The government and local authority expectation is that by 2008 every practitioner should:-

• Be able to recognise and respond to key signs of need
• Know the CAF basics
• Know how to have a common assessment completed or how to complete one
• Every agency will identify CAF champion/s who will attend the area delivery group
• Where more than one practitioner is involved, one will take the lead

If you are not sure ring 01924 304914 fax 01924 304338 or email cafteam@wakefield.gov.uk

There are two training opportunities available:-

• A one day course aimed at practitioners and managers who will be completing the Common Assessment Framework and will take the role of Lead Professional details are in the Wakefield District Safeguarding Board Training Plan

• Awareness Raising
  Not everyone will need in depth training but they will need to have some basic understanding of the model and understand their role and responsibilities. The awareness raising will take approximately two hours and can be delivered to staff teams or to larger audiences as required. In addition there is chairing skills training available details of which are available on Safeguarding Board web pages.
  
  Please contact us to arrange the awareness training or to discuss any other training issues telephone: 01924 304914 fax: 01924 304338 or email cafteam@wakefield.gov.uk

The CAF model is now in the second phase of implementation and training has been completed across the whole district.

Those agencies that have accessed training should now be using the model. Those of you who are yet to become involved should be accessing training and considering how you will be implementing it in the future.

A starting point would be to identify the CAF Champions within your agency and begin to use the threshold and levels in supervision.

If you need further advice contact 01924 304914 fax: 01924 304338 or email cafteam@wakefield.gov.uk

In each organisation there should be workers who have been nominated or have volunteered to take this role. They will have knowledge of the CAF model and will be able to give advice to other workers. They will attend the area delivery groups and be a conduit for information sharing between the agency/team and the project.

The area delivery group provides an opportunity to network with other CAF Champions from other agencies within in the community as well as to benchmark and problem solve. The champions are an important part of the implementation and communication strategy for the CAF model.

If you are not sure who your champions are, ask your manager. If you do not have any CAF Champions in your agency and would like to know more about this role contact us on 01924 304914 fax: 01924 304338 or email cafteam@wakefield.gov.uk

No. The pre-assessment checklist is designed to give workers a framework in which to make decisions about level of need and what action to take. It can be used in two ways:-

• As a reminder to enable workers to make informed choices and decide whether a Common Assessmentis needed.
• As a tool to gather initial information about a child which can then be shared with the family and other professionals

If used as a reminder, a copy should be kept on file and it would be good practice to share the checklist with the family. Completing the checklist will inform your decision regarding whether to go on to complete a Common Assessment. The pre-assessment checklist does not replace the CAF.

If a worker wishes to complete the Common Assessment they can bypass the preassessment checklist. It is at the discretion of the worker not a pre-requisite of the model. If the information is to be shared with other agencies, then consent must be sought from the child, young person or family.

Yes. For younger children this will this will be the parents. For older children you will need to ask them to give consent. If you are not sure who you should ask consult with your manager.

The consent to share information is on the back of the CAF form but there is also an information sharing leaflet which you can share with family/young person and has a consent form attached.

If you need copies of this leaflet or any other advice or information ring 01924 304914 fax: 01924 304338 or email cafteam@wakefield.gov.uk

No. You fill in the bits you can and then you ask other workers involved with the child/young person to help. The form must be completed with the consent and in collaboration with the family/young person. Fill in as much as you can before sharing it with the family/young person to avoid them having to repeat the same information.

The assessment should then inform what actions to take. In some cases the plan could be completed on the back of the CAF and in some case the outcome a CAF Meeting. Please see the Information Leaflet on CAF Meetings and Lead Professional on the Safeguarding Children webpages.

A CAF Meeting can only be held with consent. If you are calling a multiagency meeting considering the complex need of children and young people this is a CAF Meeting.

The purpose of the meeting is to address the holistic needs of the child/young person as identified in the Common Assessment (CAF), agree, multi-agency plan and identify the Lead Professional. The success of CAF Meetings relies on agencies having a genuine desire to work together and work openly with families.

They can be called by any agency. Please see the Information Leaflet on CAF Meetings and Lead Professional.

The Lead Professional is agreed at the CAF meeting and acts as a single point of contact that the child or young person and their family can trust, and who is able to support them in making choices and in navigating their way through the system. The Lead Professional ensures that they get appropriate interventions when needed, which are well planned, regularly reviewed and effectively delivered. The Lead Professional encourages professionals to work together in the interest of the child and reduces overlap and inconsistency from other practitioners.

In most cases the family/young person will be able to tell you who to contact. If you are unsure discuss with your manager or CAF Champions

The Children's Services Directory can also give you information about what is available both locally and nationally.