Practice· 2026Q2
‘Functional but flawed’: social workers’ experiences of using the ADCS guidance to complete age assessments in England
- 0citations
- Q2SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Social workers in England find the ADCS Age Assessment Guidance (AAG) functional but flawed, highlighting power imbalances and a lack of dedicated time for assessments.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- The ADCS Age Assessment Guidance (AAG) is perceived as functional but flawed by social workers.
- Power imbalances and a lack of dedicated time hinder effective age assessments.
- A child-centred approach, including offering choices and multidisciplinary input, is recommended.
- Updated guidance should reduce procedural emphasis and include preparation and reflection time.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
This paper explores the use of the ADCS Age Assessment Guidance (AAG) (2015) in one local setting, reflecting on its child-centredness in practice, using reflexive thematic analysis of interviews with five Social Workers from a local authority Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children’s (UASC) team. Five themes were developed: Functional but Flawed, Difficulty with Doubt, ‘It’s a Panel Interview!’, Analysing Authenticity, and ‘Luxury of Time’. The analysis suggests a need for a practical approach to Age Assessments, including providing the young person with a choice to readdress power imbalances, recognising that chronological age is not a universal truth, and remaining open-minded, non-judgemental, and utilising a multidisciplinary approach. Finally, the paper advocates for updated guidance, with less emphasis on procedures, country-specific information, and dedicated time for social workers to complete age assessments, including preparation time and both peer and management reflection sessions to improve practice and support professional development.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Practice, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Public Administration
Public AdministrationSocial Sciences