Guest Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I had my CAF training sometime ago ...just wonder what people think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 (edited) 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. Edited February 22, 2008 by Wolfie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I was the only one there from private nursery, everyone else deputy heads and headteachers of schools or care workers. Enjoyed it though!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I was concerned that it may stop people from raising concerns early rather than as is intended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 CAF can definitely be for child protection issues in our area and can also cover SEN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Great Peggy - just start to get our heads round it - and they change the goal posts again!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 (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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mundia Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I thought the database was not to replace CAF but to complement it? Its also going to take a while to complete.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 yes my link social worker mentioned ISA, so maybe it is becoming electronic as wolfie says. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 I thought ISA was Child Protection??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 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 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Great Peggy - just start to get our heads round it - and they change the goal posts again!!!!! The only surprise here, hali is that you're surprised!! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 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 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 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"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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