Integrated working

Common Assessment Framework (CAF)

The CAF is a shared assessment and planning framework for use across all children's services and all local areas in England. It aims to help the early identification of children's additional needs and promote co-ordinated service provision to meet them

The CAF is a standardised approach to conducting an assessment of a child's additional needs and deciding how those needs should be met.

We have worked with the Department for Education (DfE) to produce tools, advice and guidance to promote the CAF. Responsibility for CAF policy and the e-enablement of CAF, National eCAF still lies with DfE.

Integrated working guidance

The integrated working guidance is a set of four guides that explain the CAF process, how to be a member of the team around the child, and how to act as a lead professional. The guidance documents seek to link together the practices and processes of integrated working, which also include multi-agency working and information sharing. Below is the CAF guidance, for practitioners, and also for managers.

Common assessment framework: A guide for practitioners [3.5 MB PDF]

Common assessment framework: A guide for managers [2.2 MB PDF]

The guides are also available online as an interactive tool which allows you to easily navigate and are printer friendly.

If you would like to order a free printed copy of the guidance, please email integratedworking@cwdcouncil.org.uk with your full address and the number of copies you require.

Integrated working eguidance

Team around the child and the lead professional guidance is available on the lead professional page.

We have developed training packages to complement the guidance, and they are available on the training page.