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BJSW Advance Access originally published online on February 22, 2007
British Journal of Social Work 2008 38(6):1076-1099; doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcl395
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© The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Association of Social Workers. All rights reserved.

A Theoretical Model for the Comprehensive Assessment of Parenting

Steve Farnfield

Steve Farnfield is a qualified social worker and play therapist with long standing interests in attachment, family support, child maltreatment and family placement. He is trained in a number of Dr Patricia Crittenden’s procedures for assessing attachment including her analysis of the Adult Attachment Interview. He is a lecturer in Social Work at the University of Reading where he teaches infant and young child observation on the BA qualifying programme and child development and working with families on the post qualifying child care award.

Correspondence to Steve Farnfield, Ph.D., Lecturer in Social Work, School of Health and Social Care, University of Reading, Bulmershe Court, Woodlands Avenue, Earley, Reading RG6 IHY, UK. E-mail: s.j.farnfield{at}reading.ac.uk


  Abstract

This article proposes a theoretical model for the comprehensive assessment of parenting. While the emphasis throughout is on ‘core’ assessments, made in the context of child maltreatment and substitute care, it is intended as a general theory of parenting or care-giving and hence applicable to a wide variety of professional situations. The model is rooted in attachment theory and evolutionary psychology with an overarching use of systemic thinking. First of all, parenting is located within an ecological framework. Then, the care-giving environment is defined by drawing on the empirical, professional and theoretical literature. Central to this model of the care-giving environment is the separation of core dimensions that are fundamental to parenting behaviour—that is, they are an intrinsic part of the behaviour of all parents—from those which modify parenting ability but cannot be reduced to one of the core or fundamental dimensions. A total of seven dimensions are considered together with some relevant assessment procedures. It is envisaged that further work will produce a manual for this, utilizing a variety of current assessment procedures while retaining a systemic framework for analysis and intervention.

Keywords: assessment of parenting, attachment, child abuse


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