Common Assessment Framework (CAF)
The CAF is a tool to enable early and effective assessment of children and young people who need additional services or support from more than one agency. It is a holistic consent based needs assessment framework which records, in a single place and in a structured and consistent way, every aspect of a child's life, family and environment. The CAF form is not a referral form, although it may be used to support a referral or specialist assessment. The absence of a CAF should not be a barrier to accessing services.
The CAF offers a basis for early identification of the children's additional needs.sharing of this information between organisations and the co-ordination of service provision. When it is considered a child may have additional needs, with the consent of the child, young person or parents/ carers, practitioners may undertake a common assessment in accordance with the national practice guidance to assess these needs and to decide how best to support them. The findings from the common assessment may however give rise to concerns about a child's safety and welfare. Practitioners should be particularly concerned regarding children whose parents or caregivers are experiencing difficulties in meeting their needs as a result of domestic violence, substance misuse, mental illness and/ or learning disability. All staff members who have or become aware of concerns about the safety or welfare of a child or children should know:
* who to contact in what circumstances, and how; and
* when and how to make a referral to local authority children's services or the police.
This information has been taken from Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010.
Training about CAF, and also Information Sharing, is available FREE OF CHARGE. Information and booking details in relation to this can be found via the following web link:
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/childrens-services/practitioners-information/caf-and-locality-teams/caf-and-is-training.htm
The options for training can be summarised as:
CAF Completers and Lead Professional (1 day course) for all staff and their managers who provide or assess services to children, young people and families, and are required to conduct assessments, convene planning meetings and make interagency requests for services http://www3.hants.gov.uk/childrens-services/practitioners-information/caf-and-locality-teams/caf-and-is-training/caf-completers.htm
CAF Completer and information Sharing course for Early Years (I day course)
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/childrens-services/practitioners-information/caf-and-locality-teams/caf-and-is-training/caf-completers-eecu.htm
CAF Awareness E-learning course Ninety minute e-learning course for all staff who need to know about the CAF and the implications of completing one.
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/childrens-services/practitioners-information/caf-and-locality-teams/caf-and-is-training/caf-awareness-elearning.htm
Information Sharing (half day course) for all staff who provide services to children and their families and would benefit from knowing the legal regulations of Information Sharing
http://hantsweb-staging.hants.gov.uk/childrens-services/practitioners-information/caf-and-locality-teams/caf-and-is-training/info-sharing
Information Sharing E-Learning Course -Ninety minute e-learning course for all staff who provide services to children and their families and who need to know the legal regulations of Information Sharing
http://hantsweb-staging.hants.gov.uk/childrens-services/practitioners-information/caf-and-locality-teams/caf-and-is-training/info-sharing-elearning
