Family Review Process

Family reviews help to make sure that family time is comfortable, safe and supportive for each child. These reviews give everyone a chance to check how things are going, raise any worries early and recognise progress. They also help professionals understand what the child needs going forward.

Review Schedule

Review point                         When it happens                              Why it happens

Initial review                   After two weeks of family time       A chance to check that the family time plan is                                                                                                         working well and to pick up early questions or                                                                                                       worries

Standard review            Every four weeks                                 Helps everyone understand what is going                                                                                                                 well, what needs attention and whether any                                                                                                           changes will support the child better

Enhanced review            Whenever there are concerns                                                                                                                                     about safety or wellbeing                   Allows a quick and careful look at any                                                                                                                       worries so the right steps can be taken

Case closure review     The final week of family time                Summarises how things have gone and                                                                                                                   offers clear recommendations for the next                                                                                                               stage

What Each Review Includes:

An Overview

A senior member of staff will go through
• Family time notes
• Any incident records
• Attendance information
• Observations about communication, play, routines and how adults respond to guidance
• Any updates shared by other professionals
This supports a fair and balanced view.

Child centred reflection

The focus stays on how the child is feeling and coping. We look at:
• How they appear before, during and after family time
• Any signs of worry or increased confidence
• How they interact with their parent or carer
• Whether anything in the sessions is making things harder or easier for them
This keeps the child at the centre of every decision.

Conversation with parents or carers

We offer a short, relaxed chat during each review period. Topics include
• What is going well
• What feels challenging
• Any guidance that may need more explanation
• Any changes at home that may affect family time
This conversation is brief and supportive, offering clarity rather than counselling.

Checking in with professionals

Where needed, the senior practitioner will speak with the social worker or referring agency to clarify
• Changes to the long term plan
• New information from school or other services
• Court requirements
• Any factors that could affect family time
This keeps the wider support network joined up.

Making sense of the information

We then consider
• Whether the supervision level is still right
• Whether the length or setting of sessions needs adjusting
• Whether any extra support or boundaries will help
• Signs of progress or difficulties
• Whether family time can increase, reduce or requires safeguarding action
This ensures decisions are steady and well reasoned.

Written review summary

A clear written summary is created after each review. It includes
• Key observations
• A progress update
• Any concerns
• Recommendations
• Any changes to the family time plan
This is shared with the referring professional within three working days.

What we look for at the review

Area                                                                         What we look for

Safety                                          Whether family time feels safe and calm for the child and everyone present

Emotional impact                        How the child feels and behaves before, during and after family time

Responsiveness                          How well adults follow guidance and maintain helpful boundaries

Attunement                                 Warmth, communication and the ability to meet the child’s needs

Reliability                                     Attendance, punctuality and readiness for family time

Progress                                        Whether things are improving, steady or becoming more difficult

When a Review May Happen Sooner

A review may be brought forward if
• There is a safeguarding concern
• A child shows distress or avoids family time
• Adults behave in a way that makes sessions difficult or unsafe
• Attendance becomes irregular
• A social worker requests an early review
• Court directions require updated information

We will always consider that:

• Reviews feel steadier when the same senior practitioner leads them each time.
• Some families prefer verbal feedback rather than written summaries depending on the arrangements           with the local authority.