Gateshead Children’s Trust
Gateshead CAF Form
Common Assessment Framework (CAF) for children and young people and their families
FICTIONAL ASSESSMENT FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY
Date of Assessment
DD/MM/YYYY
Details of Children with in the family
Child 1
Child 2
Child 3
First Name
Christopher
Claire
Owen
Surname
Walker
Walker
Walker
Date of Birth
DDMMYY
DDMMYY
DDMMYY
Sex
M☒
F☐
M☐
F☒
M☒
F☐
Ethnicity
White
British
White
British
White
British
Religion
Church Of
England
Church Of
England
Church Of
England
1
Language
English
English
English
Disability
No
No
No
st
Child 4
M☐
F☒
Child 5
M☐
Child 6
F☐
M☐
F☐
P Number
Office use
only
Address
1 The Street, Gateshead
Postcode
NE8 777
01234 56789
Telephone Number
Details of Parents / Carers
FICTIONAL ASSESSMENT FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY
Parent / Carer
First Name
Julie
Surname
Walker
Date of birth
DDMMYY
Relationship
Mother
Do they have
Parental
Responsibility
Y☒
Address if different
from above
N☐
Parent / Carer
Parent / Carer
Parent / Carer
Y☐
Y☐
Y☐
N☐
N☐
N☐
As above
Religion
st
1 Language
If you have child protection concerns follow the Gateshead LSCB Inter Agency Child Protection Procedures
Disability
Yes - MS
P Number
Office use only
Current family & home situation
(e.g. family structure and who the child lives with and doesn’t live with, including siblings, other significant
adults etc.)
FICTIONAL ASSESSMENT FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY
Mam Julie is a single parent. Mam and the 3 children, Chris, Claire and Owen, live in a 2 bedroom house
rented from the local authority. Dad Michael left the family home 9 months ago and currently has no contact
with Julie or the children. Relationships with extended family members are strained and there are no wider
family support networks.
Details of person undertaking assessment
FICTIONAL ASSESSMENT FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY
Name of person
(LP)
Sally Smith
Role
Organisation
Education
Welfare
Officer
Education
Welfare
Service
Address
Gateshead
Civic Centre,
NE81HH
Telephone
Number
01234 98765
Email
[email protected]
Other professionals involved with the family
FICTIONAL ASSESSMENT FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY
Name
Role
Mr Andrew
Head
(Christopher's
school)l
Head
Teacher
Fields
Primary
School
School
Street,
Gateshead
NE1 111
01234
43210
[email protected]
Educational
Provision
Educational
Provision
GP
Dr Quinn
GP
Good
Health
Medical
Centre
Well
Street,
Gateshead
NE1 222
01234
32121
[email protected]
HV
Emma Nurse
Health
Visitor
Good
Health
Medical
Centre
Well
Street,
Gateshead
NE1 222
01234
32121
[email protected]
Educational
Provision
Organisation
Address
Telephone
Number
Email
If you have child protection concerns follow the Gateshead LSCB Inter Agency Child Protection Procedures
Why is this assessment needed
(Presenting issues)
FICTIONAL ASSESSMENT FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY
Chris's poor attendance at school is a cause for concern.
Julie is not accessing Claire's nursery entitlement.
Julie has recently been diagnosed with MS which is impacting on her ability to care for the children.
Julie is not sure whether she is accessing all benefit entitlements for the family.
Assessment Guidance
The CAF assessment features analysis supported by the 4 domains of the assessment framework
1. Child Developmental Needs
2. Parenting Capacity
3. Family and Environment
4. Risk analysis and Evaluation
Guidance
The CAF assessment should identify the support needs of the family and determine which services
need to be involved in and contribute to the Team Around the Family Support Plan.
Assessment of Child’s Development Needs
FICTIONAL ASSESSMENT FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY
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Health
Education (including their understanding, reasoning and problem solving, their participation in
education or training / employment, their aspirations and their progress / achievement in
learning)
Emotional & behavioural development
Identity (including self esteem & self image)
Family and social relationships
Social presentation
Their self care abilities and skills
Needs, issues, concerns
The family are registered with the Good Health Medical Centre but Julie is unsure if all age appropriate health
checks and immunisations are up to date.
Julie is struggling both physically and financially with food shopping and as a result is worried that the children
are not getting enough healthy food. Julie feels she would benefit from some support around how to create
nutritionally balanced meals on a budget. This is also important for Julie's own wellbeing.
Chris's attendance at school is poor and Mr head has raised concerns around this - attendance is currently at
65%. Chris is in year 6 and is approaching the transition to secondary school so this is a very important time.
Chris does not access any out of school activities. Mr Head has described Chris as 'sensitive' therefore ongoing
assessment should include more in depth input from school in relation to Chris's behaviour and wellbeing in
school. Chris has attended 9 different schools.
Julie should be entitled to free nursery provision for Claire but has not looked into this and is not currently
accessing this provision.
If you have child protection concerns follow the Gateshead LSCB Inter Agency Child Protection Procedures
Julie reports that Chris is beginning to have angry outbursts and can get frustrated when helping out with his
younger siblings when they are noisy. The angry outburst have also been reported by Chris's head teacher and
also witnessed during the initial meeting to begin this assessment. Julie states that this is because Chris can be
very protective of her and doesn't want her to get stressed out with looking after the younger children. There is
a concern that Chris is taking on adult responsibilities in a caring role.
Julie disclosed that Chris had been sexually abused as a younger child and the perpetrator was his uncle.
Julie says that Chris received counselling at the time and there is now no contact with the wider family unit.
Further investigations are required to ascertain what support was put in place for the family - this information
should be held within social care records.
Julie is currently separated from Michael who is father to all 3 children. Julie states that there is a history of
domestic violence in the relationship. There is currently no contact with Michael and Julie doesn't know where
he is living. Further investigations should include checking social care records and whether any information is
held by the Safer Communities Team.
There a number of issues which may have a lasting impact on Chris in particular, so, as part of this assessment,
further 1 - 1 work with Chris is required to get a clearer picture of his feelings and what changes Chris would
like to see for himself and in the family.
There are few toys in the family home and Julie hasn't accessed any local parent and toddler / community
groups which could result in a lack of stimulation for the children. Julie says she would like to feel more
integrated into the community but doesn't feel confident enough to go along to any groups.
Strengths
The family are registered with the Good Health Medical Centre.
When Chris does attend school, the head teacher reports that he is generally well behaved and polite.
Julie and the 3 children are a close knit family unit.
The children are no longer at risk of witnessing domestic violence.
Chris has demonstrated resilience and developed strong caring skills. Chris is very protective of his Mam and
siblings.
Chris loves football and outdoor activities.
If you have child protection concerns follow the Gateshead LSCB Inter Agency Child Protection Procedures
Assessment of Parenting Capacity
FICTIONAL ASSESSMENT FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY
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Ability to provide basic care
Ability to ensure the child is safe
Ability to give and demonstrate emotional warmth
Ability to provide appropriate stimulation
Ability to provide appropriate guidance and boundaries
Ability to provide stability and security
Needs, issues, concerns
Julie is a recovering heroin addict.
Julie has recently been diagnosed with MS and sometimes struggles with day to day tasks and care of the
children. As a result, Julie relies on Chris for support and this poses safety issues around the supervision of the
children. Julie is aware that Chris is too young to supervise the younger children alone but sometimes lets him
take them for a walk around the block so she can rest.
Julie struggles to attend all hospital appointments as she doesn't like taking the children with her.
Julie's MS is likely to worsen - ongoing assessment will need to consider how Mam can be supported to
continue to care for the children at home.
Julie is not currently accessing any community resources, parent and toddler groups or childcare entitlements.
Julie feels isolated with no support and currently lacks the confidence to engage in local provision.
Parental guidance and boundaries in the home are inconsistent and Julie feels she would benefit from some
family support.
Strengths
Julie is doing really well on a controlled methadone programme and is confident that her previous battles with
heroin addiction are under control.
Julie is no longer in a violent relationship so the children are no longer at risk of witnessing domestic violence.
Julie recognises that Chris is taking on responsibilities that are not age appropriate and wants to rectify this by
accessing the appropriate support services.
Julies longer term aim is to find employment to help provide a financially stable home for the family.
If you have child protection concerns follow the Gateshead LSCB Inter Agency Child Protection Procedures
Assessment of Family and Environmental Factors
FICTIONAL ASSESSMENT FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY
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Who’s who and significant in or to the family
The community and community resources
The family’s social integration in the community
The family’s income, employment and housing
The extended family network
The family’s history and how they function as a family
Needs, issues, concerns
Julie lives with her 3 children, Chris, Claire and Owen in a house rented from the local authority. The house is
sparsely furnished and in need of interior decoration.
Julie feels quite isolated and does not access community recourses.
Historic sexual abuse perpetrated by Chris's uncle has left the family estranged from any wider family support
networks.
The children may have witnessed domestic violence between Julie and her estranged husband but this
relationship has now ended.
Ongoing assessment should include more consideration to the family history in relation to the impact on Julie
and the children and whether there is any potential for some family relationships to be rebuilt through
mediation.
The family are struggling with poverty issues. Julie is not clear about her benefit entitlements.
Strengths
The secure tenancy has provided much stability for the family.
Julie is no longer in a violent relationship so the children are no longer at risk of witnessing domestic violence.
Julie understands her responsibilities towards her family and although Julie's MS sometimes makes it difficult
for her to parent effectively, Julie is keen to engage with the appropriate services to enable her to fulfil her
parenting potential.
Julie really wants to increase her employment prospects
Julies longer term aim is to find employment to help provide a financially stable home for the family.
If you have child protection concerns follow the Gateshead LSCB Inter Agency Child Protection Procedures
The Assessment of Risk
FICTIONAL ASSESSMENT FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY
With reference to the 3 previous domains this section should outline the probable impact on the
child/ren, now and in the future, if their identified needs are not addressed.
What is going wrong?
What are the dangers?
What is the potential impact on the child/ren?
What will happen if nothing changes?
The current family circumstances are impacting on
Julie's ability to parent effectively. Parental guidance
and boundaries in the home are inconsistent.
Behaviour will deteriorate causing more stress within
the home
The family have limited social interaction
The children will not develop to their full potential
and Julie will become more isolated.
Chris's school attendance is poor.
Chris will not achieve his academic potential and
miss out on social interaction opportunities at school.
There is an over-reliance on Chris to help care for the
younger children.
If the children are not supervised appropriately, they
will be at risk of harm both at home and in the
community.
Julie is not accessing medical appointments.
Julie's condition will rapidly worsen if not managed
appropriately and impact on her ability to care for the
children.
Chris is showing signs of poor self esteem.
Chris will be socially isolated.
Julie is not accessing all benefit entitlements.
The financial situation will worsen leading to debt.
If you have child protection concerns follow the Gateshead LSCB Inter Agency Child Protection Procedures
Conclusions and Analysis
This should be a clear summary of the key issues and pressing needs as currently identified, written
in simple jargon free language.
This section should also outline what the family and child/ren would like to change. What are the
family goals?
FICTIONAL ASSESSMENT FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY
A number of difficulties have been identified which centre on family functioning within the context of poverty
and Julie's deteriorating health.
A package of support should be put in place to help the family reach their identified goals as follows:
Julie to be empowered to build a stable and safe home environment with more social interaction for all family
members.
Julie to feel confident in her skills as a consistent and effective parent.
All children to access age appropriate activities and the family to feel welcome and supported in local
community settings.
Chris to have improved attendance at school and to have the opportunity to engage in out of school activities.
Julie is engaging fully in the CAF process and is ready to work with support services to reach the identified
goals.
Next Steps FICTIONAL ASSESSMENT FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY
Action
Who will be doing this?
By when?
1 - 1 work to be carried out with
Chris to explore his wishes and
feelings to feed into this
assessment.
Sally Smith
DD/MM/YYYY - before the
first TAF meeting
Appointment to be arranged at
the C A B for benefits advice.
Julie and Sally Smith
DD/MM/YYYY - before the
first TAF meeting
Contact the Family Information
Service (0191 4335118) to
explore local nursery provision
Julie and Sally Smith
Confirm hospital appointments
Julie
DD/MM/YYYY - before the
first TAF meeting
Establish what community
resources are available locally
Julie and Sally Smith
DD/MM/YYYY - before the
first TAF meeting
Invite relevant practitioners to a
TAF meeting - FIT, School,
Health Visitor & FamilyWise
Sally Smith
DD/MM/YYYY - before the
first TAF meeting
DD/MM/YYYY - before the
first TAF meeting
If you have child protection concerns follow the Gateshead LSCB Inter Agency Child Protection Procedures
Have you arranged a Team Around the Family (TAF) meeting?
st
(1 TAF meeting should be arranged within 20 working days of this assessment)
☒
Time HH:MM
Location VENUE
Date
DD/MM/YY
Reason
No
☐
Child or Young Person’s view of the assessment and identified goals
Does this capture your views and give a way forward?
Yes
Chris - I'm looking forward to activities, new friends and life being easier for Mam.
Parent or Carer’s view of the assessment and identified goals
Does this capture your views and give a way forward?
I feel like this is the first step to making things better for me and the kids.
Consent for information storage and information sharing
I understand the information that is recorded on this form and that it will be stored and shared for the purpose
of providing services to
☐
Me
☐
Or Infants, children or young people named in this assessment for whom I am a parent or
carer
I agree to the sharing of information, as agreed in order to provide appropriate
Yes ☐
services
If ‘No’, please give details of the people / services you do not want this information shared with.
NO ☐
Please sign below
Young Person
Parent / Carer
Parent / Carer
Lead Practitioner
Signed Copy on file
Name
Name
Name
Name
☐
Date
Date
Date
Date
Please tick to confirm there is a signed copy on file if sending electronically
Copy to Child, Young Person or Family, copy to practitioner and copy (for secure storage) to:
Children’s Commissioning Service, Gateshead Council, Civic Centre, Regent Street, Gateshead,
Tyne and Wear, NE8 1HH
Tel - (0191) 433 2764
Fax - (0191) 490 1168
E-mail - [email protected]
Secure E-mail - [email protected]
FICTIONAL ASSESSMENT FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY
If you have child protection concerns follow the Gateshead LSCB Inter Agency Child Protection Procedures