Neglect Strategy and Toolkit

East Sussex has updated the Neglect Toolkit (2024) and Neglect Matrix to assist practitioners in identifying and assessing children and young people at risk of neglect. This toolkit should be read in conjunction with the East Sussex Neglect Strategy and Operational Practice Guidance (Sept 2017).

This guidance lays out identifying and responding to neglect across the Continuum of Need, assessment and care planning guidance, and threshold for step up.  The matrix is a useful guide in terms of thinking where a family may sit on the Continuum of Need. However, because a family may tick one box indicating level 4, it does not automatically mean it needs to be stepped up, as the overall picture has to be considered.

There is ongoing development of the neglect tools to ensure that they are useful resources for the multi-agency workforce and are accessible as tools for quick reference, with development expected around signposting and a check list tool that can be used with parents as a ‘do with’ rather than ‘done to’ approach.

If you would like to learn more you can watch the Neglect Webinar for Practitioners which introduces use of the Neglect Toolkit and the Neglect Matrix.