Most initial assessments are too long and too descriptive. They tell the reader everything the worker learned and leave the reader to work out what it means. A good assessment does the opposite: it is selective about information and explicit about analysis. The question it answers is not “what is going on?” but “what does what is going on mean for this person, and what should happen next?”
Structure
- Referral — who referred, when, why, and what they were asking for.
- Information gathered — from whom, by what method (visit, phone, records), on what dates. Facts, sourced.
- The person’s own account — their view of the referral, their situation, what they want. Own words where they matter.
- Domains — organised by whatever framework your setting uses: for children, typically developmental needs, parenting capacity, family and environment; for adults, needs, wellbeing outcomes, risks, strengths and support networks.
- Analysis — what the information means. Needs identified, risks and protective factors weighed, the person’s own strengths and resources.
- Decision and plan — eligibility or threshold decision, the proposed response, and what happens next with dates.
The domains section is where assessments bloat. The discipline is to record under each heading only what is relevant to the decision, and to say why.
Initial assessment example (extract)
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Common mistakes
- Description without analysis. If the reader cannot find a sentence beginning “this means”, the assessment is a report, not an assessment.
- The referrer’s view taken as the assessment. The referral is one source. Test it.
- The person’s view missing or paraphrased. Their words, and what weight you give them.
- Risk without protective factors. One side of the scale.
- No timescales. A plan without dates is an intention.
Free initial assessment template
INITIAL ASSESSMENT TEMPLATE
Reference: [reference code only]
Worker: [name, role, organisation]
Dates of assessment: [from–to]
REFERRAL
[Source, date, reason, request]
INFORMATION GATHERED
[Sources, methods, dates]
PERSON’S OWN ACCOUNT
[Own words; what they want]
DOMAINS
[Per your framework; relevant facts only]
ANALYSIS
[What it means; needs; risks and protective factors; strengths]
DECISION
[Eligibility / threshold; response]
PLAN
[Numbered actions; owners; dates; review date]
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
How long should an initial assessment take?
Timescales are set by your jurisdiction and setting. The document itself should be as long as the decision requires and no longer; four pages of relevant analysis beats twelve of description.
Should the person read the assessment?
In most settings they have a right to, and sharing it before it is finalised is good practice: it checks accuracy and records their response.
What if the person refuses to engage?
Record what was attempted, what is known from other sources, the risk of not assessing, and the decision taken on that basis.