Looking After Children

"Looking After Children" is an assessment and planning approach for children and youth in out of home care, first developed in the UK, and since 1997 adapted and used increasingly in Canada, particularly in Ontario. The approach is developmental and strengths based. The Assessment and Action Record (AAR), the core clinical tool, provides the basis for an in-depth assessment interview which then leads to a comprehensive care plan. The AAR is computerized and provides the possibility of data aggregation, and the recent revision allows for comparability among Canadian children as assessed by the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth. "Looking After Children: A Practitioner's Guide" includes training material that will help practitioners understand and put the LAC approach and tools to effective use.