What is CAF?

[claw3]

I know that it stands for common assessment framework.

Does anyone have any experience of it?

Well allegedly it's all the agencies coming together to share information and make progress in co ordinating care and education for the child.

In practise it's a meeting every three months where a lot of talking gets done but very little action.

That's my experience anyway, DS2 has one.

It's still very new and people are still been trained in it. Even if you are lucky enough to find somebody trained to do them, just ask them first exactly how many they have done so far.

I refer kids via CAF often. It was meant to revolutionise the whole inter-agencies system, but in actual fact it is very dependent on both boroughs and organisations as to how they are dealt with.

The LEA have recommended that the school arrange a CAF. Why would they do that?

Ive just been reading about it and it says sub-heading

who is CAF for

The CAF is aimed at children with additional needs who have needs that are not being met by their current service provision.

we got one cos we can't get a social worker - coping too well apparently so that is nice and because DS2 keeps getting turned down for statutory assessment

Glitter, the LEA recommended it to school when they turned down my application for SA.

Seems strange that the CAF is for children who are not having their needs met and the LEA are recommended it when they turn you down for SA!

Passing the buck back to the school?

I have been led to believe that a CAF is necessary now for a child to access any help in terms of SALT etc. It is then added to as other agencies are involved.

My child is older and already in the system so don't have any direct experience. My worry would be on the security of the information held. My LEA once sent me the wrong child's statement with all the reports. There are lots of very intrusive questions which are geared towards children at risk that I would feel uncomfortable about.

we have caf meetings as my daughter is diabetic and uses her insulin to control her weight and got even worse since she had her little man. We have had asbout 3 now and it is really good for everybody to meet like diabetic nurse, housing people, child care people or should say childrens centre, health visiter etc... harvey is a poorly baby with serious heart condition and she is in full time education and doing brillinat.

Ok, I soend my days doing CAFS. They are meant to be offered if you require more than one service for more than one angentcy. This si to make sure we dont rework families and we are all aware of what other proffessionals are doing. You then meet every 3 months to discuss plans and actions. It should always be parent lead, we parents deciding who they want involved and who needs to be at meetings.
HTH

I was told last week that we will need to do the CAF form to access the Autism Outreach Team. I was warned the form contained lots of intrusive questions but told I didn't have to answer any I didn't want.

It is inter-agency working to prevent children slipping through the gaps....all those horror stories you hear

no nned to say sorry, i have seen some terrible CAFS and me and my work colleuge are forever fighting over if a family needs one and what extra would it give a family, other than proffessionals knowing all about them.

What happens if there are independent professionals involved? I haven't had a CAF and I've never been recommended one, but we have multi agency involvement and it does get a bit wearing trying to keep everyone updated. DS has a statement though.

Ds has involvement from

Paed
Acute Paed
Dietitian
Feeding clinic
Optometrist - who has also referred for Irlen syndrome assessment.
OT
SALT
Incontinence service
ASD specialist
ASD Outreach
CAMHS

and they want to put the school in charge, the school cant even communicate between themselves. The school couldnt organise a piss up in a brewery!

Every MD meeting that has ever been held, only 1 or 2 people from the above list have turned up anyhow.

Star, in theory is a good idea, but its a recommendation made to the school which will go in their pile of recommendations to be ignored.

I can complain to the LEA if the recommendation isnt followed i suppose, so it can go in my pile of things to complain about

with a CAF a "lead proffessional" is choosen and you do know that the parent can request that role right

The only one of that list who has ever been prepared to speak up about anything, has been Paed. The others just cover each others arses. (apart from acute paed and eyes, which are physical things)

I wont be organising a thing, i can reach Paed by email or phone.

School are talking about this re DS. He has had most of this year off due to being in hospital with his epilepsy and is going to need support when he goes back. Statementing is going to be pretty tricky so they are going down the CAF line. I'm a teacher and had never heard of it

Star, yeah great a room full of people who ive organised to get there, who already think im a control freak, brill!

Im just a big ole cynic, im sure it could work, just dont have much faith left in professionals at the minute.

Sorry Starlight - they mean that it will take ages and they want to get some support for us all sooner rather than later. In fact, having spoken to the Head this morning, it sounds like they it's more support for us than DS