ABSTRACT
Assessment is a tool to aid in the planning of future work, the beginning of helping another person to identify areas for growth and change. The assessment will normally be fully shared with the client. Aims and priorities are normally fully agreed with clients based on the assessment. For the agency an assessment culminates in a presentation of a summary of the information gathered. A popular format for decision making in social work organisations is the ‘review’, a combination of an assessment of current information with an evaluation of work already undertaken with the client. The assessment needs to have appropriate breadth and focus in order to be useful; global generalisations are of little use. The doctor sees the patient, whilst the social worker interviews the family to assess their need for respite. If a place is offered, the occupational therapist makes an assessment and plans an activity programme.
