Level 4 – Parent and Carers

Basic care, safety and protection

• Parents/carers unable to provide ‘good enough’ parenting that is adequate and safe;
• Parent/carer’s mental health or substance misuse significantly affect care of child
• Parents/carers unable to care for previous children
• Instability and violence in the home continually
• Parents/carers involved in crime
• Parents unable to restrict access to home by dangerous adults
• Parents/carers own needs mean they are unable to keep child/young person safe
• Chronic and serious domestic violence involving child/young person
• Unexplained injuries
• Parents not engaging with professionals
• Allegation or reasonable suspicion of serious injury, abuse or neglect.
• Unable to manage severe challenging behaviour without support –high risk of family breakdown
• Suspected/evidence of fabricated or induced illness Unable to meet child/young person’s physical or emotional needs
• Disclosure from parent of abuse to child/young person
• Escalating or serious domestic violence

Emotional warmth and stability

• Parents/carers inconsistent, highly critical, rejecting or apathetic towards child
• Family life chaotic
• Child/young person beyond parental/carers’ control
• Parent’s own emotional experiences impacting on their ability to meet child/young person’s needs
• Child has no-one to care for him/her
• Child/young person threatened with rejection from home
• Requesting young child be accommodated

Guidance, boundaries and stimulation

• No effective boundaries set by parents/carers
• Multiple carers with no consistency
• Child regularly behaves in an anti-social way in the neighbourhood
• No constructive leisure
• Exposure to online forums evident to resulting in harm