Early Help

Including •Common Assessment for Families

•Early Help Forums•Integrated Working Procedures

(‘Thresholds and Pathways’)

2012/13 Review of CAF

Summer 2012• We asked what you like and what needs to

change with the CAF• You said you wanted an assessment

framework that was:– Streamlined and flexible– Supporting earlier intervention– A tool that can be used internally by a single agency– A family assessment– Person Centred– Supporting risk assessment and measuring distance travelled

and– Had increased accountability (for initiating assessments and

attending/contributing to meetings

2012/13 Review of CAF

• Autumn – we designed a new assessment, action plan and review form

• January and February 2013– we asked whether it did what you wanted it to do:– Would you use the CAFF assessment in its

current form for multi-agency working? 90% YES

– Would you consider replacing existing ‘single agency’ internal assessment processes with the CAFF assessment? – 78% YES

– 70% replied that it was good or excellent for each of the abilities you wanted it to have

Feedback from Ofsted• Too few CAF assessments

– The number of common assessments (CAF) completed is low and falling, particularly in schools with few health professionals or commissioned services initiating assessments

• Assessments not good and lacking a focus on risk– Too many assessments are of poor quality and

characterised by a lack of robust analysis with a focus on actual or potential risk.

• Action planning a weakness– The quality of CAF assessments seen varies from good

to poor, with action planning a common weakness, a limited focus on measureable outcomes, and insufficient consideration of equality and diversity issues

• Where was the voice of the child?– In common assessments (CAF) seen by inspectors, it

was rarely clear that children and young people have been consulted or involved as their views were not well documented.

Responses to Ofsted criticisms• Assessments not good and lacking a focus on

risk– The IWP will include guidance on risk assessment and

details on pathways to Targeted Prevention). The new CAFF will have a tool to enable effective risk assessment in the CAFF process and to enable challenge

• Action planning a weakness– The new CAFF form promotes a focus on desired

outcomes in the assessment and on the action plan• Where was the voice of the child?

– The new CAFF assessment will be a family assessment with sections for each child

– CAF Coordinators will be looking for evidence of the child’s involvement and reporting on it

– There is an existing “Involving Children and Young People Toolkit”

• Too few CAF assessments– The new CAFF assessment has been designed to meet

the needs of those who should use it and the children, young people and families with whom they work.

Where next?

• New CAFF and updated IWP (Thresholds and Pathways’) under consultation

• Approval in July • Launched September• Present training includes January version of

CAFF to be used as a pilot by participants– Early Assessment Process & Common Assessment for

Families (CAFF) Form– Effective Holistic Assessment– Engaging Families in Early Intervention– Integrated Working M4 Managing a Team Around the

Family (TAF) Meetinghttp

://www.lgss.co.uk/Services/traininganddevelopment/Pages/trainingcourses.aspx?tu=11

Early Help Forums

• Have a core NCC membership and partners attending

• Provide social care oversight and guidance• Discuss, and find solutions for, cases requiring

support at Levels 2 and 3 – incl. anonymous discussion for those with no consent

• Receive, interpret and act upon reports of local need in the area

• 10 meetings occurring monthly in localities• Can make referrals to Targeted Prevention Teams• Co-ordinated by the CAF team and the Targeted

Prevention (TP) team

How are Early Help Forums different?

• Early Help Forum data will be monitored, analysed and reported– Attendance by team– Number of cases discussed and resolved– Feedback from those requesting discussion and

(if possible) parents

• “Thank you for that discussion. It was really helpful. There was nothing like this in my previous authority.” (Head Teacher following discussion at Wellingborough Early Help Forum)

How does Early Help, help? – Case study• SENCO of a small rural school a few miles outside of

Daventry initiates her first ever CAF• Advised by the CAFCO to bring the case to Daventry EHF

and she has attended the last two• She has found the EHF process invaluable - providing her

with support, advice and resources that she otherwise would not have access to

• At most recent EHF another Daventry junior school that was present offered to meet with this SENCO of the rural school to provide further additional 1:1 advice, resources and support

• They have now met once and will continue to meet. The SENCO delighted with the support being offered by this larger Daventry school and no longer feels alone with dealing with what is a tricky situation as well as being extremely grateful for all of the advice she has received at the last two Forums meetings

CAF Coordinators

Daventry and South Northants • Laura RussellKettering and Corby• Jo RobertsNorthampton• Jackie Donegal • Paula SmithWellingborough and East Northants• Louise Goss • Jodie Low

Recruitment under way for new post