In the context of child placement, how is risk assessment defined?

• A. Systematically identifying safety risks and implementing mitigations.
• B. Assessing financial risk in placement decisions.
• C. Evaluating staff morale.
• D. Waiting for incidents before evaluating risks.

Answer: (A)

Risk assessment in child placement means proactively identifying safety concerns that could affect a child, the placement, or the staff, and then putting controls in place to reduce those risks. It’s a forward-looking, systematic process that uses checklists or structured tools to spot where harm could occur, evaluates how likely and how severe those risks might be, and prioritizes actions to prevent problems before they happen. This approach guides decisions about where and how a child is placed, the supports needed, and how to monitor safety over time.

Financial risk, while important in decision making, isn’t what risk assessment in this context is about. Evaluating staff morale isn’t a formal risk assessment, though morale can influence safety. Waiting for incidents before assessing risk is reactive; true risk assessment is ongoing and preventive.