be considered in isolation.
What is parenting capacity?
Parenting capacity has been described as "the ability to parent in a 'good enough' manner long term" (Conley, 2003).
According to a survey of professionals’ perceptions of 'good enough' parenting, there are 4 elements:
- Meeting children's health and developmental needs.
- Putting children's needs first.
- Providing a routine and consistent care.
- Acknowledging problems and engaging with support services.
From the same survey, risky parenting was associated with:
- neglecting basic needs; putting adults' needs first
- chaos and lack of routine
- an unwillingness to engage with support services (Kellett and Apps, 2009)
Parenting Capacity Assessments at the Maya Angelou Family Centre
Before a Parenting Capacity Assessment (PCA) can start, we hold an admissions meeting. The admissions meeting involves the parents and professionals and at this meeting we aim to clarify the purpose of the assessment and its possible consequences. All Parenting Capacity Assessments are completed by an experienced and qualified Social Worker.
We understand that completing a Parenting Capacity Assessment can be a worrying time for some parents and therefore we do our best to help the parent feel at ease during the whole process. We will spend up to 3 weeks developing the parent’s confidence in us.
Unfortunately, if 3 appointments are missed, this will be considered an indication that parents are not able to commit to the Parenting Capacity Assessment at this time. This will result in the assessment concluding earlier than the agreed completion date, unless there are valid reasons (for example, the hospitalisation of the parent).
The assessment explores a range of issues relating to parenting. This includes, where relevant, an analysis about the impact on parenting of:
- adult mental ill-health
- learning disability
- drug and alcohol use
- domestic violence
The assessment explores family influences, for example whether a parent can sustain a supportive relationship with a partner.
The assessment also considers the potential for change by looking at:
- the previous responses to attempts to help
- the motivation to change now
- the pattern of the parent’s relationships with professional workers
- their response to advice during the assessment
- what support networks are available
- the parent’s potential to benefit from therapeutic help
When appropriate, we contact professionals from other agencies working with the family to contribute towards this process.
Where age-appropriate, individual work is undertaken with the child. This is to develop an understanding of the child’s experience of being parented, their feelings about themselves and whether they trust and feel secure with their parents/carers.
Observations of parent and child interactions are made throughout the assessment to identify strengths and difficulties with parenting. For children living away from their parents this usually takes place during supervised contact sessions at the Maya Angelou Contact Centre or in the local community. Observations explore a parent’s capacity to read and respond sensitively to their child’s signals and cues, and their ability to effectively manage their child’s emotions and behaviour. They can include guided parenting tasks and video feedback, ‘attunement’ exercises to help assess a parent’s capacity to reflect on and make sense of their child’s world.
Observations are also used to assess a parent’s ability to listen to and act on specific parenting advice and complete tasks set.
Individual work with parents is undertaken to explore a range of issues. These include their understanding of their child’s developmental needs and their expectations of the parenting role, their understanding of the welfare concerns for their child, their support network and motivation to change. Individual interviews are also used to assess a parent’s ability to reflect on their own experiences of being parented and the extent to which their own care needs have been met. Parents will be asked to agree other family members or connected persons to be interviewed as part of the overall assessment process, in the form of a Family Group Conference.
There is often discrepancy between the views of professionals and parents regarding the need for change and parents may not initially consider the need for change at all. Emphasis is therefore placed on engaging parents at the start of the assessment and this communication continues throughout the process.
Midway and Final reviews are also held with the parents, the child’s social worker and, if possible and appropriate, the child’s Guardian ad Litem, to ensure that feedback regarding the assessment is shared openly. All assessments consider equality and aim to respond sensitively to parents’ individual needs. Staff are experienced at working with individuals from a diverse range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds and where appropriate interpreters are used to ensure a shared understanding.
For parents with a learning disability, assessments are informed by the DOH’s 2007 ‘Good Practice Guidance on Working with Parents with a Learning Disability’ and use materials from the Parent Assessment Manual (PAM) developed by Dr Sue McGaw. To ensure accessible and effective communication these assessments avoid the use of complex language and incorporate video feedback and visual aids. Parents are also regularly asked to contribute to the assessment to ensure that information has been understood and if necessary, sessions are repeated.
Final Parenting Capacity Assessment report
The Parenting Capacity Assessment report is available 2 weeks after the work ends. As well as providing an analytical conclusion and clear recommendations, the report will reflect a balance of positive and negative aspects of the parents’ capacity to care for their children safely.