early help for vulnerable children the caf and beyond tuesday 2 nd july 2013
DESCRIPTION
EARLY HELP FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN The CAF and Beyond Tuesday 2 nd July 2013. Localised changes to the CAF Form. Delivered by: Gill Downton, CAF Manager. The CAF is NOT simply a FORM to fill in!. It is a 4 step PROCESS which is supported by a standard form The process includes: - - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
It is a 4 step PROCESS which is supported by a standard form
The process includes: -
A consent based holistic assessment focussing on needs and strengths
Team Around the Child (TAC) meetings & an identified a Lead Professional
The delivery of a multi-agency action plan instead of several uncoordinated single agency plans
A review process
The CAF is NOT simply a FORM to fill in!
Benefits
> Early intervention
> Improved joint working
> Much clearer information about family situations – a structure under which to gather that information
> Parent/carer engagement & empowerment
> Parent/carer and/or Young Person given a voice
> A multiagency plan instead of several service specific plans – reducing overlap & providing common goals and shared responsibility
> Engagement of agencies
> Preserved history – a picture built up over time
> Myth blowing assumptions about who is involved and doing what
New CAF Form Explained
Reduced from 9 pages to 6
Covers the same three areas as the original form i.e. Development of the child; Parent and carers; Family and environment but with less boxes to fill in!
You can add more than one child to the form so that it can be used as a family CAF
The Form is a PDF - the boxes do not expand instead the text shrinks
The Form can be downloaded from the Bromley Safeguarding Board Website with immediate effect
What Makes a Good Assessment
- QUALITY OF INFORMATION…
Clear explanation as to what has triggered the CAF (reason for assessment)
Evidence – informed by fact and by attributing information e.g. who said what or observed what
Qualify frequency/ duration, not ‘often’ or ‘sometimes’
Set the scene well – comment on all 3 domains. Note something in every box – do not put N/A or no comments as this has no meaning
Enough detail but not too much; avoid jargon/ acronyms
What Makes a Good Assessment?- ACTION PLANNING
Set a clear plan of action: with dates & who is responsible for delivery
Ensure any actions are achievable and solution focussed
Set a review date and review on a minimum of a 3 monthly basis
Review, Review, Review!!
The CAF Team in Bromley
Gill Downton – CAF Manager
Andrea Bennett – Education Welfare Officer (3 days)
Richard Madden – CAF Social Worker
Anisha Patel – CAF Social Worker
Kayleigh Shaw – Administrator
Contact Details: Bromley Central Library, 3rd Floor, High Street, Bromley. BR1 1EXTel: 020 8461 7174Fax: 020 8466 0587
Role of the CAF Team
The CAF Team (currently 4.6 FTE inc Manager and Administrator) is responsible for: -
providing appropriate training, support, advice and information to practitioners using the framework;
offering a chairing facility for complex ‘Team Around the Child’ meetings;
the management of Information Systems relating to CAF including a central depository for all CAFs;
monitoring and auditing CAF implementation & progress within Bromley.
Contact Details: Bromley Central Library, 3rd Floor, High Street, Bromley. BR1 1EXTel: 020 8461 7174Fax: 020 8466 0587
Free Training Opportunities
Half day CAF training
Chairing Effective TAC Meetings
Refresher Training
(All administered by the Safeguarding Board)
On request briefings and personalised training within individual settings
Reminders
Contact the CAF Team at any stage for advice or guidance
Log that you are completing a CAF with the CAF Team and send a copy to the Team once completed
Update the CAF Team with changes i.e. to LP
Bromley Safeguarding Children Board (info re CAF Training, electronic version of the CAF Form and the Review and TAC min template)http://www.bromleysafeguarding.org/