Issue - meetings

Members to consider an update on the CAF Action Plan presented to committee in December 2010.

Members were reminded that the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) was an assessment tool used by agencies to assess a child’s additional needs. The committee was provided with information on the activity undertaken to address the issues raised in the two audits of CAF practice.

The key areas looked at were:

Ø      How closely a case had been examined before a decision had been made that no additional service was required.

Ø      Concerns about the Framework I data base and whether reports provided the required information about CAF activity.

Ø      The back log of CAF cases in consideration by the CAF manager and the delays in a number of CAFs proceeding to the CAF panel for consideration.

 We noted that since the audit exercise in June 2010, 227 CAFs had been assessed between September and December. There were only 20 (10%) cases found to require no additional service for the child.  This was an improvement on the previous results and showed that the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) was being used correctly, where needed, and there was more effective decision making as a result of this.  We were advised that the Framework I data was under constant review to ensure it was accessible and could be reliably called upon to provide information when making assessments. We were pleased to note that the backlog of CAF cases, awaiting assessment by the panel, had been cleared. There had been extra panels convened in December and January to consider the outstanding applications. Members sought an understanding on the affect the delays would have had on clients awaiting decisions from the CAF panel and they noted the few cases where a decision would have been unduly delayed. Members were assured that the number of CAFs requiring consideration by the panel would be tracked and extra panels convened to respond to future peaks in demand as experienced in June when the audits were undertaken. We further learned about the working arrangements in the First Response team where Social Workers were   having more immediate discussions with Teachers and Health visitors on CAF applications and also supporting their completion where needed.