Welcome to CAF Training Working Together forDerbyshire Services Better Outcomes for Children

What we hope to achieve Have an understanding of Information Sharing, and the issues around it. Understand the role of the Lead Professional Have gained experience in using the CAF forms Have developed an understanding of the CAF as a process Have a clear impression of the benefits the CAF system could have for your case load By the end of the course you will:

Please be aware… We encourage you to think of and discuss case examples with the group If you do so, please be aware of Caldicott Principles and other confidentiality issues.

Diversity statement Each practitioner attending today will need to consider issues around diversity for the families and young people with which they work and the impact this will have with their approach to the common assessment framework

National And Local Context Why are we here today?

Victoria Climbié 2 nd November 1991 – 25 th February 2000

DRIVERS FOR CHANGE The Victoria Climbie inquiry report by Lord Laming (2003) Every Child Matters: Change For Children The Children Act 2004 National Drivers

Children’s Trust Derbyshire Information Sharing Protocols Derbyshire CAF Procedures DRIVERS FOR CHANGE Local Drivers

Issues arising from the Laming Inquiry Poor communication between agencies Professionals working in isolation Managers unaware of frontline situations Variation/confusion about sharing information Quality of assessments/assessments not shared by professionals No one person saw the complete picture

Issues From within Derbyshire Dartington research 2003 –only 1 in 4 children with needs identified by any agency –Services were continually referring on to other agencies without carrying out any work with the family –As a result of the above children were reaching the threshold of specialist intervention i.e crisis point,

EVERY CHILD MATTERS: Being Healthy Staying Safe Enjoying and Achieving Making a Positive Contribution Economic Well-Being CHANGE FOR CHILDREN 5 Outcomes

An introduction to information sharing

The CAF provides a standard approach to assessing the needs of children and young people A key aim is to improve joint working and communication between practitioners by helping to embed a common language of assessment

Are there any barriers you have come up against regarding sharing information?

Why have we not shared information? Barriers: –Lack of confidence –Professional isolation –Lack of common guidance for services –Lack of understanding/trust of different agency roles and responsibilities –Communication difficulties –Not knowing who to contact for support

Why Share Information? Every Child Matters – Change for Children Children’s Act 2004 “No enquiry into a child's death or serious injury has ever questioned why information was shared. It has always asked the opposite.” Georgina Nunney Solicitor & principal lawyer for the Children and Young People’s Directorate - Lewisham

The law Legislation containing express powers or which imply powers to share: The Children Act 2004 and 1989 Local Government Act 2000 Education Act 2002 and 1996 Learning and Skills Act 2000 Education (SEN) regulations 2001 Leaving Care Act 2000 Protection of Children Act 1999 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 Crime and Disorder Act 1998 National Health Service Act 1977 The Health and Social Care Act 2003

The process/practitioner must… 1.Be open and honest 3.Always consider a child’s safety and welfare 2.Seek consent 4.Record the reasons for the decision – whether it is to share or not. 6 Key Principles of Information Sharing

5.Ensure that any information shared must be accurate Up to date Necessary Only shared with appropriate people Stored securely 6 Key Principles of Information Sharing The process/practitioner must… 6.Where in doubt, seek advice

Consent to share and record –Must be informed –Should normally be explicit –Must be willing and not inferred from a non response –Must be sought again if things change significantly –Can be withdrawn Consent is the key to successful information sharing. Even where the Data Protection Act does not demand it.

Who can give or refuse consent? Children/young people 16 and over Or Children under 16 with sufficient understanding (Gillick Fraser competence)

Sharing information – good practice Always seek consent Where consent is not obtained –Weigh up the consequences –Decide using reasonable judgement –Record your decision and reasons, regardless of whether your decision is to share the information or not

Sharing information – good practice “The decision to share must be a proportionate response putting the child’s safety and welfare as the overriding consideration” (Derbyshire Information Sharing Protocol) Safeguarding procedures stress the importance of seeking the agreement of the parents to making the referral to children’s social care, unless to do so would place the child at risk of significant harm.

Exercise To share or not to share

Summary of key principles A child’s safety and welfare is essential Open and honest Seek consent Information quality and security Record the reasons for the decision Seek advice where in doubt – manager/supervisor or your lead person on child protection or a Caldicott guardian Refer to Information sharing protocol

An introduction to the Common Assessment Framework (CAF)

Key aims of the CAF The CAF is a national tool to help practitioners working with children and families The CAF encourages better communication and inter-agency working, and will result in more targeted referrals

Common Assessment should… support an inter-agency approach. avoid duplicating or unnecessarily repeating assessments. ensure the assessment benefits from the knowledge of experts from other organisations and disciplines

Principles of the CAF Principles A process supported by a standard form Holistic Focuses on strengths as well as needs Simple and practical Empowering and a joint process Encouragement for the child/family to take ownership of the assessment

Positive change Better outcomes for children are more likely to be achieved when parents and practitioners hold a common perspective about the difficulties facing the family. Completing a CAF with the family should lead to a broad agreement about the difficulties as well as highlighting the strengths. A common perspective on the family’s strengths and difficulties is more likely to result in appropriate services being provided and a better take-up of those services.

Undertaking a common assessment Where there are Child Protection concerns follow Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures. You have concerns about progress The child’s needs are unclear The support of more then one external agency is required If you are considering involving or referring to another agency for multi-agency working, then a CAF must be completed

Children with no identified additional needs Universal Services Single PractitionerIntegrated support Additional Needs All needs met by internal services or by referral to other internal agency e.g. CAF may be useful but not essential Multiple needs met by multiple agencies CAF is Essential, along with Action Plan & Lead Professional The CAF as part of a continuum Integrated support from Statutory or specialist services Complex Needs

Elements of the CAF Form Family and environmental Parents and carers Development of child Split into 3 main sections

Elements of the CAF Form Family and environmental Parents and carers Development of child Split into 3 main sections

Assessment Framework Parenting Capacity Child’s Developmental Needs Family & Environmental Factors Child Community Resources Housing Education Self-care Skills Social Presentation Family & Social Relationships Identity Emotional & Behavioural development Health Ensuring Safety Stability Stimulation Guidance & Boundaries Basic Care Emotional Warmth Family’s Social Integration Income Employment Wider Family Family History & Functioning

5 key steps to CAF Step 1 - Preparation Pre-assessment checklist Enquire if CAF already exist (Making Links team ) Discuss with child/parent if CAF would be useful Seek consent to share information

Step 2 - Assessment Talk about things they feel are important in their family Ensure their views are recorded in the CAF Share views and ideas to clarify issues and develop solutions Complete assessment with the child/family Focus on areas of STRENGTH as well as need 5 key steps to CAF

We need to remember that the family may be so overwhelmed that they are unable to see how you can help

5 key steps to CAF Step 3 - Planning Within 10 days of the completion of CAF Invite the necessary parties including the parent, child, CAF originator and any other services involved with the family. Discuss content of CAF and complete any missing information Agree and record action plan Select Lead Professional Arrange date/venue of review meeting Ensure all necessary signatures are on CAF Pass a copy of the completed CAF (including action plan) to Making Links Team Arrange the Team Around the Child meeting…

Contact details Making Links CAYA Room 389, 3 rd Floor, North Block County Hall Matlock Derbyshire DE4 3AG – Tel –

Step 4 - Delivery Each agency is responsible for the delivery of their own service As co-ordinator the Lead Professional is only responsible for ensuring each agency has a copy of the action plan agreed at the TAC meeting Deliver agreed actions 5 key steps to CAF

Step 5 - Review Lead Professional to convene TAC review meeting Review the progress of the child/young person and the service delivery Revise action plan Send reviewed action plan and other changes in information since last review to Making Links team 5 key steps to CAF

When Completing a CAF Please bear in mind the following points… –Ensure the CAF is produced in a holistic and child led manner –Use plain simple English –Make it understandable to the child and/or their parent –Ensure it is free from jargon and with any acronyms explained –The common assessment is undertaken with the child/parent –It should be supportive and encouraging, focusing on strengths as well as needs

Exercise Completing a CAF

Introduction to Lead Professional - & the Team Around the Child meeting

Rationale for Lead Professional Laming suggests that the lead professional is central to the effective delivery of integrated services to children who require support from a number of practitioners. It helps to overcome some of the frustrations traditionally experienced by children and families with a range of needs e.g. numerous lengthy meetings; lack of co-ordination; conflicting and confusing advice; not knowing who to speak to; the right support not being available at the right time. It can also help alleviate the frustrations often felt by practitioners in accessing other services.

Lead Professional role & Safeguarding Although the Lead Professional will likely have a good overall picture of the child’s needs, all members of the team around the child have a responsibility for protecting the child from significant harm. If any professional suspects the child is at risk of significant harm, it is their individual responsibility to report this to Children’s Social Care.

Lead Professional duties and responsibilities To act as a primary point of contact for the child or family To facilitate the co-ordination of service provision (ensuring all parties have up to date copies of the action plan) To ensure communication channels remain open To ensure meetings and reviews take place

The family will need to… Be listened to Have their views taken into account Be involved in decision making Be informed when there are waiting lists Be kept up to date about developments

Lead Professionals Responsible for ensuring the delivery of other services To be used by other involved professionals as a method of communication back to the child or family. Necessarily a permanent fixture On their own. Are not:

Explain the role of Lead Professional to the young person Determine their wishes / opinion Discuss with the relevant team members to assess their availability Consider the opportunity to split the role Choosing the Lead Professional

In discussion with the Team Around the Child, the most appropriate person should be selected taking into account - The child’s needs Relationships with the child or family Level of involvement Ability to fulfil the role *They should have completed the CAF training. The role is transferable where appropriate

The Team Around the Child - as a resource Providing: Organisational skills What services do they know which could help? - After discussion with the young person/family, could these be referred to and invited to join the process? Shared knowledge of services Meeting rooms, photocopying facilities, administration time

What services are available? Local authorities are required to have a service directory providing comprehensive information on local providers, eligibility criteria, geographical location and referral procedures

Other sources of information and training Every Child Matters: Change for Children Every Child Matters: The Framework for Inspection of Children’s Services National Service Framework for Children, Young People and maternity Services Common Core of Skills and Knowledge for the Children’s Workforce Guidance and training materials on What To Do If You Are Worried A Child Is Being Abused and Working Together to Safeguard Children Guidance and training materials on integrated working processes and tools

Other sources of information and training cont. Integrated working fact sheets Integrated working case examples Information sharing guidance and training materials Lead Professional guidance and training materials Multi-agency working toolkit

The primary purpose of ContactPoint is to let practitioners know who else is working with a child or young person Only authorised managers and practitioners will be granted access to ContactPoint once they have received information sharing and ContactPoint training and are in receipt of an enhanced CRB check The key benefit anticipated from ContactPoint is a reduction in manager and practitioner time currently wasted on unnecessary referrals, or trying to find out whom else is working with a particular child

Integrated Children’s System (ICS) ICS is a systematic assessment process for children with complex needs Information is gathered, recorded and analysed in a consistent manner to enable practitioners to better understand children's needs and identify strategies and solutions ICS enables practitioners to identify priority needs and work towards better multi-agency planning

eCAF eCAF is an electronic template of the CAF form. Work is being done at national level to determine a national solution as to the model of eCAF and how it can be used effectively.

Working closer together… Information Sharing CAF eCAF ContactPoint Lead Professional Multi-agency Working ICS Others? …to make it happen

So what happens next? Think of your current case load… Follow the CAF procedure for your new cases Speak to your manager CAF starts here

Objectives Look back at what you wanted to achieve What we hoped you would achieve –Have an understanding of Information Sharing, and the issues around it. –Understand the role of the Lead Professional –Have gained experience in using the CAF forms –Have developed an understanding of the CAF as a process –Have a clear impression of the benefits the CAF system could have for your case load –Have an understanding of how this training fits with other activities across the county