This leaflet explains the CAF Process in Bromley. It gives a clear view of the responsibilities and scope of the Lead Professional (LP) role and details of multi‐agency support through the Team Around the Child (TAC).

The Common Assessment Framework is intended to be used as a holistic assessment of need to support multi‐agency working. It is a key tool which, when used effectively, will ensure our services are properly integrated. It will help to maintain a focus on early intervention and prevention, tackling problems before they escalate. Equally importantly, we want to ensure that parents, carers and young people themselves are encouraged to take personal responsibility for improving their lives.

The CAF is not just a form to fill in! It is a four step process which allows practitioners to assess needs, identify service delivery plans and check that the needs are being addressed as part of a structured framework.

The CAF Process:The CAF Process:

1

A practitioner has concerns about a child/young person ‐ consider the concerns in conjunction with local thresholds: The Child’s Journey in Bromley: A partnership model for providing services to support children and families in Bromley including the safeguarding thresholds guidance (download a copy at www.bromleysafeguarding.org).

2

A Pre‐Assessment Checklist can be completed to help make a decision about whether a CAF needs to be undertaken or advice can be sought from the CAF Team.

3

Before you start check if a CAF already exists or if the child/young person is currently involved with Children’s Social Care by contacting the CAF Team. If a CAF already exists, contact the Lead Professional and link with the work already in progress.

4

To initiate a CAF you must seek consent from the parent/carer(s) and child/young person.

5 Complete CAF; working with the parent/carer(s) and child/young person and seeking advice from other agencies as appropriate.

6 Give a copy of the CAF form to the parent/carer(s) and young person, as appropriate, and send a copy to the CAF Team to log in a secure and safe way.

7

Organise a Team Around the Child meeting (TAC) if appropriate. If the situation is complex the CAF Team may be able to convene and chair the meeting on your behalf.

8

LP and TAC members must ensure a plan is in place and that the plan is being implemented and reviewed as appropriate. Please notify the CAF Team of any changes in LP and when any reviews take place.

9 When the needs have been met, the CAF can close. Please advise the CAF Team at this stage so the CAF database is kept up to date.

CAF Advice and Support Team

Bromley Central Library 3rd Floor, High Street, Bromley BR1 1EX Tel: 020 8461 7174 Fax: 020 8466 0587

A brief guide to the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) within Bromley

What Makes a Good CAF Assessment?

A clear explanation as to what has triggered the CAF (reason for assessment) Evidence informed by fact and by attributing information e.g. who said what or observed what Qualify frequency/duration, not ‘often’ or ‘sometimes’ Set the scene well – consider all 3 sections but focus on the key issues.‘N/A’ or ‘no comment’ is not helpful as this has no meaning

Enough detail but not too much; avoid jargon/acronyms Set a clear plan of action: with dates & who is responsible for delivery Ensure any actions are achievable and solution focussed Set a review date

Review, review, review!

When to consider a Team Around the Child (TAC) Meeting

It is recommended that a TAC Meeting be considered when:

You cannot meet the family/young persons’ needs from within your own organisation

There are more than three agencies involved with the child or young person (excluding GP)

Telephone sharing of information is not enough

The family’s needs have not been satisfactorily linked to services

There is a need to arrange close co‐ordination of the different agencies/organisations working with the family

There is a need to decide who should take the Lead Professional role. This is particularly important in respect oftransition points for example a child leaving primary school to move on to secondary school

There are long‐term neglect issues and therefore a need to ensure that full chronology of information is sharedacross the agencies involved

At the meeting a Lead Professional is identified, and this person would be expected to chair any subsequent meetings. In certain circumstances the TAC meeting can be convened and chaired by a member of the CAF team. This is on a request basis in respect of the more complex CAFs or if there are extenuating circumstances that indicate the need for an independent chair. It would be unusual for the CAF Team to remain involved beyond the initial TAC and the first review.

TAC members are:

jointly responsible for developing and delivering the agreed action plan responsible for delivering the specific actions they agreed to carry out as part of the action plan responsible for keeping members of the team informed about progress in their area of responsibility

expected to contribute to take minutes and chair meetings as necessary and support the Lead Professional byproviding information and offering guidance and advice

The role of the Lead Professional (LP)

The Lead Professional role has three core functions which can be carried out by a range of practitioners from across the children and young people’s workforce:

act as a single point of contact co‐ordinate the delivery of the actions agreed by the practitioners involved reduce overlap and inconsistency

Myth buster ‐ The Lead Professional: does not need any particular qualifications does not have to be an ‘expert’ in everything is not automatically the person who carried out the common assessment ‐ although that person is responsible for convening the initial TAC meeting at which the LP is agreed is not responsible or accountable for the actions of the other practitioners or services within the TAC does not need to remain the LP for the duration of the CAF episode ‐ the responsibility can be reviewed at each TAC

Changes in LP In order to ensure the CAF

database is up‐to‐date please advise the CAF Team of any

changes in the role of the Lead Professional – this is particularly

important at key transition points i.e. transition from

primary to secondary school, young person leaving school, services withdrawing their

involvement, etc.

It is expected that there will be a managed handover of

responsibilities between LPs.

When not to undertake a CAF

The CAF should not be used when you have concerns that a child or young person may be suffering or is at risk of suffering harm. In these instances you should follow the London Child Protection Procedures. If you are unsure whether a referral to Social Care is required, you can contact a duty social worker on: 020 8461 7373 / 7379 / 7404 / 7309. The Thresholds of Need Document provides detailed thresholds guidance (download a copy at www.bromleysafeguarding.org).

Children and families moving up and down the Continuum of Need and Intervention

Using the CAF to support a referral to Social Care

If a CAF has been completed and the case subsequently needs to be escalated to Children’s Social Care the CAF can be used as part of the referral. This will enable Social Care to ensure that relevant CAF information feeds into their specialist assessment. When used effectively the CAF process will have identified the needs, strengths and level of engagement the family have had with community based practitioners and services.

Conflict resolution should there be a dispute around thresholds

Please refer to the ‘The Escalation Policy for Resolving Professional Difference’ issued by Bromley Safeguarding Children Board. This can be downloaded fromwww.bromleysafeguarding.org.

Cases closing to Social Care ‐ the step‐down process

During Children’s Social Care involvement with a child/young person, the Social Worker assumes the role of the Lead Professional (LP). Once the concerns have been addressed and/or resolved consideration should be given by the Social Worker as to whether there are ongoing lower level needs which could be supported at CAF level. Should this be the case the Social Worker will give consideration as to who could carry out the role of the LP and seek the views of the young person and/or parent/carer(s).

The Social Worker will contact the preferred LP and discuss this with them. Usually, the LP will already be a practitioner who is familiar with the family and has supported the child or young person during Children’s Social Care intervention. If the family give consent, the Social Worker can share a copy of their recent assessment report with the LP. The ongoing needs must be clearly identified and a proposed action plan put in place. The LP and/or Social Worker should then register a copy of the shared assessment and agreed action plan with the CAF Team. The LP should not be asked to complete a CAF Form in addition to the paperwork shared with them by Social Care.

If the child has complex multiple needs, good practice should mean that the social worker arranges a final case closure/ Team Around the Child (TAC) meeting and invites the LP to the meeting as well as other practitioners. The young person where age appropriate) and/or parent/carer(s) must also be present.

Free CAF training is available to all practitioners within the children and young people’s workforce, including the statutory, voluntary and community sectors and all staff are encouraged to attend. Dates and booking details for CAF Training can be found within the Bromley Safeguarding Children’s Board Training Brochure, www.bromleysafeguarding.org.

An electronic version of the CAF form and related CAF information can be downloaded from www.bromley.gov.uk