Hi
Just wondered whether anyone has been on any training on CAF (Common Assessment Framework) my colleagues daughter (e recent NQT) was horrified to find out that we had received NOTHING - neither info or training on this matter. (we are sessional Pre School)
CAF is mentioned in the EYFS - Principles into Practice card 3.1 heading - Assessment.

Will have a look on the EYFS website for further info - but in the meantime, any info on how we access training etc. or what it means for us from anyone here would be helpful.
Thanks

Our Early Years team put on training for us a few terms ago for managers etc and are now rolling it out for other staff. I would contact them and ask

I had my CAF training sometime ago ...just wonder what people think about it.

I had my CAF training last year they advised two people from each setting to attend on a different day to give feedback back to setting. Found it quite hard going and it was not really attended by many Pre school people more teachers, headteachers, midwifes. I think if I remember rightly it was just me and one more from a nursery setting out of about 40 people.

I would contact either your Early Years Unit or your local Safeguarding Children Board - I should think that it's a course that is repeated fairly regularly in every area as all practitioners need to be aware of it. In our area we also use the Child Concern model - a very similar way of joined up working that kicks in at an earlier stage, when a professional has a concern about a child, in the hope that if measures and support are put in at this stage then the concern won't turn into anything more serious.

I was the only one there from private nursery, everyone else deputy heads and headteachers of schools or care workers. Enjoyed it though!!!!

I was concerned that it may stop people from raising concerns early rather than as is intended.

Don't quote me on this but coincidently I discussed this with my Fostering support social worker yesterday, she said the CAF is being changed for something else
Sorry no more details at the moment. The reason it came up for discussion was because it is a module within a Foundation degree Children & Families (Foster Carer route) that I am thinking of doing.
I will see if I can find out any more.

Peggy

Training for this is readily available in my area, although the onus is on individuals and settings to make the approaches.
My Manager (daycare) arranged for a nursery-wide (twilight) awareness raising session in our building through our early years team, and several Practitioners (including myself) have undertaken the Lead Practitioner training. I found it very interesting! I'm a bit disappointed in recent reports that Childcare practitioners will not now be considered for the role of Lead Practitioner - what price parental choice!

Peggy, I'm amazed they could be considering changing things before it's even properly off the ground!

Sue

We were told that the Lead Practitioners will usually be a Social Worker. All of the FSU staff have done the full training and the rest of the staff will have some later.

In Birmingham, there are the raising awareness days, which a lot of people have attended, and also a 2 day (or might be 3) training course for the lead practitioner. The idea is that should a concern be raised there is someone in the setting who can liase with the other agencies. I was at an EY conference last night led by the cities EY development workers, the CAF people for the city were there and they said CAF isnt for child protection issues because that would be the Safe guarding children team, or for special needs, that would be the area senco. Its aim is to help children who are under achieving through other issues. Sorry, I didnt listen too well after hearing all the things CAF wasnt for.

What I found "wrong" is that where once I might have had an informal chat with the school nurse if I thought a child had a hearing problem for example I can no longer do that without getting written permission from the parent or child. More RED TAPE?

CAF can definitely be for child protection issues in our area and can also cover SEN.

CAF can be used to raise Child Protection issues IF you consider that it isn't a case of a Child in Need or a Child at Risk case both of which take priority over CAF.

My LEA have rolled it out twice now. Myself and one other person from my nursery have been on it so far.

I found it good, and then recently did my first CAF with a member from the LEAs SEN team supporting me.

Great Peggy - just start to get our heads round it - and they change the goal posts again!!!!!

Don't panick Cpt Mannering
Not confirmed, just a whisper.

It's interesting to read that there is some confusion about what the CAF is actually used for, even after training (depends what training is received I suppose).
I first became aware of CAF about a year ago and bought up the subject with my local SEN advisor, his comment was, don't worry about that, even we haven't had the training yet. I was surprised that a document was readily available yet advisor had not had the training (at that time).


Peggy

ooh, just remembered, my link social worker said that the CAF would be replaced by the governments data base of all children. I know I've heard something about that in the news.

Peggy

(sorry about the multiple posts, thinking out loud)

She said the childrens database will be a centrally held database, accessible to multi agency professionals, thus dispensing of the need for the CAF forms.

Peggy

I thought the database was not to replace CAF but to complement it?
Its also going to take a while to complete..

I think what she meant was that people will be able to complete the CAF form electronically - passwords will be used to access a particular form and all professionals contributing will be able to do it online instead of completing a hard copy.

we are do to attend a Caf course on March 10 . We have just been email this information.

I am writing to make you aware of a change in the way that the CAF training is to be delivered from January 2008. (Therefore the course will be different to that which participants attended previously).

The central Information Sharing and Common Assessment (ISA) team has decided to trial the use of an e-learning package in relation to the ISA training. This means that all those who attend training from now on will need to complete two e-learning modules via a web link BEFORE attending the face to face training.

I have provided below the web links that provide access to the program and also details of the username and password for each of the two modules.

There are about 60 different window to veiw on each module then you have a quiz of 20 randon questions to answer on each module you need to score 18 out of 20 on both and print off you certificate before you attend the course.

yes my link social worker mentioned ISA, so maybe it is becoming electronic as wolfie says.

Peggy

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences etc. I wait eagerly(!) for Cheshire to provide some info or training.Looks like I might have to make a few enquiries.

I thought ISA was Child Protection???

Didn't I read something about this in the paper recently - that there are security problems with the database? Will try and find it again. Why don't I cut these things out when I see them??

Maz

The only surprise here, hali is that you're surprised!!

Maz

Is this database that everyone is referring to the one called Contact Point? I think our trainer said that we were meant to be going live with that later this year. The security and monitoring issues surrounding that are mind-boggling though, aren't they?

Sorry to reply to myself (nothing differen there then!) but I've just been tidying up my email folders... Here is the link to an article about the possible security and other difficulties which have been highlighted...

http://www.cypnow.co.uk/bulletins/Daily-Bu...C-DailyBulletin

It all sounds a bit bleak - but I would hate to comment too much because obviously I haven't read the report the article is about...

Maz

Ah, yes, it IS ContactPoint then! I did think when I was on the training that it's going to bea very difficult piece of technology to "police"!

Even if they eradicate all security risks, theres still human error. How many discs have been lost recently with personal data on?
I havent read the report either but it doesnt sound like a good idea at all

i've just done my information sharing, here in hampshire the CAF awareness is done on-line and then the completer is a day course.
as far as i'm aware you need to have 2 staff CAF trained per setting(but that might be just hants). i think basically it should be the child protection officer and SENCO.

We were told that in Berkshire settings were allowed three members of staff to have access to ContactPoint - I had to confirm that we are all CRB checked, have internet access and were willing to use home computers to access the database. Someone was going to contact me in September to take my contact details and those of my nominated staff. I'm still waiting for a call...

Maz

One of the things that occurred to me is what's to stop registered people with access to ContactPoint abusing the system and just having a "quick check" on a family that they know, with no valid professional reason for looking at the data?

Thanks Maz for the link. Further to another post I asked you about subscription to cypnow, I found the free bulleting sign up and am now duly registered for them.

Peggy

Hmmmm, home computers, how does this sit with security, confidentiality etc I wonder.

Peggy

Yes, I agree Peggy, that doesn't sound safe at all.

There is lots of caf training and other training opportunities in the sure start training booklets

Thanks for that claret, very useful.

Peggy

Oops was this recently Peggy - must have missed that! Been writing my research methodology chapter, don't you know

Glad you're sorted now though!

Maz

Oooh, get you, you do sound posh!

Maz posh...................umm ...definitley

Scary or Ginger maybe, but Posh? nahhhhh

Maz

Oh, spoilsport, now the picture I have of you in my head will have to change....

Ive just done Level 1- CAF and LP Awareness training module online.
I typed ISA training management into google and did the first one, which was Lancashire.
It is 10 very easy questions and took less than 5minutes.
Level 2 is also online but you need a passcode and password which settings should have.
Then the next levels are face to face.

i don't remember seeing one