Common Assessment Framework

The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) is a central part of the Government’s plan to make sure that different services work together to support children and young people.

• Make sure that children and young people who have ‘additional needs’ are identified as early as possible.
• Reduce the number of assessments children and young people might need to undergo.
• Improve the quality of assessments across all services for children and young people.
• Support any referrals between different services that are necessary about children and young people.

One of the professionals working with you and your child (or children) may suggest a Common Assessment to explore the additional support your child (or children) might need to do their best. An assessment should help you and the professionals involved to plan what to do next if your child (or children) needs additional support. If you agree to a Common Assessment, it should:

• Be easy and straightforward for professionals, your child and yourself to complete.
• Encourage the professionals involved with you to focus on your child’s (or children’s) whole range of needs - including their education, learning, health care in the wider context of your family, community and culture
• Focus on possible solutions with you and your child (or children).
• Focus on what your child (or children) does well, not just on any difficulties and problems they may have.
• Encourage professionals from different services to work together to support you and your child (or children).

Useful Documents

• Review Form   (.pdf, 32.0KB)
• Change Meeting Form (Online Form)  (.pdf, 120KB)
• Change Meeting - what do I need to do to call one?   (.pdf, 7.59KB)
• Change Meeting Guidelines   (.pdf, 7.59KB)
• CAF Handbook (.pdf, 697KB)
• CAF Information for Parents and Carers   (.pdf, 352KB)
• CAF Information for Young People   (.pdf, 368KB)
• CAF/ContactPoint Newsletter issue 1 (.pdf, 425KB)
• CAF/ContactPoint Newsletter issue 2 (.pdf, 427KB)
• CAF/ContactPoint Newsletter Issue 3 (.pdf, 697KB)
• CAF/ContactPoint Newsletter Issue 4 (.pdf, 570KB)
• CAF/ContactPoint Newsletter Issue 5  (.pdf, 562KB)
• Flow Chart for Change for Children & Young People System (.pdf, 586KB)
• The Change for Children and Young People Strategy  (.pdf, 1366KB)
• Threshold For Intervention  (.pdf, 155KB)
• Information Sharing Leaflet  (.pdf, 293KB)
• Audit of the Common Assessment Framework Report   (.pdf, 94.8KB)
• Teenage Pregnancy and the Common Assessment   (.pdf, 364KB)
• Teenage Pregnancy Intervention Service Leaflet   (.pdf, 194KB)

Fact Sheets

• CAF and Schools (.pdf, 152KB)
• Lead Professional Role and Schools   (.pdf, 148KB)
• Multi agency Working  (.pdf, 243KB)
• Integrated working  (.pdf, 444KB)
• Integrated working implementation road map   (.pdf, 264KB)
• Service Directories   (.pdf, 201KB)

Policies and Procedures

• Policy - Change Meetings (.pdf, 148KB)
• Policy - CAF (.pdf, 148KB)
• Policy - Information Sharing (.pdf, 153KB)
• Policy - Lead Professional (.pdf, 147KB)
• Procedure - Change Meetings (.pdf, 309KB)
• Procedure - CAF (.pdf, 321KB)
• Procedure - Information Sharing Protocol (.pdf, 390KB)
• Procedure - Lead Professional (.pdf, 316KB)

Useful Links

• Child Protection
• Child Protection in Schools
• Wigan Safeguarding Children Board (external link)
• Worried about a child?
• Independent Reviewing Officers
• Myths and Realities
• Children In Need Duty Team

Contact Details