Nottinghamshire Common Assessment Framework Handbook

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Which practitioners might use the CAF? n any practitioner in any service that works with children, young people and families might use the CAF. This includes practitioners who work in services for adults, as many adults accessing those services are also parents/carers and may need a Common Assessment for their child n the CAF is a tool for early intervention work to support children or young people, so it is most likely to be used by practitioners in universal services or by practitioners providing targeted early intervention support n the first practitioner who identifies that a CAF is needed is responsible for ensuring that a CAF is completed. This person either completes the CAF or arranges for an appropriate person to do so. How does the CAF relate to other assessments? n the CAF is the assessment tool for integrated early intervention work to support children who are not making the progress we would expect for their age, and are at risk of poor outcomes n some children who have a CAF assessment may have other assessments for specific purposes; for example, health assessments such as a speech and language assessment, or school assessments relating to educational attainment. A summary of these assessments may be included within the CAF, with the family’s permission n the CAF does not replace statutory or specialist assessments for children with complex needs. This includes children with disabilities, looked after children, children who are young offenders, and children at risk of harm n if a child requires specialist services, she or he may have previously been supported by practitioners in universal or targeted services who have completed a CAF assessment. A practitioner in a specialist support service who undertakes a statutory assessment should use any existing CAF as a source of information. 1.6 Using the CAF in Nottinghamshire: Principles The CAF process should fully involve children, young people, parents and carers. The following principles support this way of working: 1) Use a strengths based approach n respect children, young people and parents n listen to and value what they tell you n focus on strengths as well as needs n ensure that the child, young person or carer is fully involved in decision making and planning. 2) Seek consent to work with a family and to share information about them Whether to do a CAF is a decision that you should make jointly with the child or young person and/or their parent(s)/carer(s). To complete a CAF, you need the consent of either a parent/carer or of a child or young person who is competent to give consent. If a family chooses not to use the CAF, you should continue to work with them in other ways that they find helpful. In most circumstances, you must seek consent before sharing information. If you are concerned that a child may be at risk of significant harm, you may need to share information without consent. You must ensure that you follow Nottinghamshire Safeguarding Children Board procedures, available online at www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/nscb. 3
You can find out more about consent and information sharing in these documents: n The Nottinghamshire Common Assessment Handbook available online at: www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/commonassessmentframework n Information sharing: Guidance for Practitioners and Managers (2008) n Information Sharing: Case Examples (DFES, 2006), all available online at: n www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/deliveringservices/informationsharing 3) Use your professional knowledge and experience to decide how to complete the CAF The CAF provides you with a structured way of recording information about a child or young person and his/her family. You should use your professional judgement to decide what strengths and needs to record in each section of the assessment. In the document listed below, you will find some ideas about when to complete a CAF and what you might record in each section. These are not checklists and are not a substitute for professional judgement – you and the family are the people who are best placed to decide when to use the CAF and what you need to record within the CAF. 1.7 Using the CAF in Nottinghamshire: CAF Process Summary The first practitioner who identifies that a CAF is needed is responsible for ensuring that a CAF is completed. This person either completes the CAF or arranges for someone else to do so. The CAF process can be summarised in three stages: 1. Preparation 2. Discussion 3. Delivery Seek the consent of the child/young person or parent/ carer Check if a CAF already exists Talk to other workers if you need more information Complete CAF assessment together with child/ young person and or parent/carer Use CAF form to record strengths, needs and goals and agreed action Deliver agreed actions in a coordinated way (This may mean setting up a multiagency family support group to meet regularly) Monitor and review progress The standard CAF process assumes that the family prefers to talk with one practitioner. This practitioner will act on behalf of the family to contact other practitioners and seek their views. She or he will then discuss this information with the family and complete the CAF assessment. You may find that you need to vary this process sometimes to meet the unique needs of a family. You may complete the CAF in any way and in any place that suits you and the family provided you ensure that you always: n work in a strength-based way n work with the family at all stages and seek consent where appropriate n inform the Integrated Services Team about all work that you do. 4
Page 1 and 2: The Nottinghamshire Common Assessme
Page 3 and 4: 6. Appendices Appendix A Appendix B
Page 5 and 6: Section 1 The Common Assessment Fra
Page 7: 1.3 The Nottinghamshire CAF Paperwo
Page 11 and 12: 1.8 What do we mean by Early Interv
Page 13 and 14: 1.11 Forms to be used in Nottingham
Page 15: 4. If multi-agency support is neede
Page 18 and 19: 2.1 Rationale for the Lead Professi
Page 20 and 21: 2.6 Team Around the Child (TAC)/ Mu
Page 22 and 23: 3.1 List of Frequently Asked Questi
Page 24 and 25: involve, contact your local JAT rep
Page 26 and 27: Multi-Agency Family Support Meeting
Page 29 and 30: Section 4 Information Sharing withi
Page 31 and 32: 4.3 Context: Summary of National Gu
Page 33: 4.5 Seven Golden Rules for Informat
Page 36 and 37: 5.1 Nottinghamshire Quality Assuran
Page 38 and 39: Stage 3: The Audit of the CAF Proce
Page 41 and 42: Section 6 Appendices This section i
Page 43 and 44: Learning Understanding, reasoning a
Page 45 and 46: Family and home situation Use this
Page 47 and 48: Assessment of Strengths and Needs -
Page 49 and 50: Child/young person’s comments on
Page 51 and 52: • Having a positive impact on oth
Page 53 and 54: Review progress and goals Action Wh
Page 55 and 56: To ensure that there is only one CA
Page 57 and 58: Appendix G Team Around the Child Me
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Appendix H Nottinghamshire Common A
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Appendix I Nottinghamshire Common A
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Appendix J CAF My Feelings Colourin
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CAF My Feelings Number Line Date...
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CAF My Feelings Feedback Record For
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CAF My Feelings Feedback Record For
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Appendix L Common Assessment Framew
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Appendix M Common Assessment Framew
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Appendix N CAF Quality Review Form
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Conclusions, solutions and actions
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Section 2-In Depth Review Not compl
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Section 3-Evaluation of the Partici
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Section 4-Measurement of the Effect
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Appendix O Common Assessment Framew
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Appendix P Common Assessment Framew
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Section 7 Resources This section in
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For further information contact: No
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Nottinghamshire Common Assessment Framework Handbook

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