Appendix 9 - The Common Assessment Framework and the Assessment Framework |
Contents
| Common Assessment Framework | |
| The Assessment Framework |
Common Assessment Framework
The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) for Children and Young People is a key part of the strategy to shift the focus from dealing with the consequences of difficulties in children's lives to preventing things from going wrong in the first place. It is a holistic consent-based needs assessment framework which records, in a single place and in a structured and consistent way, every aspect of a child's life, family and environment. The assessment then determines how the unmet needs identified should be met.
It has been developed for practitioners in all agencies so that they can communicate and work together more effectively. The CAF is particularly suitable for use in universal services (health and education), to identify and tackle problems before they become serious.
It helps practitioners undertake assessments in a more consistent way and provides a structure for recording information.
National eCAF (NeCAF)
NeCAF will begin to be implemented in Wolverhampton in December 2010, the system will be used to record and store the assessment details, the agreed delivery plan and a record of the reviews that take place. Consent will be required to store a child/young persons records on NeCAF.
The Assessment Framework
The Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families was introduced by the Department of Health in 2000 and implemented nationally from 1 April 2001. The objectives of the Framework were:
- To improve outcomes for children in need
- To ensure that referral and assessment processes discriminate effectively between different types and levels of need and produce a timely service response
- To promote integrated working between agencies
There are a number of principles underpinning the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families which need to guide how assessments are undertaken. These are that assessments:
- Are child centred
- Are rooted in child development
- Are ecological in their approach
- Ensure equality of opportunity
- Involve working together with children and families
- Build on strengths as well as identify difficulties
- Are inter-agency in their approach to assessment and the provision of service
- Are a continuing process, not a single event
- Are carried out in parallel with other action and providing services
- Are grounded in evidence based knowledge
The Framework identifies 3 domains each with related dimensions:
- Child's Developmental Needs:
- Health
- Education
- Emotional and Behavioural Development
- Identity
- Family and Social Relationships
- Social Presentation
- Self Care Skills
- Parenting Capacity
- Basic Care
- Ensuring Safety
- Emotional Warmth
- Stimulation
- Guidance and Boundaries
- Stability
- Family and Environmental Factors
- Family History and Functioning
- Wider Family
- Housing
- Employment
- Income
- Family's Social Integration
- Community Resources
All 3 domains must be addressed within an assessment.
The information obtained under the Assessment Framework dimensions should be analysed using professional theory, experience and judgement to decide whether the child is in need or has a level of vulnerability which needs to be addressed within a Child Care Plan. The Child Care Plan may be in the format of a Child in Need Plan, Child Protection Plan, LAC Care Plan or Pathway Plan.
All assessments need multi agency involvement to gain a holistic picture of the child and family and their needs. Agencies and council directorates other than the Children & Young People's Service may have had considerable involvement with some children and their families prior to any referral to the Children & Young People's Service. They will have extensive knowledge and understanding of the child and their family that will form an important contribution to the assessment process which will avoid duplication in assessments for professionals and families.
Assessment is a continuing process and not a single event. Assessments Completed under the Assessment Framework need therefore to be constantly reviewed and revised as additional information is ascertained and circumstances change.End