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What is the CAF?
A CAF is an assessment of all of a child or young person's needs
focussing on identifying strengths and needs which may be relevant
to all services working with a child or young person. It is means
to capture and support children with additional needs and the most
vulnerable children who may not yet have accessed specialist
support. It should reduce the chances of children falling through
the net where a child's needs do not match current service
thresholds and may trigger guidance from specialist services to
universal settings to support prompt early intervention.
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When would a CAF be completed?
It would be completed if progress is giving cause for concern
and needs are unclear, a child has needs which cannot currently be
met by existing services or the support of more than one agency is
needed and a CAF would help to share information about a child
assisting service coordination
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Who may use a CAF?
They may be completed by staff in any setting although it is
likely most will be completed by staff in universal and targeted
settings. For example, health visitors, school nurses, school
staff, youth workers, connexions, and children's centres staff.
They may also be completed by specialist staff if they think it
would help share assessment information with other practitioners
and support service planning. They are completed with the consent
and involvement of the child, young person or their parents or
carers.
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What happens after a CAF has been completed?
A plan will be identified to respond to the identified needs of
the child concerned. If a multi-agency response is needed a lead
professional will act as a single point of contact for the family
and other professionals involved.
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