CAF Explained

Common Assessment Framework

Why has the CAF been introduced?

The aim of the CAF is to identify children and young people with additional needs and help them before things reach crisis point.

The CAF is a tool to identify unmet needs, aiming to improve outcomes for all children and young people so that they can achieve the five Every Child Matters outcome areas:

  • Being healthy
  • Staying safe
  • Enjoying and achieving
  • Making a positive contribution
  • Achieving economic well-being

The CAF is intended to provide a simple process for a holistic assessment of a child's needs and strengths, taking into account the role of parents, carers and environmental factors on their development.

Practitioners work in partnership with the child, parents, carers and other agencies to agree on the appropriate support.

Information-sharing between those involved means families are less likely to have to repeat stories time and time again.

If you are worried that a child may have been harmed or may be at risk of harm, you should follow established LSCB procedures without delay. You should not stop to do a common assessment. If you are unsure what to do, contact your local safeguarding or child-protection team.

Who will benefit from the CAF?

All children require access to high quality universal services. Some children have additional needs, requiring targeted support from education, health, social services or other services.

Examples of additional needs could include:

  • Special educational needs
  • Disabilities
  • Poor nutrition
  • Poor school attendance or exclusion
  • Ill-health
  • Anti-social or disruptive behaviour
  • Lack of parental support/boundaries
  • Experiencing bullying
  • Housing issuesv
  • Pregnancy/parenthood