ABSTRACT
Maintaining a capacity to think and reflect is essential to the assessor, and finding such a capacity, however limited, in the family being assessed is a hopeful sign of the possibility of change. Specialist assessment of multi problem families, which usually require a multidisciplinary approach, and which frequently address the issue of whether or not a child should be with their parents, and, if so, what needs to be done to allow this to happen. Many of the families, particularly those being considered for a day or residential assessment, are highly disadvantaged socially, often with housing and financial problems, and with a long history of emotional as well as social deprivation. Quite often the expert has to face calmly and thoughtfully very disturbing feelings coming at them from the family members, a skill that is indispensable when undertaking an assessment of a disturbed family.
