Integrated Working and CAF (Common Assessment Framework)

Just finished this course. :)

CAF - Common Assessment Framework - is about working with other professionals to ensure that children are not missed and slip through the 'net' when it comes to protecting and helping children. Following the Victoria Climbie murder the inquiry showed that sharing information and working together was the key to preventing such a thing ever happening again.

For parents and children it can be a stressful time to have to repeat things over and over again and because working together can save time in repeated paperwork, phone calls and information gathering it is a benefit to all those who need to be involved.

This course explains what the Common Assessment Framework is, how it works, who is involved and how everyone involved in a CAF is working to ensure the Every Child Matters 5 Outcomes for the child are met. It also covers information sharing, and how to recognise what you should and shouldn't share with others. What a Lead Professional is. What ContactPoint is.

Because Childminding is becoming more and more recognised as professional care it is highly likely that you could be asked to be involved in a CAF for a child in your care.

It took me about 3 hours (spread over a week and a half) to work through this. I didn't want to try to take in too much information at once and also, because I was so busy, I found it easier to just do it when I felt like it rather than because I HAD to! I think you are more able to take in information when you are doing it happily, rather than feeling forced into it when you are tired.

Because the training is kept in your own training area, you can log in and out as you want. The training material is also there to look back on even after you have finished the course, which is great for refreshing your memory later.

At the end of the course there is a multiple choice quiz, if you pass you can print out a certificate, if you don't pass you can go back and do the course again as many times as you want, until you have gained the knowledge to pass.

Find out more here:

Integrated Working and CAF

I saw something about this briefly last week and thinking I would look into it a bit more then forgot all about it.

Do you think this is a fully recognised course - I noticed it wasn't free. It does sound good, specially as it is only a short course and you can do it from home. I think I will put it on my things to do list.

Thanks Pauline, for the information.

This one does look interesting, doesn't it?

Wow how Spooky Im reading about CAF training when an Email arrived I opened it and its an invite to do some CAFtraining locally :panic: Well it is Halloween lol. Carolyn and I have attended an introduction (2hrs)to CAF on this with Police ,Teachers, Nursery Workers etc. Is that enough Pauline or do you think we need more?
June

I'd have thought that would be enough June, it's not a requirement or anything and if you get the basics then that is great, especially if it is for free!! :)

Hi all

CAF sounds brilliant in practice, but in principle as childminders we are rarely considered in a professional light where matters of child development, spotting early indicators of learning difficulties etc., I know that all of us do -and often quietly sow seeds in the parents mind that perhaps their may be an underlying problem as to why their child may have delayed speech and language, maybe jumping from floor to ceiling. But at the end of the day I have yet to hear of any childminder involved with a multi-agency and the professionals within them - actually using CAF.

Would be interested to know if anyone at all has been involved in multi-professional meetings yet in relation to a child that may need help and support from portage workers, peads etc.,

CAF is lip service at the end of the day - think about baby P - Victoria Climbie - all these Multi-professionals and agencies should have been working together - but all are tied up in their own agencies, with their own agendas and work constraints. The whole idea behind CAF is effective communication! - which people do not do within these bodies so they are very unlikely to include a childminder as we are not considered professionals in our own right. To be considered a professional in their light you must be benchmarked against stringent standards and qualifications - such as a GP, nurse, pead etc., After 13 years as a childminder with my NVQ, A1/V1, 7302 teaching award and my foundation degree and soon BA Hons. - I was told by one GP I would not be recognised or included in the meeting regarding one of my children, even though I have them for over 30 hours a week.

Interesting training though

Yes little antics, I fully understand what you mean.

I think this is one of the areas that needs carefully looking into when the Eyfs is reviewed in 2010.

It is good in principle, isn't it? Yet so often childminders, who spend long hours with children, are simply sidelined.

look at baby p's own childminder her worries about him were not taken very seriously at all

i am interested in doing this course though as if we can show we are willing to do the training then they may start to take us seriouslyasprofessionals ( even if not as typists)

The link isn't working for me Pauline - just comes up with page not found :(

Miffy xx

Quote:

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Originally Posted by miffy

The link isn't working for me Pauline - just comes up with page not found :(

Miffy xx

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Thanks Miffy, they are a pain for keep changing the URL's :mad:

Should work now: click here

Thank you Pauline - all working now

Miffy xx