CYP 3.1 – Assessment criteria 3.1 (K)
Research Task – Common Assessment Framework

The Common Assessment Framework is a structured basis to help specialist professionals working with CYP and their families. It is used to assess CYP’s additional needs for earlier and more effective services, and to develop a common understanding of those needs and how to work together to meet them, when those needs are not being met by their current service provision.

The CAF is used across all children’s services and all local areas in England. It is generally used with CYP up to the age of 18, but it can be extended beyond 18 where appropriate. This will enable the young person to have a smooth transition to adult services
So what does it consist of? The CAF consists of four steps:
The identification of needs using a pre-assessment checklist to help decide who would benefit from a common assessment;
The assessment of those needs – a process to enable practitioners in the CYP’s workforce to undertake a common assessment and then act on the result. The assessment covers 3 areas: the development of the CYP, parents and carers, and family and environment;
The delivery of integrated services using a standard form to record the assessment;
The review of progress, using a delivery plan and review form.

Every professional working with CYP should understand the government outcomes for all CYP as set out in “Every Child Matters”. The Government is devoted to improving outcomes for all CYP and the policy framework supporting this includes Every Child Matters (2003), Youth Matters (2005), the Children’s Plan (2007) and the 2020 CYP’s Workforce Strategy (2008). All of these are focused on improving the lives of CYP so that they can be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic well-being.

CYP and their families have a different range of needs, at different points in their lives. However, while all CYP need access to high quality services, some of them may also have additional needs related to their development, education, health or welfare. These