Questionstoparents/carerstoinformthefullCAFassessment

FormA

HealthGeneral healthQuestions Advice/guidance Notes

Does X have any particular health issues?

Note down any health issues that child X may have or concerns the parent has about them. Also discuss any concerns that you may have based on your observation of the child. Does the parent need any help to address any concerns?

When did X last see the family doctor?

If no recent contact with GP but you have health concerns suggest parent makes GP appointment. Record in action plan at the end.

When did X last see the dentist?

If no recent contact with dentist but you have health concerns suggest parent makes dentist appointment. Record in action plan at the end.

Has X ever had to go to or stay in hospital?

Any frequent hospital visits may need further investigation unless connected to a known, current, long-term health condition.

Is X waiting for any hospital appointments?

Record this – the CAF may speed up a hospital referral if it is a significant issue in terms of the wellbeing of child X.

Did X have all the usual jabs to protect them against measles, etc?

These are usually recorded by the GP or health centre in a book that parents keep. If there are doubts about whether child X has had vaccinations then record the need to find this out in the action plan.

Are there any other health issues or any health advice you feel that you need for X at the moment?

If necessary record these for inclusion in the action plan.

HealthPhysical developmentQuestions Advice/guidance Notes

What food does X like to eat? Do they regularly eat vegetables and fruit?

Try to identify that child X is being well fed and nourished appropriately. Again, if there are concerns record in action plan.

Does X do any physical activities such as swimming, etc, or do you do take X to the park or play in the garden kicking or catching a ball, etc?

Try to identify whether X is doing sufficient physical exercise for his or her age.

Have you any concerns about X ‘s hearing or vision?

Does X have glasses or hearing aids that should be worn in school?

Someone in school should also make some basic checks on these before the meeting.

Is X well coordinated when doing things such as walking, running, kicking a ball, etc?

Note down comments – again, one would expect school to have checked up on this too.

Is X well coordinated when doing such things as writing, drawing, Lego, etc?

Note down comments – again, one would expect school to have checked up on this too.

Is X about the right height and weight for his or her age?

Again, school should have noted this before the CAF meeting.

HealthSpeech, language and communicationQuestions Advice/guidance Notes

Does X use communication methods other than speech such as sign language or other communication aids?

School would be expected to know and comment about this.

If using any alternative communication methods, how well does X do with this?

School will have knowledge about this but the home situation is important. (Eg, do parents and siblings sign?)

Does X have any difficulty with articulation or speech sounds?

Children with speech difficulties can be very vulnerable to teasing or bullying in school.

Does X have difficulties remembering instructions or messages?

School will be able to comment but parents’ awareness of any difficulties and any adaptations they make is important information.

Does X understand expressions like ‘You’re pulling my leg’ or do they tend to take things more literally?

An inability to understand idiomatic phrases is often a sign of an underlying language/communication difficulty.

Does X ever get confused over meaning because of word order? (Eg, ‘The boy chased the dog. The dog chased the boy.’)

Semantic or syntactic difficulties can have a significant impact on social and academic development.

Is X comfortable in the social side of conversation? (Eg, able to use appropriate eye contact and body language, maintain subject content and turn-taking in discussion, etc.)

Again, the school view and the home view may be different. Children may choose to be reticent in school but can be very talkative at home even up to the point of selective mutism. Any difficulty in taking turns and maintaining subject content can be a significant communication problem.

Does X have a good circle of friends? (Eg, do people come to the house and play/hang out and/or does X get invited to other houses?)

Children with communication difficulties can become socially isolated as they lack the skills to develop and maintain friendships.

EmotionalandsocialdevelopmentQuestions Advice/guidance Notes

Is X a fairly resilient or strong child emotionally or does X get upset very easily?

If the child does get upset very easily follow this up with a question about what situations are likely to cause this.

Would you say that X is a mostly happy or mostly unhappy child or just normal?

Remember there are many perceptions of ‘normal’, so you may need some follow-up to the parent response.

If X was feeling frustrated or unhappy how would you know?

School should be aware of X displaying temper tantrums or signs of self-harm – although what happens at home is not always reflected in school.

Does X enjoy school? What sort of things does X like/dislike about it?

You are looking for references that indicate problems with relationships such as bullying or any signs of stress relating to school work.

Is X able to resist joining in with other children who may be behaving badly?

Low self-esteem can lead to children doing inappropriate things to find acceptance with their peers. Again, school will also have a view on this.

Has X ever been bullied at school or locally?

Children will talk with parents about this but often ask parents not to tell school about it, so you may need to reassure them that any disclosure will be handled confidentially.

Does X have any unusual phobias or fears?

Note down anything unusual or where reactions are more extreme than normal.

What sort of things does X like to do in his or her spare time?

Identify any special interests that might be further developed.

BehaviouraldevelopmentQuestions Advice/guidance Notes

Does X enjoy helping others?

It is important to note down positive as well as any negative behaviours.

Would you say X is well behaved at home?

Be aware of varying perceptions of what well behaved means.

Does X respect other people’s property and things?

Many children will occasionally get into trouble for taking things they shouldn’t. Here you are looking for behaviour which is outside these normal parameters and has been repeated several times.

Has X ever been in trouble with the police?

If so, try to explore the reason for this.

Is X a careful and cautious child or can his or her behaviour put them at risk?

Again, explore this issue to identify what ‘risk’ means to the parents.

Does X think about his or her actions or would you describe X as impulsive?

School is likely to have a view on this too.

Does X ‘s behaviour generally have a positive impact on others?

School and home may have different perceptions.

Is X a truthful child? Some children will tell lies to try to avoid getting into trouble for something they’ve done. However, a few children will tell lies compulsively and almost create an alternative, preferred lifestyle. These are the ones you should be particularly concerned about.

Are you aware of any inappropriate sexual behaviour?

A sensitive issue for parents and usually thought to apply to older children. Unfortunately, this question needs to be asked about younger children too. Sexual behaviour in young children often implies abuse but it can also be as a result of exposure to inappropriate visual materials.

Identity,self-esteem,self-imageandsocialpresentationQuestions Advice/guidance Notes

Does X understand or have knowledge of family history? (Eg, cultural heritage, lives of grandparents, etc.)

Again you are finding out whether X has a sense of belonging and personal identity in relation to his or her extended family.

Has X experienced any discrimination because of race, gender, sexuality, disability or religious beliefs?

The views of the child will need to be sought if at all possible. Anyone experiencing discrimination is at risk of low self-esteem and negative feelings about self-image and identity.

Can X identify significant people in his or her life?

Usually one would expect parent, grandparent or other family members.

FamilyandsocialrelationshipsQuestions Advice/guidance Notes

Does X have a strong sense of family? (Eg, would X defend family members against verbal or physical hurt?)

You are looking for evidence that X has developed bonding within the family.

Does X have a best friend? Is it reciprocated?

Most children will have an enduring friendship with one or two special friends. Sometimes this may be family members, particularly if social activity is constrained by disability or school placement out of area.

Does X have any caring responsibilities at home or elsewhere?

Could be a disabled parent or family member. In school it might be through a circle of friends, where a group of pupils volunteer to maintain a caring eye on a disabled class member. Could be a pet.

Are there people that X does not like?

Explore the reasons for this if possible. We can’t like everyone but we should generally know why we don’t like certain people.

Does X have friendships which are positive and supportive?

The discussion should determine if X is free from negative relationships and associations.

Self-careskillsandindependenceQuestions Advice/guidance Notes

Is X an independent child for his or her age?

Identify the sorts of things X takes responsibility for. Is this age appropriate?

Is X able but unwilling to take personal responsibility?

If X is less independent than you would wish, what sort of things might help?

Assistance with independent travel? Aids and/or adaptations to the house, etc?

Is X wanting more independence than you are willing to give because of his or her age or other concerns?

Try to decide whether parents’ concerns are genuine or if they are being over-protective.

Has X ever been away from home and family?

If X has been on a residential trip, how did he or she manage the separation from family?

LearningUnderstanding, reasoning and problem solvingQuestions Advice/guidance Notes

Does X try to work things out for him/herself or does X often seek help with relatively simple problems?

School should have a good idea of this. Again, it might be a question of confirming that parents and school have similar perceptions.

Does X remember when there is a planned event such as a friend’s party or an arrangement to meet someone?

You must reflect on what would seem to be age equivalent.

Does X ask questions to improve his or her understanding of something?

School will be a source of information but is the picture the same at home?

Does X enjoy games where problem solving is involved? (Eg, cards, computer games, board games, etc.)

Some computer games involve significant problem solving and children often demonstrate levels of problem-solving ability rarely seen in school.

LearningParticipation in learning, education and employmentQuestions Advice/guidance Notes

Does X enjoy going to school?

If necessary follow up with questions such as:

Does X have trouble getting up in the •morning?

Does X look forward to or hate •Mondays?

Does X talk about school in a positive •or negative way?

School will have information from its experiences of X.

Does X ever talk about enjoying any particular lessons or activities in school?

Useful particularly if generally X is not positive about school or is getting into difficulties.

Does X have any part-time employment?

An age-relevant question. If X is working, try to explore the area of work and X’s feelings about it.

Progress and achievement in learningI’m going to tell you how X is getting on in school. Can you tell me if what I say matches what you believe?

You should have a comprehensive record of X’s school achievements. You’ll need to summarise this. Is X achieving above, below or average for his or her age? Does X have special needs? Are there significant achievements or concerns about specific areas of the curriculum?

AspirationsDo you know if X has an idea of what he or she would like to do after leaving school?

If it is college or further study, explore a little further to see if X has a particular job or career in mind.

Parents and carers

Basiccare,ensuringsafetyandprotectionQuestions Advice/guidance Notes

Are you able to provide for X’s needs in terms of food, warmth and shelter?

If you had serious concerns here prior to the discussion you should have referred this to child protection and would not be doing the CAF. You should use any information from parents alongside school and child opinion to ensure an accurate assessment is made. There is another section on housing. This question is about parental capacity to provide and any help they may need to support this provision.

Is X safe in your house?

A very direct question but one which may allow concerns to surface. Your experience as an interviewer may allow you to spot any hesitancy in confirming this – ‘I noticed you hesitated for a second there. Is there anything else you want to say?’

Do you ensure X makes regular visits to the dentist?

You should already have recorded the name of X’s dentist. It is important that X actually attends and goes for check-ups.

EmotionalwarmthandstabilityQuestions Advice/guidance Notes

Are you a physical person? When was the last time you gave your child a hug?

Some would say that physical contact is a basic human need and gives children a powerful message about emotional warmth and security. Children and young people should never be too old for appropriate physical contact. Although teenagers may say it is uncool, it is still often appreciated.

Who does your child go to if he or she has a problem?

It doesn’t have to be parents so long as there is actually someone the child or young person can talk to. It might be a grandparent, sister, brother or other family member or a best friend.

Do you find it easy to praise your child for doing something well?

This question helps identify the need for parenting support and in itself can act as a prompt for parents to adopt more positive behaviour towards their child.

How many schools has X attended?

Frequent moves are not helpful to children or young people.

How many homes has X lived in?

As above.

Guidance,boundariesandstimulationQuestions Advice/guidance Notes

Does X accept your advice and guidance? Now or in the past?

Many parents will feel their teenage children never listen or take advice, but if the child is of primary age or younger this might be of greater concern.

Are you able to help X with homework?

Explore this further to determine if it is a lack of interest rather than ability.

If X does something wrong, how do you manage this?

Try to explore this and determine if any sanctions applied are reasonable.

Do you do things together as a family?

Games, outings, etc.

How much television does X watch in an evening?

There is no reason to assume that watching TV is particularly bad but if it is excessive and solitary, social opportunities may be affected.

Family and environmental

Familyhistory,functioningandwellbeingQuestions Advice/guidance Notes

Is there a history of any particular illness in the family?

Some medical conditions can be inherited. (Eg, some mental health difficulties and some cancers.)

Have any close family member(s) been involved in criminal behaviour?

A sensitive question but clearly any family association with criminality may increase the child’s vulnerability in this area.

Did X’s mother suffer any major post-natal problems?

Another sensitive question but any bonding problems in early life between mother and baby may lead to emotional attachment disorder and associated behavioural problems later in life.

Are there any other family issues which might affect X’s wellbeing?

You are looking for disclosure of anything which may have a negative impact on X such as divorce, mental health problems, drug taking, alcoholism, violence, etc.

WiderfamilyOther than close family, is there any wider family that X has contact with?

Just to see what extended family support might be in place.

Housing,employmentandfinancialconsiderationsQuestions Advice/guidance Notes

Does X have his or her own room or does X share with someone?

If you feel sleeping arrangements are not appropriate given age and gender of X, follow up with parent views of this.

How many people live in the house?

We may know the family members but there may be others.

Do you feel financially able to give X what he or she needs?

Is the family receiving its entitlement in benefits or tax concessions or is it not managing the money it has very well?

Socialandcommunityelementsandresources,includingeducationDoes X use any local facilities? (Eg, library, sports centre, etc.)

Note down if X is engaging in purposeful local activity.

Are local bus services OK or do you tend to take X where he or she wants to go by car?

Is X able to access leisure activities away from the area?

How would you describe the area in which you live?

Is the local area one in which X could be attracted to risky behaviours, drugs, antisocial behaviour, etc?

Does X attend any extended school activities?

If not, are there any particular reasons such as transport, need to get home, etc?