Early identification, assessment of needs and intervention The Common Assessment Framework for children and young people A guide for managers Contents The Common Assessment Framework for children and young people A guide for managers Contents

Foreword 5 Role and responsibilities of managers 46 Executive summary: the CAF at a glance 8 Lessons learnt for effective management of integrated working 47 Background 10 Strategic leadership 48 The status of this guidance 11 Operational management 50 The policy context 12 Training and development 52 Resources and implementation 18 Operating the CAF across children’s services 54 CAF and integrated working 20 Health services 55 Information sharing 23 Schools, colleges and other educational services 55 Effective communication 23 Early years services 57 Multi-agency integrated support 26 Early Support programme 57 Which services is CAF aimed at? 26 Social care services 58 Youth support services/Connexions 59 Youth justice 59 Introduction to the CAF 28 Drug and alcohol services 60 Which children and young people is CAF aimed at? 29 Third sector organisations 60 Who can offer a CAF? 30 Police, National Offender Management Service and The common assessment and other assessments 32 Immigration Service 60 Other organisations providing support and services The common assessment process 36 to children, young people and families 61 The four-step CAF process 37 Recording common assessments 41 Annex A: Every Child Matters outcomes and aims 63 Consent 42 Resources 64 Confidentiality 44 Sharing information from the CAF discussion without consent 44 Key Case study Hints and tips

3 Contents Foreword The Common Assessment Framework for children and young people A guide for managers Foreword

On 1 October 2006, the Children’s This guidance replaces the Common Two other relevant publications are: Workforce Development Council Assessment Framework for children The Team Around the Child (TAC) and (CWDC) took over responsibility from and young people: managers’ guide the lead professional and Co-ordinating the Department for Children, Schools originally published by the DfES in 2006 and delivering integrated services for and Families (DCSF) (previously the and reprinted in September 2007. It children and young people. These provide Department for Education and Skills remains non-statutory guidance. The new guidance for practitioners and managers – DfES) for the implementation of the guidance has been updated and re-titled on the lead professional functions and toolkits and guidance which support in order to reflect policy developments and the TAC. integrated working. include revisions identified in consultation with practitioners and managers A further publication Information Sharing: They cover: across the children and young people’s Guidance for Practitioners and Managers • information sharing workforce. It also seeks to link together is also available providing guidance • the Common Assessment Framework the processes and tools mentioned above, to help practitioners work together (CAF) to show how collectively they provide a more effectively to meet children and • role of the lead professional package of support to help practitioners young people’s needs through sharing • multi-agency working and managers implement integrated information legally and professionally. working in their practice. The policy for integrated working remains All guidance materials can be found with DCSF. This publication, Early identification, on the CWDC website assessment of needs and intervention, www.cwdcouncil.org.uk and on the provides guidance for managers on Every Child Matters website the CAF. A separate guide is available www.dcsf.gov.uk/ecm for practitioners. Any enquiries relating to this document should be directed to [email protected]

5 Foreword Foreword

Note on terms used in this guidance • disruptive or anti-social behaviour Children and young people with • overt parental conflict or lack of parental complex needs Children and young people with support/boundaries Of those children and young people with additional needs • involvement in, or risk of, offending additional needs, a small proportion has Children, young people and their families • poor attendance or exclusion from school more significant or complex needs which experience a range of needs at different • experiencing bullying meet the threshold for statutory involvement. times in their lives. However, while all • special educational needs These are: children and young people require access • disabilities • children and young people who are the to high-quality universal services, some of • disengagement from education, training subject of a child protection plan them also benefit from targeted support or employment post-16 • ‘looked after’ children to address additional needs which may • poor nutrition or inadequate clothing • care leavers relate to education, health, social welfare • ill health • children and young people for whom or other areas. • substance misuse adoption is the plan • anxiety or depression • children and young people with severe An estimated 20 to 30 per cent of children • experiencing domestic violence and complex special educational needs and young people have additional needs at • housing issues • children and young people with complex some point in their lives. This could be for a • teenage pregnancy and parenthood disabilities or complex health needs limited period, or on a longer-term basis. It is (including the risk of pregnancy and early • children and young people diagnosed this group for whom targeted support within parenthood, as well as actual pregnancies with significant mental health problems universal settings will be most appropriate. and parenthood among young people) • young offenders involved with youth • young carers who exhibit additional needs justice services (community and custodial) The needs of children and young people which are as a direct result of their caring with additional needs will, in many cases, be responsibilities, eg. truancy/lateness, ill cross-cutting and might be associated with: health, housing issues

6 Children and young people Parents and carers The terms ‘child or young person’ and The terms ‘parent’ or ‘carer’ refer to ‘children or young people’ are used mothers, fathers, carers and other adults throughout this document to refer to unborn with responsibility for caring for a child babies, infants, children and young people or young person. For more information aged 0 to 19. on parental responsibility GO TO: www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/ The CAF is generally used with children ParentsRights/DG_4002954 and young people up to the age of 18, but its use can be extended beyond 18 where appropriate to enable the young person to have a smooth transition to adult services. In the case of the Connexions service, the CAF can be used with young people up to the age of 19, and up to the age of 24 where a young person has a learning difficulty or disability.

7 Foreword Executive summary: the CAF at a glance

Status of this initiative Who will use the CAF? Who is the CAF for? The CAF for children and young people is Every practitioner in the children and young The CAF is aimed at children and young one of the elements of integrated frontline people’s workforce should understand the people with additional needs who have service delivery. This is outlined in the government outcomes for all children and needs that are not being met by their statutory guidance supporting section 10 young people as set out in Every Child current service provision. (inter-agency co-operation) and section 11 Matters (ECM). They should know about (safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the CAF and how to undertake one. Every How does the CAF link with other children) of the Children Act 2004. All local manager offering services to children and assessments? authorities and relevant partners have to young people should ensure at least some The CAF has replaced the assessment take account of this guidance. If they decide of their staff are equipped to undertake aspects of the Connexions Framework for to depart from it, they must have clear common assessments. Assessment, Planning, Implementation reasons for doing so. and Review (APIR). Other assessments What does the CAF consist of? such as universal checks and specialist What is the CAF? • a pre-assessment checklist to help assessments (for children in need; those The CAF is a shared assessment and decide who would benefit from a with special educational needs etc) remain planning framework for use across all common assessment in place. However, the CAF may be children’s services and all local areas • a process to enable practitioners in the appropriate to be used before, after, or in in England. It aims to help the early children and young people’s workforce conjunction with these assessments to help identification of children and young people’s to undertake a common assessment and understand and articulate the full range of a additional needs and promote co-ordinated then act on the result child or young person’s needs. service provision to meet them. • a standard form to record the assessment • a delivery plan and review form

The assessment covers three domains: • development of the child or young person • parents and carers • family and environment

8 How does the CAF operate? Training and support There are four main stages in completing Services locally need to agree which a common assessment: identifying needs practitioners will be trained to use the CAF early, assessing those needs, delivering and which need some knowledge of it. integrated services and reviewing progress. Operational managers should agree with each of their practitioners: Implementing the CAF • what their role should be and any Led by the Director of Children’s Services development needs (DCS), partner agencies will need to work • who can undertake assessments together to: • how and when they will access training • plan integrated frontline delivery of the • how they will be supported on an ongoing CAF, lead professional and good practice basis in the workplace in information sharing • introduce organisational arrangements to ensure good quality assessments and processes for resolving disputes between practitioners • ensure all practitioners undertaking common assessments, or receiving assessment information, have had enhanced level criminal records bureau checks • establish mechanisms for storing and sharing the CAF information securely with other practitioners supporting the child or young person

9 Executive summary: the CAF at a glance Background The Common Assessment Framework for children and young people A guide for managers

01 1.1 1.2 1.1 - 1.2

Background

1.1 This guidance is aimed at strategic The lead professional The status of this guidance and operational managers across the children The person responsible for co-ordinating 1.2 DCSs, working in partnership and young people’s workforce who have the actions identified in the assessment with local agencies, are responsible for responsibility for implementing the CAF process; a single point of contact for implementing these developments, as part for children and young people. In schools children and young people with additional of their Children’s Trust arrangements under and colleges, this guidance is for heads or needs, supported by more than one section 10 of the Children Act 2004. The principals, deputies and other members of practitioner within a TAC. statutory guidance accompanying sections the senior management team. It is part of 10 and 11 sets out the government’s a set of materials for practitioners to help Information sharing expectations that the CAF, lead professional implement the Every Child Matters: Change Helping practitioners work together more and information sharing are key aspects for Children programme. This set comprises: effectively to meet children and young of delivering better services to children people’s needs through sharing information and young people. This suite of guidance The CAF legally and professionally. materials provides information to help A framework to help practitioners work with those organisations covered by sections children and families and/or young people to 10 and 11 to carry out their planning and assess children and young people’s needs for implementation duties. earlier and more effective services, develop a common understanding of those needs and how to work together to meet them. Background

11 01 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6

1.3 DCS's are expected to take the 1.4 Although integrated working • be healthy lead in agreeing with their partners how developments and practices do vary • stay safe to operate the CAF, introduce a lead from area to area, applying this guidance • enjoy and achieve professional model of working, and will lead to greater standardisation and • make a positive contribution information sharing arrangements as part facilitate cross-border working between • achieve economic well-being of the development of Children’s Trusts. local areas. In addition, the CAF will help Further legislation is expected in 2009 to local areas to meet improvements to 1.6 In addition, The National Service strengthen the remit of Children’s Trusts assessments specified in their Children Framework for Children, Young People and and to give them a statutory duty and and Young People’s Plans. The CAF has Maternity Services (2004) sets standards in accountability for children and young people been developed by the CWDC with health and social care for improving service within their area. support from local area representatives delivery. This is particularly around: and national partners. • health and well-being • delivering child-centred services The policy context • safeguarding and promoting welfare 1.5 The government is committed to • supporting people who are disabled or improving outcomes for all children and young who have complex health needs people. The policy framework underpinning • promoting mental health and this includes ECM, Youth Matters (2005), psychological well-being the Children’s Plan (2007), all of which are concerned with improving the lives of children and young people so that they can all achieve the following five outcomes:

12 1.7 1.8 1.3 - 1.8

1.7 In 2007, the government published • 21st Century Schools: A World-Class • Think Family: Improving the Life Chances the Children’s Plan which sets out a series Education for Every Child (2008) sets out of Families at Risk (2008) sets out a vision of ambitions for all areas of children’s lives the ambition laid out in the Children’s for a local system that improves the life including early years foundation, levels of Plan, that 21st century schools will be chances of families at risk and helps to literacy and numeracy, GCSEs, A levels, hubs for the community, providing access break the cycle of disadvantage. The child poverty, health and youth offending. to a range of services for children, young report outlines the key characteristics of The Children’s Plan: One Year On (2008) people and families. These might include a system that ‘thinks family’ at all levels, sets out progress so far and the next steps health, family support, adult learning from governance to the frontline. Following needed to make its ambitions reality. and leisure activities. This will mean that publication, work on families at risk is the entire school system, and individual now being taken forward by the DCSF. 1.8 This is reinforced by policy initiatives schools will need to look beyond The Family Pathfinder programme was for schools and families which support the traditional boundaries, be outward facing launched in May 2008 and will develop government’s ambition to make England and work in close partnership with young a ‘Think Family’ approach championed the best country in the world for children people, parents, children’s centres, other by the Task Force. 15 local areas will test and young people to grow up in. Centrally, schools, colleges, universities and with innovative ways of supporting vulnerable this includes: other children’s services. families. The national roll-out of ‘Think Family’ also promotes the use of the CAF with a strong emphasis on section 3 of the assessment (family and environment) so as to bring out the needs of the wider family more thoroughly. Background

13 01 1.9 1.10 1.11

1.9 To successfully achieve these A conceptual model for meeting 1.11 Children, young people and families ambitions, the government is committed to children and young people’s needs are supported most effectively when the development of a world-class workforce 1.10 A key part of the development of services are planned and delivered in a across all Children’s Trusts. To this end, Children’s Trusts and the reform of children’s co-ordinated way to offer integrated The 2020 Children and Young People’s services is integrating systems and support across the continuum of needs Workforce Strategy (2008) sets out a vision processes. This is to ensure the needs of and services. A range of processes for a reformed and integrated children and children, young people and families are met and tools have been developed to help young people’s workforce “where people in a more appropriate and cohesive way. practitioners deliver more integrated know when and how they need to work Many local areas have begun to do this by support, including the CAF. together – and have the skills and capacity creating a ‘whole systems’ approach where to do so.” This includes developing: the needs of children, young people and • a more integrated approach to the families lie along a continuum, supported development of leaders and managers by flexible and responsive services which • a strategic approach to recruitment become increasingly targeted and specialist, • effective partnership working, as well as according to need. Managers report that partnerships with children, young people using a visual model is the most helpful way and parents/carers of communicating to others what they are • high-quality and accessible qualifications, trying to achieve. Where areas have not training and progression routes yet done so, they may wish to use Figure 1 • workforce skills and knowledge to (opposite) to help them develop their support children and young people who own approach. are particularly vulnerable • a knowledge bank for the children and young people’s workforce to ensure that practice, training and workforce development is firmly evidence based

14 1.9 - 1.11

Figure 1: Continuum of needs and services

Note: Diagram is not to scale in representing the proportion of children and young people in each section of the windscreen.

This diagram has been provided by the Department for Children, Schools and Families Background

15 01 1.12 1.13

The common service delivery pathway 1.13 The following process chart is a high- 1.12 The CAF is a shared assessment level representation of the typical activities and planning framework for use across that practitioners would be expected to all children’s services and local areas undertake when in contact with a child or in England. It aims to help the early young person who appears to have unmet identification of children and young people’s need(s). Different parts of this pathway could additional needs and promote co-ordinated involve different practitioners. Note that the service provision to meet those needs. sequence of activities here is an example only – the actual process may vary.

To view the full-size chart GOTO: www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/ common-service-delivery-pathway

16 Figure 2: The common service delivery pathway This diagram has been provided by the Department for Children, Schools and Families details Extract Update from case from Process step Process process Pre-defined step (details elsewhere) Decision Start / End Info Sharing Guidance Contact Point CAF National eCAF or Case Management System information assessment / ContactPoint Update common case information Child / practitioner Child processes processes processes Need, SEN) (e.g.Child in assessment?

for statutory requires statutory requires Trigger statutory Trigger Key: Supporting tools: Follow guidance

update whole process throughout the throughout or on-line This will happen Regular batch End Act 1996 by CAF and other Common Service Delivery Pathway This could happen Children Act Children at any stage of the As defined in tools as appropriate process - supported process legislation, e.g., 1989, Education Yes agreed agreed action(s) Undertake A high-level representation of the typical activities that A high-level representation practitionerswould be expected to undertake when in contact with a child or youngperson who appears to have unmet need(s). Different practitioners. Note that the parts of thispathway could involve different is an example only - the actual here sequence ofactivities represented sequence canvary and/or be highly iterative. No changed? or situation Have needs Close case Title action. Form Agree plan of Agree if appropriate TAC and appoint TAC lead professional lead professional Description No

skills service back to common with lead No and agree and agree next steps Undertake Refer case mainstream mainstream assessment to colleague been met? Contact other Have needs and involve appropriate practitioner(s) to professional and professional agree next steps agree Handle transition with appropriate with appropriate Identify likely share observations share Share observations Share practitioners as support required support required Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Is No No No Yes need done Other child? needs? transition required? potential this case? Child has additional Recognise from others from of actions Is a common assessment / Handle input Identify need practitioners) involved with been recently been recently Speak to child reassessement reassessement practitioner(s) with the child service required? and or parents / and or parents carer and obtain carer assessment has Identify if other Lead professional (public and non- Review impact back to mainstream back to mainstream Check if common person to progress person to progress already appointed? already practitioners are practitioners are Is practitioner right Speak to colleagues (or were) involved (or were) consent (if required) Start case early those needs Close needs Assess Deliver Review Identify services progress integrated Background

17 01 1.14 1.15

Resources and implementation Figure 3: The One Children’s Workforce Framework 1.14 CWDC has provided funding to local areas to support the implementation of integrated working and workforce reform. This is available annually from 2008-2011 and is approximately £20 million across the 152 local areas.

1.15 CWDC has also developed the One Children’s Workforce Framework (OCWF) and Tool to help each Children’s Trust to move towards a reformed workforce. The online tool, which was piloted in 2008, will help local areas understand their children and young people’s workforce better, analyse areas for potential improvement, and thus focus development activity on the areas that are likely to have the greatest positive impact on ECM outcomes. ‘Integrated working practices’ is one of the seven strands of a reformed You can explore the framework online at children and young people’s workforce. GO TO: http://onechildrensworkforce.cwdcouncil.org.uk

18 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.14 - 1.20

Workload Monitoring Equality and diversity 1.16 Managers are encouraged to take 1.18 The outcomes of local authorities’ 1.19 Within the CAF, lead professional into account the workload implications implementation of CAF, the lead professional and integrated working approach, all for practitioners involved in CAF and lead role and integrated working will be managers and practitioners (in local professional work. When embedded across monitored as a part of the Comprehensive authorities and third sector organisations) children’s services, these developments Area Assessment (CAA) which replaced have a responsibility to ensure that every should lead to efficiencies by reducing the (from April 2009) the Comprehensive child and young person is treated equally time spent on finding out who is working with Performance Assessment, children’s and fairly, and not discriminated against on a child or young person, reducing duplication services Joint Area Reviews, and Annual any ground, including those that arise from and responding to children and young Performance Assessment. For the first race, ethnicity, religion or belief, gender, people’s needs early, before they escalate to time, joint working arrangements between age, disability, social class, sexuality or a crisis point. However, each service will need local authorities, health, police, fire and marital status. to recognise the staff time spent on these rescue and wider organisations will be held activities by individual practitioners. collectively accountable for the outcomes 1.20 All agencies and organisations should they deliver for communities in their area. seek to embed equality issues in their Training The CAA will consider how partnerships policies and practices. This includes: 1.17 Training materials to support are listening and responding to local • identifying equality goals and the action the move to integrated working are community priorities. plan to implement them available. They enable practitioners to • consulting appropriate stakeholders work together as part of one children • ensuring that equality issues are and young people’s workforce to deliver addressed in all proposed developments integrated frontline services, using common in policy, provision and practice processes and tools. The materials address • working towards a diverse workforce able the specific requirements of CAF, the lead to meet the shared and specific needs of professional, multi-agency working and all children and young people information sharing. GO TO: Equality and Human Rights GO TO: www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/ Commission www.equalityhumanrights.com strategy/deliveringservices1/iwtraining/training Background

19 01 CAF and integrated working The Common Assessment Framework for children and young people A guide for managers

02 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.1 - 2.3

CAF and integrated working

The CAF is one of a number of 2.1 Integrated working focuses on 2.2 Integrated working is about building integrated tools and processes which enabling and encouraging the children the children and young people’s workforce, help practitioners to assess and and young people’s workforce in the public, with all practitioners and sectors working address the needs of a child or young private and third sectors to work together together, and communicating effectively. It is person. The diagram below describes effectively to deliver frontline services. This not a new concept but, since 2006, specific the journey a practitioner may follow requires everyone supporting children and tools and processes have helped embed when putting in place early intervention young people to work together effectively to integration more fully across the workforce. support for a child or young person. put the child or young person at the centre For more information, see Annex C of of everything they do, meet their needs Figure 4 sets out this process using an early the 2020 Children and Young People’s and improve their outcomes as set out in intervention journey diagram. Workforce Strategy. ECM. Universal services do this by providing preventative personalised services Stage 1: Providing Preventative GO TO: www.dcsf.gov.uk/ for all children and young people in their Personalised Services everychildmatters/strategy/ day-to-day work. In most cases, a child or 2.3 Integrated working is particularly childrenandyoungpeoplesworkforce/ young person’s needs are addressed at this important when a child or young person workforcestrategy early stage. has additional needs to those usually met through universal services. Universal services provide preventative personalised services for all children and young people Figure 4: Early intervention journey diagram in their day-to-day work. In the majority of Stage 1: Stage 2: Stage 3: Stage 4: Stage 5: Stage 6: cases, a child or young person’s needs are Providing Identifying Assessing Forming the Coordinating Reviewing addressed at this early stage. Integrated preventative needs early those needs team around and delivering progress tools and processes help identify and personalised the child integrated assess needs early, and put in place support services services for practitioners working together to tackle those needs as early as possible. Needs can therefore be addressed more quickly CAF and integrated working

21 02 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7

and effectively because practitioners with Stage 4: Forming the team around the Stage 5: Co-ordinating and delivering a range of expertise and skills from across child integrated services the children and young people’s workforce 2.5 Where a multi-agency response 2.6 In these instances, the person who provide preventative personalised services. is required, the TAC brings together undertakes the common assessment (and practitioners from across different services identifies the need for multi-agency support) Stage 2 and 3: Identifying needs earlier who work together to co-ordinate and is responsible for convening the first TAC and assessing those needs deliver an integrated package of solution- meeting from which a lead professional is 2.4 The CAF is a key tool for integrated focused1 support to meet the needs agreed. The lead professional acts as the working as it is a generic and holistic early identified during the common assessment main point of contact for the child or young assessment of a child or young person’s process. It is important that the child or person and their family, and co-ordinates strengths and needs that is applicable young person and parents/carers are also delivery of integrated services. across all children’s services and the whole included as part of the TAC. children and young people’s workforce. Stage 6: Reviewing progress The CAF is an assessment of what the 2.7 The common assessment and family and services can do jointly to address delivery plan are regularly reviewed by the children and young people’s needs. TAC to monitor progress toward agreed outcomes. The review identifies any unmet or additional needs for the child or young person’s smooth transition between universal, targeted and specialist services. In the case of multi-agency responses, this will involve further multi-agency meetings and liaison between the members of the TAC.

1 Solution-focused approaches focus on what people want to achieve, as opposed to focusing on their problems.

22 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.4 - 2.13

2.8 Effective integrated working is Practitioners are not expected to read the 2.13 ContactPoint holds only the underpinned by good practice in information Data Protection Act 1998 as all relevant following information: sharing and effective communication. information is available in Information Sharing: • name, address, gender and date of Guidance for practitioners and managers. birth of a child or young person, and an Information sharing identifying number for all children and 2.9 Information sharing is a key part of GO TO: www.dcsf.gov.uk/ecm/ young people in England up to their the government’s goal to deliver better, informationsharing 18th birthday more efficient public services that are • name and contact details of parents or co-ordinated around the needs of children, Effective communication carers, educational setting (eg school), young people and families. Information 2.11 IT tools such as ContactPoint and primary medical practitioner (eg GP) and sharing is essential to enable early National eCAF2 are being introduced to practitioners providing other relevant services intervention and preventative work, for support more effective information sharing2. safeguarding and promoting welfare, and There is a facility to indicate if a for wider public protection. Information 2.12 ContactPoint is a contact list of those practitioner is a lead professional for sharing is a vital element in improving who work with children and young people. It a child or young person. outcomes for all. provides a quick way to find out who else is working with the same child or young person, There is also a facility to indicate if a 2.10 The CAF aims to enable and support making it easier to deliver more co-ordinated practitioner has undertaken an assessment good practice in information sharing about support. It holds basic identifying information under the CAF (the assessment itself will not the needs of children and young people as about all children and young people in be accessible from ContactPoint). part of preventative services. In so doing, all England up to their 18th birthday, and contact sharing (and storing) of information should details for their parents and for services ContactPoint will not hold case data or be done lawfully and comply with the Data working with the child or young person. sensitive information. Protection Act 1998. GO TO: www.dcsf.gov.uk/ecm/contactpoint

2 eCAF is a national system to allow practitioners to electronically create, store and share CAF information securely. CAF and integrated working

23 02 2.14 2.15

2.14 National eCAF is being developed 2.15 For those organisations that Practitioners are not required to seek to support practitioners who use the are required to provide information to consent to supply this information to CAF to assess a child or young person’s ContactPoint (the majority of organisations ContactPoint, but it would be good to additional needs and determine how they that will use CAF), there is a statutory duty inform the child or young person and/or will be met. It will be a national system for practitioners to inform ContactPoint of parent/carer that the existence of a CAF will to allow practitioners to electronically the existence of a CAF whether it is in paper be indicated on ContactPoint. This could be create, store and share CAF information form, held on a local IT system or is on the reinforced in local Fair Processing Notices or securely; enabling them to work together National eCAF system. local leaflets explaining the CAF to children, more effectively across geographic and young people and their families. organisational borders when helping a child Initially, and prior to the availability of or young person. National eCAF, this might require the GO TO: www.dcsf.gov.uk/ecm/contactpoint practitioner undertaking the CAF to add A single national eCAF system will help to their contact details directly to ContactPoint. promote a consistent working approach Over time, more local systems will become between all practitioners, supporting ContactPoint compliant and will be able to practitioners working in different agencies supply this information automatically. and locations to deliver a co-ordinated service effectively and efficiently. National eCAF will provide an automatic feed to ContactPoint to show that a common assessment has been started or undertaken for a child or young person.

GO TO: www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/ strategy/deliveringservices1/caf/ecaf/ecaf

24 2.14 - 2.15

Figure 5: Processes and tools to support children and families

Note: Diagram is not to scale in representing the proportion of children and young people in each section of the windscreen.

This diagram has been provided by the Department for Children, Schools and Families CAF and integrated working

25 02 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20

Multi-agency integrated support Which services is CAF aimed at? Common assessments undertaken in 2.16 The CAF, together with the lead 2.18 Managers need to have knowledge universal services (eg. schools offering professional and good practice in of the CAF. This is important across all access to extended services) will help information sharing is crucial in developing organisations in the statutory and third tackle a broader range of social and multi-agency integrated support. These sectors which offer services to children, behavioural issues acting as a barrier to processes will help change the way that young people and their families. The learning and attainment. Similarly, in health, services are delivered, shifting the focus relevant services include health, schools common assessments will help midwives from dealing with the consequences of (including independent schools), further and health visitors take a broad view of difficulties in children and young people’s education colleges, youth support services/ the issues affecting unborn and new born lives to preventing things from going wrong Connexions, childcare, early years, social infants, as part of the national Healthy Child in the first place. This will help more care, police and youth justice. Programme. Practitioners working with older children and young people to achieve the children and young people in other settings, five ECM outcomes. 2.19 Once the CAF is embedded, it is such as health drop-ins in schools, further expected that, where there is a concern education colleges and youth centres, will 2.17 Figure 5 (page 25) shows where and about a child or young person, the majority be able to identify needs early using the how the CAF, the lead professional and of common assessments will be undertaken common assessment. The police also have information sharing can be introduced to or arranged by workers in universal services an important role in identifying children and support children, young people and families such as schools, health settings and early young people with additional needs and more effectively. years settings; for example, Sure Start arranging common assessments. Children’s Centres. These practitioners are best equipped to identify children and 2.20 Targeted and specialist services young people’s needs in their early stages. will need to work with universal services to provide support to children and young people with needs identified through common assessment. Over time, the CAF should become the main method for early assessment. This should help focus any

26 2.21 2.22 2.18 - 2.22

subsequent specialist assessment. Where, • Common Core of Skills and Knowledge for • CWDC Share! has been developed to following a CAF, specialist assessments the children and young people’s workforce: show how integrated working can really are necessary, they should build on the this sets out the knowledge and skills all make a difference to the lives of children, common assessment. practitioners (including volunteers) need young people and families. CWDC to work effectively with children, young Share! highlights emerging practice 2.21 A description of how the CAF is people and families. in the children and young people’s expected to operate in different sectors GO TO: www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/ workforce, breaking down the barriers and partner organisations can be found common-core and demonstrating solutions to make in Section 6. implementing of integrated working more • Championing Children: a framework achievable. 2.22 Effective integrated working is that establishes a shared set of skills, GO TO: www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/cwdc‑share underpinned by: knowledge and behaviours for those who • Information sharing: guidance, training are leading and managing integrated and support materials are available to children’s services. A resource book to support good practice in information support implementation is also available. sharing by offering clarity on when GO TO: www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/ and how information can be shared championing-children legally and professionally, to achieve improved outcomes. The guidance also • Multi-agency working: there are a explains how organisations can support number of ways of delivering multi-agency practitioners and ensure that good practice services; an online resource is available in information sharing is embedded. for managers and practitioners in a range GO TO: www.dcsf.gov.uk/ecm/ of settings who are starting to work with Informationsharing families in new ways. GO TO: www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/ multi‑agency CAF and integrated working

27 02 Introduction to the Common Assessment Framework The Common Assessment Framework for children and young people A guide for managers

03 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.1 - 3.4

Introduction to the Common Assessment Framework

3.1 The CAF provides a planning and 3.3 The CAF process has been designed Which children and young people is assessment framework which can be so that common assessments are: CAF aimed at? used across all children’s services and • an early assessment of a child or young 3.4 The CAF is aimed at children across all local areas in England. It aims to person’s needs that can act as a basis and young people with additional needs enable early identification of needs, leading for early intervention, ie. before problems (see page 6 for definition): to planned and co-ordinated provision reach crisis point • including unborn babies of services. • holistic – looking at the broad range of • generally up to the age of 18, but a child or young person’s needs, not just extended beyond 18 where it is 3.2 The CAF consists of: within the remit of any one particular service appropriate to enable the young person to • a common process to enable • undertaken by (and understandable by) have a smooth transition to adult services practitioners to undertake a common practitioners from across the children and (eg. for young people with learning assessment and then act on the result young people’s workforce difficulties or disabilities, assessments can • a standard form to help practitioners • high-quality – undertaken according to be carried out up to the age of 25) record and, where appropriate, share good practice standards in working with • who have needs that are not being met with others, their assessments and children, young people and families, and by their current provision recommendations for support providing an evidence base that is trusted • who would benefit from an assessment • a pre-assessment checklist which by other services to help a practitioner understand their practitioners may use to help them • practical – leading to the development needs, determine whether other services decide whether a child or young person of an effective plan to meet any should be involved in providing support would benefit from completing a identified needs and engage further services common assessment • co-ordinated and shared between • who are particularly vulnerable (eg. relevant practitioners persistent truants, excluded pupils, those working in the sex industry, victims of crime and young runaways) Introduction to the Common Assessment Framework Introduction

29 03 3.5 3.6 3.7

3.5 The CAF is not appropriate for: • What to do if You’re Worried a Child is Authorised practitioners will know how to • the majority of children and young people Being Abused (HM Government, 2006) consult ContactPoint (when available) to find who are progressing satisfactorily towards the GO TO: www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/ out who else is working with the same child five ECM outcomes within universal services safeguardingandsocialcare/ or young person and if a CAF already exists • situations where an immediate statutory safeguardingchildren/safeguarding before undertaking an assessment. or specialist assessment is needed or is the most appropriate way to determine Who can offer a CAF? 3.7 The CAF can be offered by any support required 3.6 It is expected that every practitioner practitioner across the children and • a child or young person about whom in the children and young people’s young people’s workforce. This includes there is concern that they may be workforce will: practitioners and managers in early years suffering, or may be at risk of suffering, • understand the outcomes we want for services, for example, Sure Start Children’s harm. In such instances, Local all children and young people; for example, Centres; education; health; social, family Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) by using the pre-assessment checklist to and community support; youth services; procedures should be followed without identify children and young people who need justice and crime prevention; sport and delay. If you are unsure what to do, additional support to fulfil their potential culture. These professionals are identified contact your local safeguarding lead of • know about the CAF, and when and how to in the 2020 Children and Young People’s children’s social care. have a common assessment undertaken, or Workforce Strategy (2008) and illustrated in know how to undertake one Figure 6 (opposite) For further advice, see: • know that there are mechanisms for GO TO: www.dcsf.gov.uk/ • Working Together to Safeguard Children finding out if a CAF already exists and if everychildmatters/strategy/ (HM Government, 2006), which provides other people are already working with the childrenandyoungpeoplesworkforce/ guidance on how all agencies should child or young person workforcestrategy work together to promote children’s • fully understand the information sharing and welfare and safeguard them from harm consent implications of the CAF process

30 3.5 - 3.7

Figure 6: Children and young people’s workforce

Core Children and Young People’s Worforce: People who work or volunteer with children, young people and their families, or are responsible for their outcomes all the time.

Wider Children and Young People’s Worforce: People who work or volunteer with children, young people and/or their families part of the time, or are responsible for their outcomes as part of their jobs.

This diagram has been provided by the Department for Children, Schools and Families Introduction to the Common Assessment Framework Introduction

31 03 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11 3.12

3.8 It will be up to individual services is entitled to have a common assessment • across a wide range of children’s services (whether in the public or third sectors) to undertaken if they, their parents/carer or a • for a wide variety of children and young determine which practitioners will undertake professional working with them think they people’s needs – educational, health, common assessments and provide the may have, or believe they have, additional social welfare, behavioural and emotional necessary training and support for them to needs. However, having a common • to help identify the provision of support do so. Specialist services, such as children’s assessment undertaken does not guarantee from across children’s services to sustain social care teams, which are more likely to the provision of particular services, and progress towards all five ECM outcomes be recipients of CAFs, will need to know local areas will need to determine where how to use and build on the information to focus their resources in line with local 3.12 As a generic assessment, the CAF is contained in them. A child, young person, priorities. Managers also need to ensure distinct from specialist assessments which: parent or carer can request that the CAF that practitioners understand local priorities • have a much more specific purpose (for process is undertaken. It is possible that a and the availability of local services, and example, assessments under section young person, parent or carer may go on to do not promise services on behalf of other 17 of the Children Act 1989, where the be the lead professional. agencies or organisations. main purpose is to determine whether a child or young person is a ‘child in need’; 3.9 All practitioners undertaking common The common assessment and other whether the child, young person or family assessments, or receiving assessment assessments requires services; or Onset where the information, need to have enhanced level 3.11 The CAF is a holistic, generic main purpose is to assess the child or Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks. assessment, planning and delivery framework. young person’s risk of offending) This applies to both the CAF and National It provides an early assessment of a child or • are undertaken by staff from a particular eCAF. Line managers are responsible for young person’s needs for additional services. service or sector (eg, criminal justice) ensuring that CRB checks are carried out3. As a generic assessment, it can be used: • are usually undertaken only by staff of a • by practitioners from a wide range of particular occupational or professional 3.10 The offer of the CAF is universal in occupational groups across the children group (eg. social worker) the sense that every child or young person and young people’s workforce

3 The National eCAF system will allow a practitioner to electronically create, store and share a CAF securely. It will give practitioners from different sectors, who are approved and trained to use the system, appropriate access to key information concerning the assessment.

32 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.8 - 3.17

3.13 There are broadly two types of milestones. However, these assessments 3.17 How far the common assessment specialist assessment, each of which are an opportunity to consider (perhaps with meets the requirements of more specialist interacts with CAF in a different way: the CAF pre-assessment checklist) whether assessments will need to be considered in • checks or assessments for specific the child or young person is on track, or if each case. This will determine the extent development characteristics or milestones they have additional unmet needs. and focus of the specialist assessment. which apply to all children and young In considering this, it is important to be people; for example, the developmental 3.15 As a framework for early intervention, clear about the statutory responsibilities checks undertaken by health the CAF is appropriate for use at an earlier of each agency and to ensure that lines of professionals as part of the stage than a specialist assessment, ideally accountability are always clear for both the Healthy Child Programme, or progress enabling most issues to be resolved before assessment and the subsequent decisions. checks against the national curriculum they require specialist assessment. The CAF For example, it is the responsibility of a local conducted in schools, such as the can also identify the need for a specialist authority’s children’s social care services to Foundation Stage Profile assessment to be undertaken. determine whether a child or young person • additional assessments of children and is a ‘Child in Need’ and it should do so young people with known issues or where 3.16 A common assessment may have using the guidance in the Framework for the there are specific or acute concerns. already been undertaken where issues Assessment of Children in Need and their Examples include assessments under are such that a specialist assessment is Families (Department of Health et al, 2000). section 17 of the Children Act 1989, The required; for example, under section 17 The local authority should work with other Special Educational Needs (SEN) Code of of the Children Act 1989. The common agencies in discharging that responsibility Practice, Asset, Onset, drugs screening, assessment may already have been to enable practitioners to provide more and assessments of children and young undertaken by a different agency or service integrated support and save time (for people with disabilities as part of engaging the specialist agency. practitioners and families) at the specialist In these cases, practitioners should work assessment stage. Where there are 3.14 In general, the CAF is not a suitable together to make sure that relevant common concerns that a child is, or may be, suffering vehicle for undertaking the assessments assessment information feeds into and significant harm, LSCB procedures should referred to above, which require measuring informs the specialist assessment. be followed. progress towards specific developmental Introduction to the Common Assessment Framework Introduction

33 03 3.18 3.19

3.18 A CAF may highlight the need for a specialist assessment if there are concerns about a child or young person in terms of their vulnerability to abuse, self-harm, risk of harm to others, health, social welfare, behaviour, progress in learning or any other aspect of their well-being.

3.19 A specialist assessment may highlight the need for a CAF if: • the child or young person’s broader needs are unclear and not being met by the specialist service • the child or young person has needs that require the services/support of different agencies, and CAF can help to facilitate access to relevant services • a specialist practitioner is taking the lead professional role If the child or young person no longer requires the support of a specialist service, completing a CAF may aid the transition back to universal services.

34 3.18 - 3.19

Figure 7: CAF and specialist assessments

CAF Specialist assessment

CAF highlights concern about a child or young person’s vulnerability to abuse, self-harm, risk of harm Need for specialist to others, health, social and family assessment identified relationships, behaviour, progress in learning or any other aspect of their well-being

Specialist assessment highlights the need to identify the child Need for holistic or young person’s wider needs; CAF assessment and/or the requirement for services/support from different agencies Introduction to the Common Assessment Framework Introduction

35 03 The common assessment process The Common Assessment Framework for children and young people A guide for managers

04 4.1 4.2 4.1 - 4.2

The common assessment process

4.1 This section of the guidance provides Figure 8: information about the common assessment The four-step common process to help managers to support assessment process STEP 1 practitioners delivering integrated working. Identify needs early STEP 2 The chapter also provides guidance for Identify whether the Assess those needs managers on how the CAF and integrated child/young person may Gather and analyse have additional needs, information on strengths working process can be embedded more possibly through using the and needs using the CAF effectively within their organisation. CAF pre-assessment checklist

4.2 The common assessment process Circumstances illustrated in Figure 8: and needs change • represents best practice – although it is acknowledged that, in some instances, Close flexibility may be required to meet the involvement specific needs of a child or young person and their circumstances • is a fluid process that may move Child and family

forwards and backwards between Needs delivery and review until needs are met met – if a fundamental change occurs, Needs STEP 3 STEP 4 not met Deliver integrated reassessment should be considered Review progress • should not put the child or young person, services Review the action and or the practitioner, at risk of harm. If you Determine, plan and deliver delivery plan. Identify further interventions to meet identified or the practitioner is concerned about any actions where necessary needs. Form a TAC and agree aspect of the process, you should seek and support child/young a lead professional expert advice person’s transitions if relevant The common assessment process

37 04 4.3 4.4

4.3 If at any time a practitioner is person. It is important that practitioners find concerned that a child or young person out whether a common assessment already has been harmed or abused, or is at risk exists (eg. by checking ContactPoint). of being harmed or abused, you must After reviewing the existing information, the ensure that they follow LSCB procedures. practitioner will decide whether to undertake The practice guidance What to do if You’re a common assessment with the agreement Worried a Child is Being Abused (HM of the child or young person and/or their Government, 2006) sets out the processes family as appropriate. to be followed by all practitioners. GO TO: www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/ Step 2: Assessing those needs safeguardingandsocialcare/ This involves the practitioner in a discussion safeguardingchildren/safeguarding with the child or young person and family, and as appropriate, combining available 4.4 The practitioner works with the child information from other practitioners to or young person through the four stages of understand the holistic needs of the child or the process. young person. They record this information on the CAF form, ensuring that the consent Step 1: Identifying needs early statement is signed by the child or young This involves the practitioner recognising person, or parent, in the appropriate place potential unmet needs, possibly using on the final version of the assessment form. the CAF pre-assessment checklist, and At the end of the discussion, the practitioner discussing the situation with the child will have a better understanding of the child or young person, involving parents or or young person’s needs and strengths, and carers unless this is not appropriate. what can be done to help. The practitioner may discuss this with you, colleagues, or others – possibly those already involved with the child or young

38 4.3 - 4.4

Step 3: Delivering integrated services another organisation without consulting This involves the practitioner agreeing that organisation. So it is important that the actions that their service and/or the you encourage practitioners to have a family can deliver, and considering what good knowledge of local services and may be needed from other services. This how they operate information is recorded on the CAF form. The practitioner ensures that the consent Step 4: Reviewing progress statement for recording the information and This involves the practitioner monitoring for sharing with specified agencies is signed progress and reviewing the common by the child or young person, or parent, in assessment and delivery plan. In the case the appropriate place on the final version of of multi-agency responses, it will involve the the assessment form. practitioner in multi-agency meetings and liaison between the TAC. Where a multi-agency response is required, the practitioner convenes a TAC to agree: If a review concludes that needs have been • the actions to be taken to meet the needs met (other than the need for continuing identified through the CAF – including universal services), the current process will what the child or young person and family come to an end. If there are still additional will do needs, there will be further discussion, • the person who will act as the lead possibly undertaking a further common professional assessment, to identify these and discuss • how integrated services will be delivered how they should be met. The review (based on a shared understanding of process also supports the child or young needs and systematic communication person’s smooth transition across universal, between services) targeted and specialist services. • the process for monitoring and review. The CAF does not give the practitioner the ability to guarantee a service from The common assessment process

39 04 4.5 4.6

The three CAF domains Table 1: Elements within the three domains 4.5 The CAF has three themes or ‘domains’ (see Table 1 for more detail): Development • health – • how well a child or young person is of child or general health, physical development and speech, language and developing, including their health and young person communications development progress in learning • emotional and social development • how well parents or carers are able to • behavioural development support their child or young person’s • identify, including self-esteem, self-image and social presentation development and respond appropriately • family and social relationships to any needs • self-care skills and independence • the impact of wider family and • learning – environmental elements on the child or understanding, reasoning and problem solving, participation young person’s development and on the in learning, education and employment, progress and capacity of their parents and carers achievement, aspirations

4.6 These domains have been developed Parents and • basic care, ensuring safety and protection by combining the underlying model of carers • emotional warmth and stability the Framework for the Assessment of • guidance, boundaries and stimulation Children in Need and their Families with the main elements used in other assessment Family and • family history, functioning and well-being frameworks, including the Connexions environment • wider family Framework for Assessment, Planning, • housing, employment and financial considerations Implementation and Review (APIR). • social and community elements and resources, including education

40 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.5 - 4.10

4.7 Using the CAF does not mean that Making the decision Recording common assessments each element needs to be assessed to the 4.8 The pre-assessment checklist can 4.9 The results of all common same level of detail or followed robotically. be used as an aid in deciding whether a assessments should be recorded on the The important thing is that practitioners common assessment is appropriate. The CAF form. A copy should be given to the consider the possibility of needs and checklist guides the practitioner through child or young person and their parent/ strengths within each element to the extent consideration of the five ECM outcomes carer (unless to do so could put the child or that it is relevant to the child or young in relation to the child or young person. young person at risk of harm), who should person at the time. You therefore need to If the practitioner has a doubt that the be encouraged to take it with them when support practitioners to develop the skills to child or young person will achieve positive they are in contact with services. Common ask questions that are relevant to the child outcomes, they need to consider whether assessment records should be stored or young person’s circumstances, and the to undertake a common assessment securely in filing systems or as part of case- presenting concerns. themselves or discuss with someone else working systems. The CAF form is designed who would be better placed to do so. to help practitioners record and, where It will not always be appropriate for appropriate, share their assessments and practitioners to comment on all areas but plans/recommendations for support. they should consider the whole child or young person, not just their own service 4.10 The delivery plan and review form focus. As with other frameworks, the CAF can be used for both single agency and relies on practitioner judgement and works multi-agency responses. Actions from the as a tool to support practice. Practitioners CAF action plan may be brought forward need to understand that the CAF is a into the delivery plan. Where a multi-agency framework for assessment, delivery and response is required, the practitioner will review. It is not an administrative task. need to organise a TAC and agree what support and actions each member of the TAC will undertake. It is important that the child or young person and/or their parent/ carer are part of the TAC. The common assessment process

41 04 4.11 4.12 4.13

Consent 4.12 In most circumstances (but see • follow agreed local policies for recording 4.11 The CAF is a voluntary assessment paragraphs 4.21 to 4.23 for exceptions), and renewing consent process and, as such, a child or young practitioners must only record and share • ensure that any information shared is person and/or their parent/carer must give CAF information with the explicit consent accurate and up-to-date, necessary for their consent at the start of the process of the child, young person or parent/carer. the purpose for which you are sharing it, for the assessment to take place in the This should not be a significant barrier if shared with those people who need to full knowledge of what will happen to this the practitioner and child, young person see it and shared securely information (eg. how it will be stored, who and family are working in partnership. will have access to it). Once the assessment Practitioners should also provide accessible 4.13 You may also need to consider has been undertaken, the child or young copies of relevant documents to the child whose consent should be sought. A child person and/or their parent/carer must again or young person and parent/carer as or young person, who has the capacity to give their consent for the information to appropriate. In undertaking a common understand and make their own decisions, be stored and shared with other services, assessment, the practitioner must: may give (or refuse) consent to sharing. preferably through signing the CAF form in • obtain informed consent for undertaking Children aged 12 or over may generally be the appropriate place on the final version of the CAF and for recording the information expected to have sufficient understanding. the assessment. • work with children, young people and Younger children may also have sufficient parents/carers to agree how information understanding. This is presumed in law for is recorded, used and shared young people aged 16 and older. When • obtain informed and ‘explicit’ consent assessing a child’s understanding you for sharing the information detailing should explain the issues to the child in a exactly what the consent is for and in way that is suitable for their age, language what circumstances it will apply. This and likely understanding. Where applicable, can be oral or written; written consent is you should use their preferred mode of preferable, eg. through a signature on the communication. Even if you assess that CAF and, if you have ongoing contact, the parent or carer should provide consent review this consent regularly rather than the child, children should be included in discussions with parents/carers

42 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.11 - 4.18

about how their information will be used, as 4.15 Where parental consent is required, 4.17 Information gathered as part of the far as is possible, as this will help them to the consent of one person is sufficient. CAF process is governed by the same rules gain in understanding. It will also help the In situations where family members are as any other personal information. Informed parent/carer to understand that there will in conflict, the practitioner will need to consent is required to undertake the CAF be a time when they cannot make these consider carefully whose consent should and to record the CAF information either decisions for their child. be sought. If the parents are separated, the on paper forms or in an eCAF system. (For more information see Information sharing: consent would normally be sought from the Information gathered as part of the CAF Guidance for practitioners and managers). parent with whom the child resides. If a care process (whether stored on an eCAF system order is in force, the local authority will share or not) should only be shared with the 4.14 Managers should ensure that parental responsibility with parent(s) and explicit consent of the child, young person practitioners consider consent on a case- practitioners should liaise with them about or parent/carer unless, in the practitioner’s by-case basis and take into account the questions of consent. judgement on the facts of the case, there maturity of the child or young person. Note: is sufficient public interest to share without Where a child or young person is deemed 4.16 If the child or young person and/ their consent4. (See paragraph 4.23). capable of giving consent, it is unlikely that or their parent or carer refuses consent for parental consent will override the decision the CAF to be undertaken, the practitioner 4.18 If the child or young person, or family, made by the child. However, practitioners should make a note of this in their personal do not consent to recording the information should always encourage children under 16 files for future reference. Where consent is in an eCAF system, nothing can be stored. to involve their parents/carers as appropriate. given, care should also be taken to respect However, this does not change the position the wishes of the child or young person and on information sharing as explained above. family regarding any information given to the practitioner that they do not wish to be recorded on the CAF form or shared with other services.

4 The subject of who to ask for consent and the public interest test is covered in the Information Sharing Guidance sections 3.22 onwards and 3.38 onwards respectively (address on next page). The common assessment process

43 04 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22

Confidentiality Sharing information from the CAF 4.22 Even where the practitioner does 4.19 Confidential information is: discussion without consent not have consent to share confidential • personal information of a private and 4.21 During the course of the CAF process information, they may lawfully share it if sensitive nature (or previous discussion), the practitioner may this can be justified in the public interest. • information that is not already lawfully in gather information that they believe they It is not possible to give guidance to cover the public domain or readily available from need to share without consent (because every circumstance in which sharing of another public source consent has been refused or because it confidential information without consent • information that has been shared in would be inappropriate to seek consent will be justified. Practitioners must make circumstances where the person giving (see information sharing guidance – address a judgement on the facts of the individual the information could reasonably expect on the next page – for further details). In this case. Where there is a clear risk of that it would not be shared with others case, the practitioner will need to consider significant harm to a child or young person, whether the information is confidential (see or serious harm to adults, the public interest 4.20 Confidential information should only paragraph above). If the information is not test will almost certainly be satisfied. be recorded on the CAF form if the child confidential, and the practitioner judges or young person/parent explicitly agrees to the sharing to be necessary for them to However, there will be other cases where this. If there is particular information that the fulfil a legitimate purpose, they may share practitioners will be justified in sharing some child, young person or parent does not want the information. confidential information in order to make recorded on the form or shared with others, decisions on sharing further information or the practitioner should record it only in their Note: This should not be done routinely as taking action. The information shared should confidential case records. a substitute for consent. be proportionate.

44 4.23 4.24 4.25 4.19 - 4.25

4.23 There are some circumstances where 4.24 In cases where the practitioner sharing confidential information without decides to share information without consent will normally be justified in the consent, they should record the reasons public interest. These are: for doing so. Practitioners should always • where there is evidence that the child or record decisions about information sharing young person is suffering, or is at risk of – with or without consent and whether the suffering, significant harm decision is to share or not to share. • where there is reasonable cause to believe that a child or young person may 4.25 There is more guidance on these be suffering, or is at risk of suffering, matters in Information Sharing: Guidance significant harm for practitioners and managers. If you are • to prevent significant harm arising to unsure, you should seek advice from your children and young people, or serious line manager or a nominated individual harm to adults, including through the whose role is to support you in these prevention, detection and prosecution of circumstances. If you are working in the serious crime5 NHS, the Caldicott Guardian may be helpful. GO TO: www.dcsf.gov.uk/ecm/ informationsharing

5 Serious crime for the purposes of this guidance means any crime which causes, or is likely to cause, significant harm to a child or young person, or serious harm to an adult. The common assessment process

45 04 Role and responsibilities of managers The Common Assessment Framework for children and young people A guide for managers

05 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.1 - 5.3

Role and responsibilities of managers

5.1 Effective implementation of the 5.3 Lessons learnt for effective • Develop a common vision and CAF requires leadership and management management of integrated working shared aims for integrated working. at all levels. These should focus on the benefits for • Lead from the front – offer a clear and children, young people and families to 5.2 The 2020 Children and Young visible leadership for CAF implementation. promote a joined-up approach across People’s Workforce Strategy (2008) professional boundaries. • Provide effective supervision for staff. describes how the government will work Further guidance on line management with partners to ensure that everyone in • Clarify the organisation’s commitment to supervision in integrated settings and the workforce receives the support and appropriate information sharing and ensure supervising the lead professional is development they need to achieve its vision staff understand information sharing available in the Team Around the Child that everyone who works with children and arrangements and procedures and the lead professional: a guide for young people should be: (or processes) within your organisation. managers and at • ambitious for every child and GO TO: www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/ • Recognise that the process requires young person providing-effective-supervision cultural change and that people need to • excellent in their practice be encouraged and supported to see the • committed to partnership and • Establish or provide access to CAF benefits and the importance of changing integrated working co-ordinators within your local area so ways of working. • respected and valued as a professional that practitioners can get the additional GO TO: www.dcsf.gov.uk/ support and guidance they require. • Develop the skills and confidence of everychildmatters/strategy/ practitioners and managers to undertake childrenandyoungpeoplesworkforce/ • Encourage and support practitioners to their role(s). This may involve considering workforcestrategy broaden their knowledge of local service your own training and development needs provision. Many local areas will have a as well as the training and development children’s service index which you may of staff. find useful. This will help practitioners to facilitate effective multi-agency working and ensure access to the most relevant service provision. Role and responsibilities of managers Role and responsibilities

47 05 5.4 5.5

Strategic leadership • introduce organisational arrangements to • appointing designated senior managers 5.4 The DCS has ultimate responsibility ensure that: responsible for driving the cultural change for ensuring co-operation between services, assessments are of good quality there required to implement the CAF within their including the operation of common are procedures for ensuring that common operational settings (eg. schools/colleges, assessment processes. They will need assessment information is acted upon health settings, targeted youth support6) to ensure that appropriate and effective there are processes for resolving disputes • acting as CAF champions measures are taken to: between practitioners, involving line • promoting a strong focus on early • engage Children’s Trust partners managers as appropriate there are identification of needs and strengths including schools; colleges; early years processes in each partner organisation • establishing, or assuring adherence to, services; health services; social, family for ensuring that all practitioners who local information sharing governance and community support; youth services; undertake common assessments, or frameworks and ensuring that good justice and crime prevention; sport and receive assessment information, have had practice in information sharing becomes culture and other partners in the third enhanced level Criminal Records Bureau embedded in working practices sector, to agree how the CAF will be (CRB) checks there are effective links with • supporting effective local communication implemented in the local area adult services to ensure a smooth transition of purpose and evidence of impact • enable all partners (statutory and third for young people between services • myth busting – eg. completing a CAF sector) to consider their current practice 5.5 Strategic managers also need to does not automatically mean you are the and what needs to change to bring about support CAF implementation by: lead professional integrated frontline services – including • demonstrating commitment to CAF at • establishing effective arrangements for the introduction of a multi-agency TAC senior levels within the Children’s Trust training and development (including local approach, lead professional role and area change plans containing details of good practice in information sharing the quantified targets for the number of

6 Targeted Youth Support (TYS) is a model of multi-agency working for vulnerable young people and those with additional needs aged 13-19. It aims to ensure that a young person’s needs are identified early and met by agencies working together effectively in ways that are shaped by the views and experiences of young people themselves. TYS aims to help vulnerable young people achieve the five ECM outcomes by addressing the risk factors that may result in poor outcomes, and helping to build vulnerable young people’s resilience.GO TO: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/Youth/targetedyouthtargeted/youthsupport

48 5.4 - 5.5

practitioners to be trained, by when and in Case study: recommendations for strategic managers which settings) The North West Region offers seven top recommendations on how to bring services together • demonstrating commitment to the and implement change. Common Core of Skills and Knowledge for children and young people’s workforce 1. Meet with key stakeholders face-to-face. 6. Reach those who cannot attend training; • supporting the development of good Work with stakeholders to establish best for example, through DVD training tools. practice principles and the sharing of practice rather than imposing it on them. 7. Enlist the help of volunteers from different good practice 2. Training programmes need to be services; for example, to deliver training • establishing area wide performance re-engineered to ensure that awareness on CAF protocols and processes. monitoring of CAFs – to establish quality of the CAF message remains undiluted. of assessment, and gather evidence of This will ensure best practice in For further details, see: impact on children and young delivering training. Sharing the Journey: Integrated Working in people’s lives 3. Training should be practical. This will give Practice – CWDC Share! 2008 practitioners confidence in carrying out a GO TO: www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/cwdc-share common assessment. 4. Support for practitioners must be in place. Where there is a coherent support structure for practitioners, CAF implementation has soared to high levels of success. 5. Address protocols. As awareness of CAF grows throughout agencies, work needs to be done to streamline protocols and extend them to other agencies. Role and responsibilities of managers Role and responsibilities

49 05 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10

Operational management • account taken of the time/workload more experienced in the CAF process. 5.6 In developing an effective local demands of the CAF process Buddying/mentoring programmes and operational system, managers need to • effective consultation processes to enable peer networking opportunities have proved ensure that the following structures are children and young people, and their popular in many areas. in place: families, to influence the way the CAF • a clear local (or area) delivery model that is process is carried out 5.9 Managers also have key understood by all local workers (eg. when responsibilities to ensure that good practice a CAF is used; what multi-agency panels 5.7 Operational managers should agree in information sharing is embedded within meet to respond; what happens when with each of their practitioners: and across their organisations, and to a child or young person is in transition • what their role will be in relation to support their practitioners in making between settings or services) the CAF information sharing decisions when • a designated CAF co-ordinator and/or • who can undertake common required. For more information, see system of co-ordination assessments HM Government Information Sharing: • locality-based CAF delivery/ • what training they will need to understand Guidance for practitioners and managers. implementation teams (eg. supporting the CAF and, if appropriate, undertake GO TO: www.dcsf.gov.uk/ecm/ local training; supporting networks; common assessments informationsharing offering a helpline or workshops/ • how and when they will receive surgeries on common operational appropriate training Co-ordinating common assessments challenges; convening multi-agency • how they will be supported in the workplace 5.10 To avoid duplication, managers should practitioner groups) also ensure that practitioners are aware of, • clear regular processes for practitioners and 5.8 When initially undertaking CAFs, and understand, the mechanisms for: child, young person and family to review practitioners may feel that the process • knowing whether a common assessment progress of action, and needs/outcomes takes time and is an additional burden. has already been undertaken for a • expectations relating to the CAF (eg. in Managers will need to support staff as particular child or young person job descriptions, supervision, training they become accustomed to the process • determining whether a previous common and development) through providing effective supervision and assessment is up-to-date and relevant helping staff to access other practitioners

50 5.11 5.6 - 5.11

• determining the relationship between Case study: a common assessment and any Top multi-agency training tips from East Riding specialist assessments that may have been completed 1. Lose the jargon: multi-agency training Hints and tips: • deciding whether a new or revised provides an incentive to break down any • embrace the opportunities multi-agency assessment is appropriate professional language barriers. It helps training brings to see families from • knowing which other practitioners have everyone realise that they are all working another professional perspective worked/are working with the same child towards the same objectives – better • seize the opportunity for all teams to or young person and who to contact/ outcomes for children, young people take part in finding a common liaise with and families. professional language • obtaining consent for information sharing 2. Give respect: multi-agency training can • go beyond ‘collecting information’ and recording any limits to that consent help teams to work respectfully with to a clear understanding of ‘analysis • storing and sharing CAF information one another. of information’ securely with other practitioners working 3. Joined-up thinking: multi-agency training with the same child or young person, has the capacity to promote joined-up For further details, see: either in local IT systems or National eCAF thinking that really hits the mark. Sharing the Journey: Integrated Working in when available or by other mechanisms Practice – CWDC Share! 2008 GO TO: www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/ 5.11 As ContactPoint is made available, cwdc-share it will support local CAF co-ordination. It will enable authorised practitioners to find out who else is working with the same child or young person, and see if a CAF has been undertaken and, if so, by whom. ContactPoint will also indicate where a lead professional has been appointed. Role and responsibilities of managers Role and responsibilities

51 05 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16

ContactPoint will not contain any case data covered by the Common Core of Skills and and behaviours for those who are leading or assessment details. It will not provide Knowledge. Local authorities should put and managing integrated children’s services. direct access to the CAF itself. in place arrangements to ensure suitably It provides a common understanding about trained practitioners are undertaking good the particular abilities required by leaders and Training and development common assessments. It is good practice to managers of these services. Individuals, teams 5.12 Managers in each service should encourage practitioners to undertake CAF and organisations can use this document agree locally which practitioners: assessments as soon as possible following as a planning tool to help develop the skills, • need to have knowledge of the CAF and the training. Managers should also put in knowledge and behaviours necessary know who to contact to obtain advice or place mechanisms to offer practitioners GO TO: www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/ arrange a common assessment training and ongoing advice with issues that championing-children • will need to be trained to undertake they feel ill equipped to tackle. common assessments GO TO: www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/common- 5.16 Information sharing. Managers need core to understand when and how information 5.13 Managers should ensure that can be shared legally and professionally in practitioners needing to undertake common 5.14 CAF training materials are available order to support their staff. assessments have all the skills and for use by trainers and practitioners in local knowledge they need. Undergoing CAF areas. These are part of a broader training Guidance, training and support materials specific training is important but will not strategy to help ensure that practitioners are available to support good practice in cover all the skills necessary to undertake are trained in the range of skills needed for information sharing by offering clarity on effective assessments. integrated working. when and how information can be shared GO TO: www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/ legally and professionally, in order to achieve Practitioners should have the generic skills strategy/deliveringservices1/iwtraining/training improved outcomes. The guidance also of assessment and the qualities needed to explains how organisations can support work with children and young people with 5.15 Managers should also consider their practitioners and ensure that good practice additional needs and their families. own training needs. Championing Children in information sharing is embedded. To undertake an effective CAF, practitioners – Skills and knowledge for managers of GO TO: www.dcsf.gov.uk/ecm/ will need to have the skills and knowledge integrated services is a framework that informationsharing establishes a shared set of skills, knowledge

52 5.12 - 5.16

Case study: Culture change in Leicestershire, Leicester City and Rutland Within the space of two years, a transformation occurred in children’s services. Working in partnership, the three local authorities implemented the roll-out of the CAF and training in integrated working.

The key stages of the journey. • Look in the mirror: practitioners reviewed • Establish decision-making: founded on Hints and tips: the way they traditionally provided their an understanding that ‘families often • recognise that any one service may only services and identified what needed to know best,’ Leicestershire, Leicester City hold part of the solution change. This included listening carefully to and Rutland have placed children, young • promote the concept that all practitioners families. people and families at the heart of their are a valued part of the transformation in • Set heart-felt ambition: firstly, all providers decision-making processes. practice that is needed will offer good-quality information, • Manage culture change: this is best • have a clear vision of where integrated irrespective of which service a family encapsulated in three positive mindsets: working is happening within your area initially contacts. Secondly, they will know 1. Identify champions – people who can what services are available locally and be influence within and across children’s For further details, see: able to signpost appropriately. service environments. Sharing the Journey: Integrated Working • Engage in creative joined-up thinking: 2. Work incrementally – signpost in Practice – CWDC Share! 2008 co-location has been a key strategy to small steps towards the goal of GO TO: www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/ simplify multi-agency communication. integrated working. cwdc‑share However, in some areas of Leicestershire, 3. Repeat the message – it is best never to they do not currently have Children’s assume that staff have heard important Centres or dedicated co-located messages first time. Following up with buildings, but managers are still able individual meetings is helpful when to get groups of practitioners to work addressing anxious questions. together using secondary and primary schools as their base. Role and responsibilities of managers Role and responsibilities

53 05 Operating the CAF across children’s services The Common Assessment Framework for children and young people A guide for managers

06 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.1 - 6.8

Operating the CAF across children’s services

Health services 6.4 Not only will the CAF be useful to independent sectors, colleges and other 6.1 Health service staff are well placed midwives and health visitors (as part of training providers, so that problems can be to spot, at an early stage, that a child may ante- and post-natal checks), it will also be identified and addressed at an early stage. have unmet additional needs as they assess helpful to school nurses, and those working For example, poor behaviour or attendance, children of all ages as part of the Healthy with children and young people in a range of which may be influenced by events beyond Child Programme. Key stages of early other health settings. the school but nevertheless impact on a assessment or contact include ante-natal child or young person’s education. The CAF screening, examination after birth, new birth 6.5 The White Paper, Our health, our can help professionals to establish quickly home visit and further regular examinations care, our say: a new direction for community which other practitioners are working with a and immunisations within the first few years. services (Department of Health, 2006), child and engage other services earlier and describes better assessment and care more reliably. This will help problems to be 6.2 As stated in The National Service planning through common assessment. addressed as quickly as possible, so that Framework for Children, Young People the child can focus on learning and improve and Maternity Services, the CAF can help 6.6 In the community, GPs are well educational outcomes. to reduce time spent on assessments (by placed to spot potential non-health related providing a holistic view of a child or young problems at an early stage, as will be those 6.8 The CAF can help the children person’s needs) and enable health service working in acute services and hospitals. and young people’s workforce in schools staff to liaise with other practitioners to These practitioners will need to consider undertake earlier intervention, building on provide co-ordinated and prompt intervention. who is best placed to undertake common their existing pastoral activities. Schools assessments. Although it is not envisaged may decide to link CAF activity; for example, 6.3 It is important that all parties that the majority of GPs will do assessments, by using the pre-assessment checklist, understand there needs to be appropriate it is important for them to have a level of with universal assessments such as sharing of information from the CAF, with knowledge of when one is needed. the Foundation Stage Profile and other consent, in order to involve other services. assessments for older children, to provide a At the same time, there may be some Schools, colleges and other broader check of a child’s progress. Where information (eg. from health assessments) educational services it is clear that needs can be entirely met that will remain confidential. 6.7 The CAF is particularly suitable through well-established mechanisms, such for use in schools, both in the public and as a visit from an education welfare officer Operating the CAF across children’s services children’s Operating the CAF across

55 06 6.9 6.10 6.11 6.12

to a school, a common assessment will not 6.10 It is for individual schools to • in-depth training in the process and the be necessary. determine who should undertake common skills required for those likely to assessments and therefore who will need undertake assessments 6.9 CAF is designed for use at lower training. It is likely that there will be a focus levels of need than statutory Special of staff already involved in pastoral care; This is because schools and Sure Start Educational Needs (SEN) or child protection. for example, education welfare officers, Children’s Centres are right at the heart of Those requiring statutory SEN assessment behaviour and education support teams the community. By 2010, there will be a by definition have complex needs that (BESTs), learning mentors and special children’s centre for every community and require in-depth specialist examination. educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs). all schools will offer access to extended However, there are a number of children There will not be a requirement for services, including swift and easy access who have lower-level (non-educational) classroom teachers to undertake to targeted and specialist services such needs. For these children, a common common assessments. as those offered by health professionals. assessment may be the best route to In secondary schools, this may take the targeted and, if necessary, specialist 6.11 Workers in Sure Start Children’s form of co-located, or visiting, multi-agency services that they are not already receiving. Centres and schools, especially those teams who can provide advice on a wide The CAF would enable the children and offering access to extended services, range of issues affecting children, young young people’s workforce in schools to are ideally placed to take forward the people and their families, including sexual identify any factors outside school that may government’s ECM objectives. Many areas health issues. be impacting on the child’s learning which have adopted a three-tier approach to would benefit from discussions with other training: 6.12 It makes sense to locate services professionals from other services. Where a • awareness training for all the children and where children and young people spend CAF indicated that the child might require young people's workforce much of their time. This makes schools further (specialist) assessment, for example • more advanced training for managers the most likely bases for the co-location of under statutory SEN procedures, the core and those who may frequently come into services. Adoption of the CAF by workers in data from the common assessment can be contact with the CAF process, and need these co-located services will help to develop used to feed into that process. to know when and how to instigate it a culture of multi-agency working and ensure children and young people’s additional needs are identified at an early stage.

56 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 6.17 6.18 6.9 - 6.18

6.13 School governors now have a 6.15 The Act ensured that, from 2008, all would be helpful for a common statutory responsibility for the well-being of young children have access, through the assessment to be undertaken for a child pupils. Schools are inspected against the new Early Years Foundation Stage, to an or young person. five ECM outcomes. School improvement integrated learning and care experience, to partners have an important role to support enable them to achieve the best outcomes– CAF training should be provided for all staff and challenge schools including: helping and that parents/carers have the choice of a in the early years sector within the wider the leadership to evaluate the school’s consistent, high-quality offer. context of: performance; identifying priorities for • these developments improvement; and planning effective 6.16 The CAF is appropriate for a wide • The 2020 Children and Young People’s change. Their role is to build the school’s range of practitioners working in the early Workforce Strategy capacity to improve the attainment of pupils years sector including Sure Start Children’s • Next Steps for Early Learning and and to achieve other key outcomes for Centres to undertake an early, holistic Childcare pupils that bear on achievement. assessment of a child when they consider • the move towards extended services in the child may have unmet additional needs. schools and integrated services in Sure Early years services The CAF can help staff in all settings Start Children’s Centres 6.14 The Childcare Act 2006 gives consider whether other services should be • proposals for a national training and statutory force to key commitments in involved so as to best promote children’s qualifications framework for early years the government’s Ten Year Strategy for learning and development. It will be education, childcare and play work Early Childcare, Choice for Parents, the Best Start necessary for all providers to consider how Support programme for Children. It includes important duties on the use of the CAF will become embedded local authorities to: improve the outcomes in their policy and procedures both within Early Support programme of all children under five, and close the gaps and between organisations. 6.18 The support needs of young disabled between those with the poorest outcomes children and their families can encompass and the rest, by ensuring early years services 6.17 Local authorities may wish to offer a wide range of circumstances, services are integrated and accessible; and secure private, voluntary and independent settings and practitioners. The relationship between sufficient childcare to meet the needs of their with a link person who can provide advice the CAF and the Early Support programme communities – in particular, those on low and support in use of the CAF, or to whom will, therefore, be flexible and interactive, incomes and with disabled children. practitioners can refer when they consider it developing in different ways in different Operating the CAF across children’s services children’s Operating the CAF across

57 06 6.19 6.20 6.21 6.22

circumstances. The CAF and the more 6.19 However, it is important for those of referrals to social care teams. Practitioners detailed Family File in the Early Support working with families with young disabled in social care teams will therefore need to Family Pack are mutually supportive. The children to recognise that completing a be able to discuss, use and build upon Family File facilitates better exchange of common assessment may not be necessary common assessments undertaken by information about a child and family, and where a child’s known additional support a range of practitioners. In undertaking keeps track of multiple contacts, where needs are already being met. An example initial assessments under section 17 of the more than one service is involved. Among of this is the case of a child with disabilities Children Act 1989 for those children or other things, it can help when the initial discharged from hospital with a range of young people who have had a common assessment of a child’s situation involves known specialist support needs in the first assessment, practitioners should work meetings with a range of practitioners weeks or months of life. A co-ordinated together to make sure that relevant common working across health and other services. approach using the family file should result assessment information feeds into the in a selection of additional services being specialist assessment. It is important that A common assessment may, for example, provided. A common assessment may children’s social care workers understand be undertaken as a first step, because be needed at a future date to clarify and and know how to use information, and where of concern about a child’s development. address additional issues, such as housing appropriate, undertake the CAF. The assessment would then develop into and equipment needs associated with a multi-agency assessment of the child’s caring for the child at home. At this stage, 6.21 The CAF does not replace the needs. Subsequently, it would become ‘core data’ about the child and family from Framework for the Assessment of Children appropriate for the family to begin using the the early support process would inform the in Need and Their Families, which is Early Support Family Pack. As multi-agency common assessment. statutory guidance issued under section 7 involvement with the family increases, of the Local Authority Social Services the information collected by the common Social care services Act 1970. assessment would inform the early 6.20 Over time, the CAF is likely to support process. become the main basis for inter-agency 6.22 The structure of the CAF has taken information sharing and referral for children into account the structure of the Integrated or young people for whom there are welfare Children’s System so that the appropriate concerns. This will help improve the quality exchange of assessment information between these two functions is easier.

58 6.23 6.24 6.25 6.26 6.27 6.28 6.19 - 6.28

6.23 Particular regard may need to be Information System will need to reflect local 6.27 The CAF will not replace Asset, given to joint working between children CAF requirements. which is a statutory assessment specific and adult services when the CAF has been to offending issues, or Onset which undertaken specifically because of a child 6.25 Given the similarity of the CAF to the has a specific focus on predicting and or young person’s caring responsibilities. APIR assessment, it is expected that APIR- identifying offending behaviour and which There may also need to be contact with trained Connexions staff will be able to use YIPs and YISPs are required to use. YOTs children with disability teams in the case of common assessment after some awareness and preventative services such as YISPs, sibling carers. training. In the longer term, it is envisaged YIPs and junior YIPs should continue to GO TO: www.youngcarer.com for details of that the APIR assessment elements of the use Asset/Onset as required by the Youth The Children’s Society Whole Family Connexions training for personal advisers Justice Board to ensure that assessments Pathway which signposts professionals to will become CAF training. and interventions are effective in addressing services which will support the whole family offending related problems. However, where there are unmet care needs. Youth justice the CAF, which is a holistic assessment 6.26 The CAF has a significant role to play tool, should be used to support referrals Youth support services/Connexions in the work of youth justice agencies. Youth from these youth justice agencies where 6.24 The Green Paper Youth Matters, Offending Teams (YOTs), Youth Inclusion the involvement of professionals in other sets out a vision and new arrangements Programmes (YIPs) and Youth Inclusion services is required. for the delivery of youth support services. and Support Panels (YISPs) work on a It is intended that these services should multi-agency team basis. The CAF can 6.28 The assessments should be linked to use a new single assessment process as be used to build on Asset/Onset when a avoid unnecessary duplication of information the basis for assessment and support for young offender (or young person at risk of between the common assessment and the young people. The CAF has replaced the offending) may have needs that are outside Asset and Onset assessment tools. Asset assessment aspects of the Connexions the scope of the YOT or YISP, to determine is fully electronic, and the National eCAF Framework APIR. It is for individual which other services need to be involved should help to facilitate appropriate sharing Connexions partnerships to decide at a and engage those services. of assessment information. local level the exact time frame within which this change takes place. The assessment data held on the Connexions Customer Operating the CAF across children’s services children’s Operating the CAF across

59 06 6.29 6.30 6.31 6.32 6.33 6.34

Drug and alcohol services Third sector organisations should be given clear guidance on how 6.29 Drug action teams (DATs) have 6.32 Third sector organisations play a to raise concerns about a child or young developed local screening tools to help vital role in improving the life chances of person and how a common assessment identify the risk of substance misuse. children and young people. The third sector is undertaken. Many areas are establishing links between workforce is diverse and encompasses these tools and the CAF to support further practitioners from a variety of professional 6.34 The Association of Chief Police assessment where a substance misuse and non-professional backgrounds, Officers (ACPO) has agreed that: issue has been identified. Training for part‑time and volunteer workers, many of • some police officers need to be trained to practitioners needs to take into account the whom may well have good knowledge of, undertake common assessments. These links between these assessments. and relationships with, the child or young officers will primarily be in multi-agency person and their family. As such, it will be settings; for example, those seconded 6.30 Each area is required to provide appropriate for these workers to have an to YOTs, school beat officers, and family young people’s substance misuse services. awareness of the CAF and knowledge of liaison/domestic violence liaison officers It is important that there are robust who to contact within their organisation if • there should be general CAF awareness protocols in place covering care pathways they think a common assessment might be training, which may include how to use and referral procedures for both adult and needed. Local areas will need to ensure that the CAF checklist, to be incorporated into young people’s substance misuse services, third sector organisations are engaged in initial training for all police beat officers jointly owned by the DAT/Community Safety multi-agency training appropriately. over time. This will enable police officers to Partnership and Children’s Trust. consider whether it is appropriate to make Police, National Offender Management a referral to a colleague or another service 6.31 Staff in adult drug and alcohol Service and Immigration Service to undertake a common assessment services also have a key role in the 6.33 Police officers often are the first to • the majority of officers will not undertake identification of children or young people have contact with families in very vulnerable common assessments themselves; with unmet needs. Action should be situations. They therefore have a crucial role they should, however, always consider taken locally to equip these staff with an in the early identification of children and CAF when in contact with children and awareness of CAF procedures and to which young people with additional unmet needs. know who would undertake a common practitioners and services they should refer, It is important that there is a good level of assessment if required to take forward an assessment. CAF awareness among police officers who

60 6.35 6.36 6.37 6.38 6.39 6.40 6.29 - 6.40

6.35 National Offender Management should undertake a common assessment considered such information would be Service staff will, generally, not be expected when one is appropriate. helpful to that assessment. It may be easiest to undertake common assessments, as to do this via the local authority social YOTs will have undertaken one prior to a 6.37 The Immigration Service is services or children’s services. young person being placed in custody. considering whether their operational However, an awareness of the CAF would managers should receive CAF training, Other organisations providing support enable staff to consider a referral to a particularly in areas where immigration is a and services to children, young people relevant practitioner where there may be major local issue or where the local authority and families a need for a common assessment to be wants the CAF to be used as the means of 6.39 Practitioners working in other undertaken. CAF awareness training has referral. Generally, it is not envisaged that organisations providing support and been included in the Juvenile Awareness Immigration Service staff would undertake services to children, young people and Staff Programme (JASP) for those National common assessments because most families (eg. housing and homelessness Offender Management Service staff who officers have little contact with children or services) will be well placed to use the CAF, have contact with young people. young people. However, approximately ten particularly if working in multi-agency teams, per cent of immigration staff receive special and should be trained accordingly. 6.36 Some National Offender training to interview children or young Management Service staff will be expected people, and these individuals will need CAF 6.40 It will also be a priority for local to undertake and/or contribute to common awareness training. This will help them, authorities to ensure that those who are assessments, where they play a significant where necessary, in making referrals/contact working with children and young people role in contributing to the work of multi- with other organisations and professionals. in other organisations are aware of agency teams; for example, probation substance misuse issues when using the officers seconded to YOTs; domestic 6.38 If a child or young person being CAF. Practitioners using the CAF should violence safety workers; and those providing assessed is not a British citizen, and may refer young people with substance misuse services to victims of serious, violent or not have the right to remain indefinitely in needs for further assessment or put them in sexual offences (potentially the offence the UK, the Home Office’s Immigration and contact with appropriate services. could be against a child or young person). Nationality Directorate can be contacted All staff should have a general awareness for further information on the child or young of the CAF so that they are aware of who person’s immigration status where it is Operating the CAF across children’s services children’s Operating the CAF across

61 06 Annex and Resources The Common Assessment Framework for children and young people A guide for managers

07 Annex A: Every Child Matters outcomes and aims

Be healthy • physically healthy • healthy lifestyles • mentally and emotionally healthy • choose not to take illegal drugs • sexually healthy

Stay safe • safe from maltreatment, neglect, violence and • safe from crime and anti-social behaviour in and out sexual exploitation of school • safe from accidental injury and death • have security, stability and are cared for • safe from bullying and discrimination

Enjoy and • ready for school • achieve personal and social development, and achieve • attend and enjoy school enjoy recreation • achieve stretching national educational standards • achieve stretching national educational standards at primary school at secondary school

Make a • engage in decision-making and support the • develop self-confidence and successfully deal with positive community and environment significant life changes and challenges contribution • engage in law-abiding and positive behaviour in and • develop enterprising behaviour out of school • develop positive relationships and choose not to bully and discriminate

Achieve • engage in further education, employment or training • live in decent homes and sustainable communities economic on leaving school • access to transport and material goods well-being • ready for employment • live in households free from low income Annex

63 07 Resources

Common Assessment Framework Lead professional Information sharing Early identification, assessment of needs The Team Around the Child and lead Information Sharing: Guidance for and intervention: the Common Assessment professional: Co-ordinating and delivering practitioners and managers and other Framework for children and young people – integrated services for children and young supporting documents a guide for practitioners people – a guide for practitioners www.dcsf.gov.uk/ecm/informationsharing www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/caf www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/lead-professional ContactPoint: The Common Assessment Framework The Team Around the Child and lead www.dcsf.gov.uk/ecm/contactpoint and schools: fact sheet professional: Co-ordinating and delivering www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/strategy/ integrated services for children and young National eCAF: deliveringservices1/caf/cafframework people – a guide for managers www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/strategy/ www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/lead-professional deliveringservices1/caf/ecaf/ecaf Non-statutory guidance for children’s services and housing services in using Integrated services Training the Common Assessment Framework Championing Children: a framework for National core training materials are available when dealing with young people those who are leading and managing at www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/ who are homeless or at risk of being integrated children’s services strategy/deliveringservices1/iwtraining/ made homeless. www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/ training www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/strategy/ championingchildren deliveringservices1/caf/cafframework Families Making It Happen: booklet supporting Think Family: an initiative to improve support the implementation of effective frontline for the most disadvantaged families and integrated working practice prevent problems passing down from www.dcsf.gov.uk/ecm/resources-and- excluded parents to their children practice/IG00130 www.dcsf.gov.uk/ everychildmatters/strategy/parents/ workingwithparentscarersandfamilies

64 Health Organisations Healthy lives, brighter futures: the strategy Council for Disabled Children (CDC): for children and young people’s health provides a national forum for the discussion www.dh.gov.uk/en/ and development of a wide range of policy Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/ and practice issues relating to service PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/ provision and support for disabled children DH_094400 and young people and those with special educational needs. Care Co-ordination Network UK: promotes www.ncb.org.uk/cdc and supports care co-ordination and key working services for disabled children and their families. www.ccnuk.org.uk

Children in Need Integrated Children’s System: framework for working with Children in Need and their families www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/ safeguardingandsocialcare/ integratedchildrenssystem/ics Annex

65 07 Notes

66 Notes Resources

67 07 The Children’s Workforce Development Council leads change so thousands of professionals and volunteers across England can do the best job they possibly can.

We want England’s children and young people’s workforce to be respected by peers and professionals and valued for the positive difference it makes to children, young people and their families.

We advise and work in partnership with lots of different organisations and people who want the lives of all children and young people to be healthy, happy and fulfilling.

You can download this document online at: www.cwdcouncil.org.uk www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/strategy/deliveringservices1/caf/cafframework

Extracts from this document may be reproduced for non-commercial education or training purposes on the condition that the source is acknowledged. © This publication is the copyright of the For more information please call 0113 244 6311 or visit www.cwdcouncil.org.uk Children’s Workforce Development Council Or write to CWDC, 2nd Floor, City Exchange 2009. We like our communications to 11 Albion Street, Leeds LS1 5ES have an impact on you – but not on the email [email protected] environment – which is why this document or fax us on 0113 390 7744. is printed on 100% recycled paper.

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