Social Work Now, Issue 27, pages 19-24
Auckland Central, the first multi-agency service in New Zealand, referrals are received for assessment and therapy from social workers from Child, Youth and Family. This article describes the processes of extended forensic assessment (Carnes, C et al 1999, 2001), or diagnostic assessment, when the statutory investigation by the social worker requires detailed evaluation of a young child. Diagnostic assessments were designed in 1995 (Rugg, 2001) to provide a service for children where there were care and protection concerns due to a child presenting with crucial behaviours, or risk factors, the function of which required explanation. This forensic evaluation model represented an alternative for children who did not meet the criteria for the evidential videotaped interview under the Evidence Amendment Act 1989.