Why talk about Dynamic Risk Assessment?
Safeguarding children and young people is a complex, challenging and multi-factorial activity. It is often undertaken in a rapidly changing multi-agency context of relative uncertainty and this should be recognised and considered when undertaking risk assessments.
A common theme of serious case reviews points to the tendency, on occasions, to view risk as an event in time (static risk) rather than a dynamic process over time.
How to use this briefing
This paper should provide you with some basic information to raise awareness within a staff team around the topic of Dynamic Risk Assessment:
- Ask team members to read the briefing then, as a group, work through the information, using it as a prompt to promote discussions
- Use the discussion points at the end to explore how your team works with the topic
- Consider if there are any further learning and development needs in your team and who is best to pursue this.
Dynamic Risk Assessments
A static risk factor is one that can’t change, for example historical factors such as childhood history of abuse.
A dynamic risk factor is one in which the level of risk can fluctuate over time, and therefore has the potential to change, for example current parenting. (based on definition from Ruth Gardner)
Dynamic risk assessments are those which recognise that the level of risk is not static, it can fluctuate over time and therefore has the potential to change, and take this into consideration within the assessment.
‘Assessment should be a dynamic process, which analyses and responds to the changing nature and level of need and / or risk faced by the child from within and outside their family’
(Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2018)
Things to consider
Risk assessment involves the identification and evaluation of sources of potential harm to children alongside sources of potential protection for children.
Dynamic risk assessments identify the risks at a point in time but also take into account that circumstances or conditions are constantly changing. Risk assessments should be a continuing process not an event.
Dynamic risk assessments identify the variables that could potentially change for a child and their family and which could take a situation from ‘good enough’ parenting to potentially dangerous.
A static risk factor is one that cannot change, eg historical factors such as childhood history of abuse, whereas a dynamic risk factor is one in which the level of risk can fluctuate over time, and therefore has the potential to change eg. current parenting, parent’s current partner.
Protective factors can also be dynamic, eg, a Grandparent who provided a level of protection becomes ill.
Both static and dynamic risk factors should be considered within risk assessments. Dynamic risk factors should be constantly reviewed, not just when known changes happen, but routinely to capture unknown changes.
Within a risk assessment it is essential to get a full understanding of a child’s situation, behaviour and development in order to spot any changes and understand if these changes increase risks for a child. It is gaining of understanding what are the dynamic risk factors and protective factors.
A dynamic risk assessment considers the impact of an potential risk on a child alongside the likelihood of it happening both now and in the future.
Good Practice
- Risk Assessments should be reviewed regularly at an agreed frequency.
- Risk Assessments should identify and consider strengths or protective factors as well as potential risks.
- Risk assessments should not be undertaken in isolation. Other practitioners working with a family may know or understand a risk or a protective factor which you are not aware of.
- Risk Assessments should be also be flexible, and updated whenever there is a change in circumstance for a child or family
- Risk Assessments should consider the likelihood of any potential risks not just look at the current risks
- Risk Assessments need to ‘think the unthinkable’ and plan for any potential change in a child’s circumstances.
- As risks change over time practitioners need to avoid assumptions and seek supervision and support as part of the on-going risk assessment process.
Areas for Consideration
- Do our risk assessments consider Dynamic Risk?
- Is there more that we could do?
- Do we need to change any of our ways of working?
- Is there a further learning need in our team?
Further Information
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023, Department of Education
Children’s Social Work Practice Standard Manual, 2015, Leeds City Council
Assessment guidance, 2014, Leeds City Council
The Serious Case Reviews for both Child B and Child E contain learning in relation to Dynamic Risk.