The common assessment framework (CAF)

Assessments may focus on different aspects of a person's life and may be recorded in different ways by different agencies but there are many similarities in all the processes.    

Assessment is the dialogue that a practitioner has with a child/young person and their parent/carer, it is not a form-filling exercise to be completed mechanistically. The form is the tool for structuring and recording the assessment, it is not the assessment itself. The form is to record relevant parts of the dialogue together with other information that comes to light.   

The purpose of effective assessment is:    

• To gather information which is then analysed in order to:
• identify strengths and resilience
• identify needs and risk
• inform actions to undertake to achieve agreed outcomes
• provide information to measure progress over time

An assessment framework such as the common assessment framework (CAF) provides guidance that promotes consistency among assessors so that they do not do the following: develop their own subjective criteria; or fail to include core information; or lack an understanding of how assessments proceed; or lack clarity on what can be achieved; or have no agreement regarding expectations of the process and responsibility and accountability of those involved.     

Assessment can be on an individual person or in order to address the impact family member’s needs have on each other, whole family assessment may be more effective.    

Practitioners undertaking assessments need a good knowledge base which includes theory, research findings and practice. This will increase their confidence in gathering the right information and analysing the information to create a good plan.   

Assessment is more of a process than an event as information changes and therefore, agreed actions can change too. A focus on identifying strengths as well as needs has been shown to lead to more positive engagement of children and families resulting in better outcomes.    

The child or young person’s view should always be captured as part of any assessment.    

Assessment cannot guarantee services and practitioners should not promise families specific outcomes relating to specific service delivery or access to resources.    

In Leeds agencies’ own assessment paperwork can be used to inform multi agency planning to avoid duplication. If agencies paperwork has a specific focus and does not look holistically at the child or young person within their wider family and community context, a Common Internal Record (CIR) could be used.    

Assessment is not an end in itself but leads to action. In Leeds when a number of agencies are working together the Summary Assessment and Delivery Plan (SADP) is used to summarise key information from the assessment and plan service delivery.   

Practitioners identify the needs of children and families early and ensure those needs are responded to every day. This often involves careful analysis and decision making to ensure the right agency is offering the right support at the right time.    

In the following examples a single agency assessment and response may help.    

• Where a routine post-natal visit causes the practitioner to be concerned about the living circumstances of a newborn baby
• Where there are concerns that a baby has significant developmental delay or a child is not progressing as expected, this includes children with disabilities
• Where a practitioner believes a child may have additional needs and wants to understand better what they are and what the appropriate response is
• To provide holistic information to augment decision-making where more information is required.

In the following examples integrated planning with a number of agencies may help. • Where there are needs for both children and adults within the family that require services to be effectively coordinated;    

• Where is reason to think that a child/young person is not making age appropriate progress but it is not clear what the underlying causes are or what would help;
• The child is engaged with a number of agencies each focussing on specific issues and an holistic overview that identifies the family’s perspective would be beneficial for all
• An exit strategy needs to be planned to step down from more specialist involvement.

Some situations may require an immediate specialist response. Practitioners concerned about significant harm during an assessment need not complete their assessment before contacting Children’s Social Work Services Duty and Advice team. Situations requiring immediate contact would include the following;    

• Where a mother with depression makes threats to harm herself or her children
• Where a child or young person has physical signs of non-accidental injury
• Where a child is subject to a Child Protection Plan.

A child or young person should always be seen in the course of undertaking an assessment, and appropriate to their age, spoken to confidentially so that they feel able to express their views.    

Planning to meet the needs of children, young people and families relies upon having a good assessment that clearly identifies strengths and needs. In Leeds meetings to plan service delivery focus on working together with families and on finding solutions to problems or concerns.    

If a number of services are working with a family, it is important to avoid duplication, gaps, conflicts or confusion by ensuring everyone is working to one clear plan that identifies actions for people and clear timescales.    

Planning meetings take place in a convenient setting, including the family home if appropriate, and are attended by the Team around the Child and Family (TAC/F). The team is made up of all the people who will support the child/family in achieving their goals. The team should always include relevant family members as the meetings are undertaken for the benefit of the child and family and chaired on their behalf.    

In Leeds the Summary Assessment and Delivery Plan (SADP) is the common format that can be used by all services to capture plans for families to help coordinate work effectively.    

Managing meetings well helps plans to be focussed on the following:   

• The child’s needs or family needs as identified through the assessment
• The actions or services that may be require to meet identified needs
• A specific, measurable, agreed, realistic, timely (SMART) delivery plan to identify who will do what by when and any contingency plans
• The nomination of a lead professional to co-ordinate the plan
• Any complex needs which may require further assessment or request for a service
• The needs, if any, that cannot be met
• The action that will be taken about the unmet need
• The next planned review date
• The completion of a Summary Assessment and Delivery Plan as the record of the meeting.

This plan is then circulated to every member of the TAC/F and copied to cafteam@leeds.gov.uk.    

At any point the team may want to look at what extra support is available to them where they live. All practitioners should be aware that Leeds is organised into 25 areas called clusters. Each cluster brings together representatives from all the services that support children and families in Guidance and Support meetings.   

For more information please contact the integrated processes service 0113 2476830.    

In order to meet the needs of children, young people and families, everyone should understand what is expected of them, and what they can expect from others.    

The following actions help;    

Practitioners are expected to behave in the following ways in order to build strong relationships and support positive change;     

• Base your work with a child/family on a clear plan of action to achieve agreed goals that come from a good assessment of their strengths and needs.
• Always ensure that every intervention, visit, or other type of work is positively focussed on achieving a goal or outcome that is realistic and relevant.
• Never give up, “stickability” is essential.
• Speak to children directly, preferably on their own, to understand their views.
• Always work restoratively with families rather than doing to, or doing for them.
• Work with children and families taking account of possible vulnerabilities.
• Share information in a safe secure way always trying to obtain consent.
• Ensure families understand if information has to be shared without consent.
• Build a supportive team around the family which includes relevant family members.
• Work with the right service at the right time to meet families’ different needs.
• Work together cooperatively with others, listening openly to their views.
• Take responsibility for respectfully challenging misconceptions, inaccuracies and misinformation.
• Take responsibility to research the services such as Multi Systemic Therapy all activities such as parenting support activities that are available to families.
• Never ‘pass on’ families but request services to help you work with families to achieve their goals.
• Take responsibility for supporting a family, joint working where needed, to ensure a safe and effective transfer of responsibility to another agency.
• Keep detailed, accurate, relevant and up to date records.
• Attend meetings to effectively contribute to family support or provide reports.
• Work as a Lead Professionals when it is needed.
• Ensure that the protection of the child or young person is the priority.
• Access help when needed from guidance and support groups in clusters through Targeted Services Leaders
• Work safely with families to reduce risks, build resilience and improve lives.