The Parent Assessment and Skill Development (PASD) program was established in the late 1990s to, ‘improve Child Protection Services’ risk assessment and management plans for high risk infants through improved access to timely, comprehensive, research based assessment of parenting capacity and ongoing skill development and support’ (Naylor, Breen, & Myers, 1999, p. 15).

Since the establishment of PASD, the program’s purpose has expanded to ensure that service provider’s support identified families by:

• protecting and supporting the wellbeing of the child
• providing a safe environment for the child
• evaluating the parent’s capacity
• enhancing the parent’s competency as primary carers
• making appropriate recommendations to CP services.

PASD’s aim is to assess client’s parenting capacity and, if required, provide them with skills development.

Eligibility:

1. The family has a current involvement with CP services
2. The infant involved is assessed to be at high risk of harm, i.e. HRI
3. There are protective concerns regarding the primary carer’s ability to
   – provide care for their infant
   – demonstrate positive attachment to their infant.