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Context weighting

As you incorporate contexts into assessments, you need to incorporate these into the response plans that come out of assessments. One way to achieve this, is thinking through which contextual factors – and contexts themselves – have the greatest influence over the problem you are trying to address and ensuring that plan targets those first. In other words – ask yourself ‘what context (or contextual factor) needs to change first for safety to increase for that child, family, peer group, etc’. We call this process ‘Context Weighting’. Context Weighting activities have taken place in every local area to embed Contextual Safeguarding – in this sense the practice is a core marker that the approach has been adopted.

In this section of the toolkit, you can access resources to help you understand and use Context Weighting. You can also find our interactive Context Weighting tool for use in planning and meetings to create your own Context Weighting visual. This can be a helpful tool to demonstrate to young people, families and practitioners which context needs to be the target of support. 

Video: How to use context weighting in meetings

This video talks about how you can use context weighting in planning meetings. It talks through the different ways you can use context weighting and how it can be useful in practice. 

Resources

What is context weighting? How do we conduct context weighting effectively and flexibly? These resources introduce Context Weighting practice and provide guidance to those working with individual young people.

Assessments with individual children and young people

This section includes practical resources on how to consider contextual factors when assessing young people’s needs, and to weight the influence on contexts on young people’s safety 

Assessments with individuals
ROTH: Planning Meetings

This section includes resources, advice, and case studies on how to develop plans for young people affected by extra-familial harm. 

Risk Outside the Home Toolkit: Planning Meetings