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Social Work vocabulary · Casework and Assessment

Risk assessment

Meaning in social work, with examples

nounCore term

In social work, risk assessment means: A structured look at what harm might happen, how likely and how serious it is, and what can be done to reduce it.

In Turkish: risk değerlendirmesi

How it is used

Used in child protection, adult safeguarding, mental health and lone working. Social workers weigh risk factors against protective factors and record their reasoning. A risk assessment is reviewed whenever circumstances change.

Example sentences

  1. Before the joint visit we did a risk assessment because of the father's history of violence.

  2. The risk assessment identified the grandmother as a strong protective factor.

Common collocations

  • carry out a risk assessment
  • risk and protective factors
  • update the risk assessment
  • risk assessment tool
  • assessmentThe process of gathering and analysing information about a person's situation, needs, strengths and risks in order to decide what help is needed.
  • at riskIn a situation where harm, abuse, neglect or another serious problem is likely to happen unless someone takes action.
  • safety planA practical plan, made with the person or family, listing the steps to take and the people to contact to stay safe from a specific risk.
  • significant harmIn UK child protection law, the level of harm, or likely harm, that justifies statutory action such as a formal investigation or care proceedings.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Casework and Assessment

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