Multi-Agency Case File Audits
(MACFA)
Learning Briefing
Nicki Pettitt, Independent MACFA Auditor
18th September 2015
Plan for the session
• Setting the scene – the legal and local context
• The MACFA process in Telford & Wrekin
• The themes and key observations
• The learning and impact
• Future plans
Working Together to Safeguard Children
Each Local Safeguarding Children Board has a statutory
function to:
• Assess the effectiveness of the help being provided to
children and families, including early help
• Quality assure practice, including through joint audits of
case files involving practitioners and identifying lessons
to be learned
The MACFA Process (1)
• 3 themed audits per year. Themes agreed in advance and reflect
local or national priorities/need.
• Names/DOB/address of 4* children plus parents sent out in
advance. (*Can vary by theme)
• File audit and discussions with staff to take place and information
recorded – using audit tool.
• Consideration of family engagement.
• Day long meeting with key agencies and safeguarding
leads/managers in attendance.
• Feedback to staff involved on the learning, undertaken after the
meeting, and again when the report is received.
• Audit summary report completed by the chair with key learning,
recommendations and an action plan.
The MACFA Process (2): OFSTED Gradings
O for Outstanding
G for Good
RI for Requires Improvement
In for inadequate
The MACFA Process (3): concerns and
performance
• Immediate concerns for children identified within the case file audit
are referred back by the managers present immediately following
the meeting (or in some cases while the case is being audited and
before the formal meeting.)
• Any performance issues in regards to staff or agencies that are
identified during the MACFA are reported back to the managers
within the agency and there is an expectation that these are
addressed with the professional, this might include a review of their
wider work with children and their families.
The MACFA Process (4): what is audited?
The quality of:
• Early recognition and intervention
• Assessment
• Participation
• Implementation of plans
• Effectiveness of multi-agency working
• Recording
• Management and supervision
• Voice of the child
(Other issues are included depending on the theme)
Good practice is also specifically highlighted.
The MACFA themes so far.....
Domestic abuse
Child Sexual Exploitation
Neglect
Children harming children
(currently being finalised)
MACFA 1: Domestic Abuse
Key observations:
• Be specific in recording of assessments and referrals, especially
in relation to substance misuse
• The voice of the child should be sought and specifically recorded
• Plans should be outcome focused and have time boundaries
• Information sharing with those not present at meetings should
occur
• High complexity in the cases
• Involvement of health professionals was not always evident
• Chronologies not always evidence on case files
• Gap around use of CIN and step up and step down processes
• Contingency planning needs to be in place
Good awareness of the impact of domestic abuse on children
MACFA 2: Child Sexual Exploitation
Key observations:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Recording the facts and exactly what was meant was not evident
The perpetrator’s age was not included in records.
Information was not shared widely
No use of timelines, genograms or eco-grams
Lack of chronologies
Lack of clarity about the purpose of the plans and consistency
across the plans
• Exploration of the parents/sibling’s history was not evident.
• Wider family was not always considered in assessments.
Having the child and parent/s at CSE strategy meetings appears to
ensure good cooperation from families in the plan.
A good relationship is reported between the CATE and sexual
health practitioners.
MACFA 3: Neglect
Key observations:
• Toxic trio was present in all cases audited
• Additional vulnerability noted in many cases
• Large sibling groups often recorded as one, rather than each
child individually.
• Assessment of impact of new babies on care of other siblings not
always evident.
• The impact of neglect over time not always considered and
evidence of drift.
• Disguised compliance present
• Professionals not knowing how to respond to neglect in the case
of an older child.
• Step down and ‘start again’ evident.
Positive impact of the neglect strategy and pilot seen
especially around involvement of the child/young person in
their plan.
MACFA 4: Children harming children (CHC)
This is in the process of being signed off but the key
observations are:
•
•
•
•
Lack of chronologies
A lack of understanding of the CHC pathway.
The need to include health professionals to strategy meetings
Considering and referring both victims and perpetrators is
needed
• Consideration of the impact on the wider family and community
not evident
The YOS attending strategy meetings to ensure early information
sharing in CHC cases.
That children and young people are not automatically criminalised
despite the serious nature of some of the allegations, and the
admissions of the child.
MACFA recommendations - examples
Neglect MACFA:
That the TWSCB considers undertaking an audit of all
children where there is a CP plan for neglect to establish if
there is a chronology and a genogram on agency records.
Child Sexual Exploitation MACFA:
That the TWSCB considers how it can be assured that
when a child is hurting another child, the process which
considers them as a child in their own right is robust.
MACFA impact - examples
Chronologies
•
multiagency guidance on chronologies was devised and shared with
agencies to diseminate and use to compliment their specific
processes.
•
The local authority are considering the utilisation of the same
electronic chronology across all areas.
Core Groups
•
The TWSCB and Local Authority are in the process of finalising
updated Core Group procedures which will provide better outcomes for
children and families involved.
Child’s Daily Lived Experience Pilot
•
The Neglect audit evidenced that the multiagency work around the
pilot had impacted positively resulting in better outcomes for the child
and the family. The pilot included a practical tool (the clock) for
practitioners to use within the core group as well as a different
approach in child protection conferences.
Future plans for MACFAs
• Closer monitoring of the MAFCA actions plans to ensure
timely progress
• 3 MACFAs will be undertaken each year (next one Nov 2015)
• Consideration of improved family engagement in the audit
process
• Consideration of a MACFA with direct practitioner involvement
• Improving the sharing of the learning from the MACFAs with a
wider audience
• Links with other local and national learning