EARLY HELP FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN

The CAF and Beyond

Tuesday 2nd July 2013

Localised changes to the CAF Form

Delivered by: Gill Downton, CAF Manager

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

New CAF Form

New CAF Form cont.

If including more than one child/YP add a sentence or two under each heading per child/YP

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!!

CAF Review and TAC minute template

Leaflet for parent/carers (can be printed on A4 or A5)

New Leaflet for practitioners – A Brief Guide to the CAF in Bromley

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/