The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) has been designed to provide a lynch-pin for multi-agency working. Described in simple terms, it is a document that will enable children's services professionals to communicate with each other - from early years to social worker and health professionals to youth workers.
Richard Holden is service manager for children with disabilities at Kensington and Chelsea Council. His department began piloting CAF in May 2005 and has completed 60 of the assessments so far.
Richard highlights the benefits of what he describes as a collaborative approach. 'CAF encourages agencies to think about what they are doing,' he says. 'It has the potential to promote structure. Instead of just passing problems on to other agencies they are now being asked to join them.'
As a versatile document, CAF is designed for use when concerns arise about a child, or when additional needs are recognised that require further exploration and a multi-agency response. It consists of three features: the pre-assessment checklist, designed to help practitioners identify children who would benefit; the process and information required to help complete CAF; and the form to be filled in and shared with others.
Improved outcomes
Twelve local areas have so far trialled CAF and the University of East Anglia was commissioned to undertake a formal evaluation of these areas.
A spokesman for the DfES explains, 'The evaluation of the trialling year of CAF in conjunction with the lead professional role showed there is considerable enthusiasm from practitioners and managers to make CAF work.
There is evidence that they can be successful in providing early intervention through universal services. There is also early evidence of improved outcomes for children and families who are positive about the processes.'
In west Sussex approximately 250 practitioners have been involved in multi-agency training, 25 managers and practitioners attended a CAF Train the Trainers Day and a supporting internet system has been set up.
Ian Vinall is strategic manager in the Children and Young People's Service at West Sussex County Council. He has led the roll out of the programme in west Sussex. "Although we are still in the early stages, I like to think that CAFs can be started at the earliest point, either with the health visitor or at nursery,' he says. 'We like to think that needs are being considered before the child starts school.'
A locally based, multi-agency team, known as the hub, is on hand to support the completion of CAF. Agencies can get support from the hub where a multi-agency response is needed for a child. Agencies then work together with the family to develop an action plan.
Ian believes this is useful in helping services understand each other and work together. 'We had one CAF where two agencies - a health visitor and a youth worker - visited a family together, because there was both an older and younger child,' he says. 'The health visitor had an interesting perceptive of the older child from her knowledge of child development and brought in an element of discussion that was very useful.'
Shropshire County Council has been an Information Sharing and Assessment (ISA) trailblazer for two years, with work encompassing CAF. It has also been designated a Beacon Authority - a Government award for providing innovative services - for its work in early intervention.
Sophie Meldon is multi-agency team co-ordinator at Shropshire. 'Clearly CAF is having a positive impact,' she says. 'There is good anecdotal evidence from practitioners and families. People are telling us that there is less repetition and greater clarity as to why an assessment is being undertaken.
They understand what CAF is trying to achieve for families.'
Learning to share
CAF assessments operate with the agreement of children and their families.
Information is only shared with their consent, unless there are particular reasons for doing otherwise, such as a risk of significant harm to the child. The person undertaking the assessment will agree with the parent on which information will be shared with which agencies.
Experience so far has brought up key issues with information sharing.
Richard Holden says, 'People who are not used to holistic assessments find it harder to step outside their own roles. They feel it is not safe ground.'
In west Sussex, negative responses have also been noted. Ian Vinall says 'Engaging with parents is a challenge for some. This is a training and development issue. Lots of practitioners don't have the skills. They have a fear of asking questions and are concerned that this will change their relationship with the parents.
'For others there is the fear of assessment-note sharing. They are afraid that if they write something down from their own perspective, others will make judgments. An increase in confidence and trust is needed.'
Revising training
One of the key messages from the consultation process was the importance of training. In the pilot phase the DfES produced a range of CAF training materials for local authorities to use and adapt to meet their local needs.
Materials were produced for both CAF practitioners and CAF trainers. The DfES also funded some pilot training to test out these materials. Since the pilot phase all CAF training materials have been revised.
At West Sussex County Council some changes were made to the training. Ian Vinall says, 'We felt that the training wasn't based enough on reality, so adapted it to meet local needs. Training was interactive and was multi-agency.'
While local authorities are discovering the networking benefits of multi-agency training and multi-agency deliverance, some are now in a position where they want to include childminders in the training.
'We fully expect and anticipate childminders to be completing CAFs so are including them, plus nursery workers, in our training,' says Sophie Meldon.
'We have developed a good set of guidelines with agencies. For example, if a child has obvious signs of excessive dental decay, what should the childminder do?'
She adds, 'Practitioners are identifying problems earlier. They say it enables them to have conversations with families they would not normally have had and has given them a tool to do this. Better relationships are reported as a result.'
CAF is also working where there has been a breakdown in communication, for example, when a child has changed school and full details have not been passed on. Sophie says, "One advantage of a central CAF agency is that the CAF team can be contacted for information, rather than starting from scratch."
In west Sussex, they are now focusing on schools in particular. Ian Vinall says, 'We are looking at how CAF can be used in schools, especially at the stage where additional needs have been identified. The reaction has been fairly positive in highlighting that there are other issues in the child's life that might require support.'
Opening communication
The key issue for many families is the increased communication between agencies. Ian says, 'We have spoken to parents and carers and they would prefer to speak to just one person. It requires someone with certain skills to communicate with the parent. They need to be honest and transparent.'
There are, however, still areas that need to be tidied up. One of these is the format: paper- or computer-based? At West Sussex County Council a computer-based form is preferred. 'We don't think a paper-based system will work,' says Ian. 'We have concerns about them getting lost, or there being several CAFs for one child.'
In Shropshire, the team uses a paper version logged with the ISA co-ordinator, but is developing an electronic version. 'We are also developing a child-friendly CAF, using user-friendly language with images and pictures. Young people have been involved in developing their own version, says Sophie.
So will the idea of CAF and information sharing work? Richard Holden says, 'We have had a positive response from agencies. An element of this is because people who have become involved are likely to be interested. On the other hand some people behind the scenes may be sceptical and think it does not apply to them.
'To make it work requires a leap of faith, lots of good organisation, back up and investment in cultural change. I believe the process has begun.'
To access the Common Assessment Framework: Managers' and Practitioners'
Guide, go to www.everychildmatters.gov.uk
