 Common Assessment Framework
The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) for children and young people is a shared tool to be used across all children’s agencies (including schools/other education establishments) in England. It embraces:
- A common process to enable practitioners to undertake a common assessment
and then act on the result.
- A pre-assessment checklist to help decide who would benefit from a common
assessment.
- A standard form to record the assessment.
Once the form has been completed with the parents/carers, (with the young person if appropriate) it is essential that all the practitioners currently working with the child are contacted and the findings discussed with them. Many professionals find this easier to do with a face to face meeting (team around the child - TAC). The parents/carers and the child should also ideally be present at this meeting.
It is essential that the CAF is not just used as a means of referral and then ‘sign off’.
CAF Form
The CAF form is designed to help practitioners develop a shared understanding of a child’s needs, so they can be met more effectively. It will avoid children and families having to tell and re-tell their story.
It will not always be appropriate for practitioners to comment on all areas within the form, but they should consider the whole child, not just their own service focus.
The CAF forms are available to download from the Herts Direct web site at:
What does this mean for schools?
School staff will be able to address issues that concern them at a much earlier stage, in order that some preventative work can be accomplished before children and young people get into real difficulties. This might mean, for example:
- Children that have ongoing behaviour problems (either at school or home or both)
- Children that are affected by a disability
- Children with unsupportive carers
There is not a definitive list. Staff may wish to discuss it with their line manager, or complete the pre-assessment checklist to help them to decide.
Primary Heads Forum - The CAF and Team Around the Child from the School's point of View - Justin Donovan, Deputy Director New
Case Study
‘At first the form seems lengthy, but during the training we were told that sometimes it’s okay to leave sections blank if there is nothing relevant to the presenting problem. This reassured me and it felt then it could be a valuable tool that was going to be helpful for me too.’
SENCO Secondary School
Useful Links
Local Links:
National Links:
The Common Assessment Framework for Children and Young People: Practitioners' Guide. Download from:
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