Common Assessment Framework

The way things used to be:

Healthcare Staff

Youth Offending Team

Child Psychologist

Connexions PA

Educ. Welfar

e Officer

s

SENCO & Educationa

l psychologi

sts

LEA special

educational needs

EWSConnexio

nsCAMHS YOT

Universal Healthca

re

Socialworker

s

Social Servic

es

Health

Visitor

PCT

All Other Practitioners

All Other Agencies

Education Staff

Universal Education

Conduct

Disorder

Statement of SEN

Children in

Need

At Risk Registe

r

ASSET

APIRRisks

toparents

= assessment

= practitioner

= agency

Background to Integrated Working

Lord Laming’s enquiry in 2003 into the tragic death of Victoria Climbié identified fault lines in the system:

• Interventions only when the family’s situation got critical• Support sequential & intermittent• Poor communication between agencies• Little integration of services • Weak supervision & accountability

The Vision

Healthcare Staff

Youth Offending Team

Connexions PA

LEA Inclusion Services

Youth & Play Servic

e

Connexions

CAMHSYOT / YISP

PCT & Acute Health

Socialworker

s

Specialist

services

Housing

Birmingham Children & Young People’s Plan

All Other Practition

ers

Voluntary

Orgs

Education Staff

Universal

Education

Lead Practitioner

Service Directory

Information Sharing

Guidance

Common Assessment Framework

Local servic

es

CAMHS

MDT

Youth & Play Worke

rs

SENCO, Ed psychologist EWO’s

etc

Integrated Front-Line ServiceDelivery

Children’s Centres

Integrated YouthSupport

Children’sNSF

Extended Schools

Safeguarding

Youth crimeReduction

Children & Young People’s Board

Outcomes for children & young people

Background of CAF

Every Child Matters: Green paper, 2003

Every Child Matters: The Next Steps

The Children Act, 2004

Every Child Matters: Change for Children

Other Acts, Programmes, Policies

Published alongside the formal response to the report into the death of Victoria Climbié, the young girl who was horrifically abused, tortured, and eventually killed by her great aunt and the man with whom they lived.

Published; then The Children Act 2004 passed, providing the legislative spine for developing more effective and accessible services focused around the needs of children, young people and families.

Section 10: Duty to Co-operate to improve well-being

Section 11: Safeguarding and promoting welfare of childrenNational framework for local change programmes… shifting the focus from dealing with the consequences of difficulties in children(s) lives to preventing things from going wrong in the first place.

Birmingham Children’s Plan

Every Child Matters is a new approach to the well-being of children and young people from birth to age 19.

The Government's aim is for every child, whatever their background or their circumstances, to have the support they need to:

be healthy stay safe enjoy and achieve make a positive contribution achieve economic well-being

Be Healthy Physically, mentally, emotionally & sexually healthy Healthy lifestyles

Stay Safe Safe from maltreatment, neglect, violence & sexual exploitation; accidental injury & death

Safe from bullying & discrimination, crime & anti-social behaviour

Safe from crime & anti-social behaviour in & out of school

Have security/stability & are cared for

Enjoy & Achieve Ready for school, attend & enjoy school

Achieve national educational standards

Achieve personal & social development & enjoy recreation

Make a Positive Contribution Engage in law-abiding behaviour in & out of school

Develop positive relationships

Develop self confidence & deal with life changes

Achieve Economic Well-Being Engage in FE; ready for employment

Live in decent homes/sustainable communities

Live in households free from low-income

Aim of Every Child Matters

Standard assessment can be used by all agencies working with children/young

people

CAF – Assessment

Child/young person focused

-9mths to 19yrs (25yrs with ….disabilities or care leavers)

Based on consent

Holistic: multi-agency …response

Link to statutory assessments

CAF – Process

Integrated working

Engagement of parents /young people

Information Sharing

Transparent

Common Assessment Framework

The CAF as part of a continuumPromoting Children’s Well-being in Birmingham

I = Identification and action T = Transition N = Needs met

Go straight to level 4 as soon as risk of significant harm suspected

CommonAssessment Frameworkundertaken

CHILDSafeguard

& Promoting welfare

CH

ILD

’S D

EVEL

OPM

ENTA

L N

EED

S PAREN

TING

CAPAC

ITY

FAMILY & ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

Pre-CAF Checklist &

consider CAF Assessment

Referral for Statutory Assessment

Integrated Support PlanMeeting with practitioners and family

Lead Practitioner allocated

Pre Assessment Checklist Identify need

CAFComplete assessment with Child/Family

Gain consent for information sharing

ReviewMeeting with practitioners and family

Review progress on ISP

EvaluationFamily and Lead Practitioner evaluations

CAF Stages

CAF can be used with any unborn baby, new baby, child or young person who has additional, unmet needs

It does not need to be done with everyone

CAF is NOT child protection – where these concerns exist BSCB procedures should be followed

Common assessment is likely to be of help when:

• Age appropriate progress is not being made and causes are unclear

• The support of more than one agency is needed

Common assessment need not be done where:

• Progress is satisfactorily• Needs are already identified and are being met

• Needs are clear and can be met by the family or by the assessing agency

CAF or Not to CAF

Monica has recently arrived in Birmingham from Southampton. She is a single mother with four children; two boys of 13 and 3 yrs and two girls of 14 and 18 months. The children have no contact with their father who is currentlyin Prison.

Monica is keen to start a new life in Birmingham but is concerned that she has left behind her extended social support network.

Monica has been engaged in a substitute prescribing programme for the past 15 years and Southampton CDT has made arrangement for her treatment to be transferred to Aston CDT.

It is hoped that once settled she will be able to receive her treatment through the GP that she has recently registered with as they are part of the Shared Care Scheme.

CAF Case Study

As part of her transfer arrangements the Drug Worker at Aston CDT has undertaken a reassessment and devised a care plan to support Monica’s move to Birmingham. Monica is very proud of her children and is keen to support them in settling in Birmingham.

She discloses to the Drug Worker that she is worried that the 3 yr old boy is not talking very well and relies on his older brothers & sisters to communicate for him.

She also mentions that one of the reasons thatshe has left Southampton is that her 13 yr old son was getting involved with the ‘wrong crowd’ and that he has been very quiet since his Dad went to prison. She is concerned because he has already had a fixed term exclusion from school for ‘violent outbursts’.

What are the Drug Workers next steps………..

CAF Case Study

Concern about the child or young personof an Parent/Carer engaging with an Adult Service

Child or Young Personat risk of harm

Referral to Specialist Services(Child Protection)

Yes

No

Pre-assessment completedby Adult Service & sent to

appropriate agency

Pre-assessment reviewed by Agency

Multi-agencyResponse with CAF

1st Integrated Support Plan Meeting.Adult Service to attend to:

• Clarify role of Adult Service• Establish client confidentiality

• Contribute to ISP

If Parent withdraw fromAdult Service or treatment ends

ISP Review Meetings.

CAF Episode Ends

Child orYoung Personat risk of harm

No Yes

ISP Review Meetings.Adult Service to submit report using

CAF documentation

YesNo

No further action, butcontinue to

monitor situation

Follow your Agencies

safeguardingprocedures

Felt to beAt risk

Adult Services & theCommon Assessment Framework

Single agencyResponse

13 year old boy• Pre-assessment checklist:

• Anger management• Trauma of Dad’s arrest• Not settling to area• Behaviour at school• Social isolation• Potential pre-criminalised

Sent to School

Children’s Services next steps:

• After school activities• Counselling• Anger Management• PAYP – YISP• Connexions

CAF Process

CAF Case Study: Action Plan

18 month & 3 year old• Ineed2know.org.uk search for local Children’s Centre

Signpost Mum/phone call to Centre

• Social network for Mum• Mum’s & Toddlers Group• Day nursery Provision• 1st stage Speech & Language (SLT)

Referral on to Specialist SLT

14 year old girlReferral to Connexions