Minimum Regional Standards for CAF Processes
Assessing Needs and Planning
1. Where more than one service is required to meet needs, the consent of the child/young person and their family should be gained to share the common assessment, a Team around the Child/Family should be formed and a Lead Professional agreed.
2. The date of the first TAC/TAF meeting should be set and notified to the family quickly and should always take place within 20 working days of the initial CAF assessment being completed.
3. All Children's Trusts' CAF forms will (eventually - date?) use the national CAF form.
4. The practitioner undertaking a common assessment should always explore wider areas with the child/young person and family and, as appropriate, either supply sufficient evidence to make a judgement in every box on the CAF form or indicate a plan to obtain it.
5. Practitioners should not promise services/actions on behalf of another service.
6. Where a referral is made to social care or other statutory body, the lead professional remains in the lead until the initial assessment is completed and/or responsibility is assumed by that organisation.
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Resources shared by regional colleagues to support the implementation of these standards
Items available to print / download
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Lincolnshire CAF form
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CAF My Feelings and guidance (Notts)
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Guidance for Completing a CAF (Lincs)
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Invitation for agencies to attend a Common Assessment (Northampton)
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Service Request Form (Derby)
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CAF Toolkit (Nottingham)
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CAF Handbook (Notts)
