www.wiltshire.gov.uk
Common Assessment Framework (CAF)
The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) is a key component in the Every Child Matters: Change for Children programme.
The aim is to identify, at the earliest opportunity, a child’s or young person’s additional needs which are not being met by the universal services they are receiving, and provide timely and co-ordinated support to meet those needs.
What is the CAF?
It has three elements:
a simple pre-assessment checklist (doc 92Kb)
to help practitioners identify children or young people who would benefit from a common assessment;a process for undertaking a common assessment, to help practitioners gather and understand information about the needs and strengths of the child - based on discussions with the child, their family and other practitioners as appropriate;
a standard form (doc 333Kb)
to help practitioners record, and, where appropriate, share with others, the findings from the assessment in terms that are helpful in working with the family to find a response to unmet needs.
The CAF provides an assessment process which gives a ‘holistic’ view of the child’s or young person’s strengths and needs. Practitioners will then be better placed to agree, with the child and family, what support is needed.
CAF benefits
The CAF provides an assessment that is common across services. It will help embed a shared language; support better understanding amongst practitioners; reduce the number of different assessments; facilitate early intervention and speed up service delivery.
Relationship to specialist assessments
The CAF helps to identify whether a specialist assessment is necessary, and avoid duplication by building on accurate up-to-date information.
Implementation
Staff from a wide range of agencies in Wiltshire are receiving training and it is planned to start using CAF from January 2008.However some practitioners who have undergone training prior to January may start to use the CAF earlier.
More information is available through Wiltshire Pathways including Frequently Asked Questions, 'what to do' guides, flowcharts and various other documents.
Alternatively you can obtain further information by emailing caf@wiltshire.gov.uk
Contact details
By post
CAF
Wiltshire County Council
Bythesea Road
Trowbridge
BA14 8JQ
By email
