Useful Documents/publications

[Guest]

Just thought i could share the following documents/publications from Ofsted here

they are really useful and have lots of good info for settings

also some from the every child matters website

 

firm_foundations.docfood_for_thought.doccaf_practitioners_guide.pdfmaking_it_happen.pdf

 

hope i have done this right!!

 

if anyone wants to know more about CAF - common assessment framework - i have done training on this

 

If anyone has a problem remembering the five outcomes as stated iin every child matters - just think of the word 'shape'

 

s for safety

h for healthy

a for achieve and enjoy

p for positive contribution

e for economic well being

 

although ofsted dont inspect on the last one as it is related to gtting parents back into work and reducing the number of children being brough in poverty

 

so ofsted's last outcome is organisation instead of economic well being

[Guest]

Thanks for sharing

[AnonyMouse_2732]

Nice one!

 

Our staff constantly forget them, (the outcomes) so that's a timely aide-memoire!!

 

Sue

[Guest]

thanks so much they look really useful

[Guest]

Economic well being was commented on in our recent ofsted report. They said that the children worked well in the garden centre and learnt good ICT skills which contributed to their future economic well being - or words to that effect.

Sue

[Guest]

thank you, my printer is working very hard!

[Guest]

I recently attended a joint meeting at our local childrens assessment centre ( based at our local hospital) for a child we have shared care of at our preschool. The childs health / development needs have been looked after, at this centre since birth ( premature). He started at our setting Summer term, aged 2 yrs.

The meeting was attended by the Area senco, the child's paedetrition ( excuse spelling) staff from the assessment centre, myself and my preschool senco.

 

I took along a CAF form to see if it would be a tool they would like to use, the area senco basically said that it is not compulsory and they are awaiting training on the use of it, so it remained in my bag. ( by the way, he had heard about CAF, but it was the first time he had ever seen the actual document).

 

My question is;

At what point in a child's care / referral etc would a CAF form be initially completed?

 

How are we, in the PVI sector meant to embrace these new developments if our knowledge / commitment appears to be ahead of the 'experts' ( sorry don't mean to sound bitter, but that's how I feel sometimes when I try to keep abreast of developments and others don't)

 

Is the CAF form a replacement for the "Early Support- Helping every child succeed- Family Pack", Which I have heard is not being produced anymore ( blue box file for parents of children with SEN)

 

I must admit, I have only read through the literature re: CAF, once, I was hoping to get more of a "working" knowledge of it through our local Area Senco when I took it to the multi-agency meeting.

 

Peggy

PRE_ASSESSMENT_FORM___CAF.pdf

[Guest]

wonderful Thank you so much for sharing those. Bit of light reading tonight.

[AnonyMouse_1027]

thanks

[Guest]

A CAF form is for use when a child needs support from a number of agencies - it helps to co ordinate referrals

 

its different from early support - this is for parents to help them keep information about their child, a way to organise it

 

the caf is a common assessment - which when fully implemented will serve as a standards means of assessment that will be used nationally

all agencies can call this form in and add their part then send it back to a centrally held place

 

this means assessments will not have to be done over and over again

the core info is only given once - much easier on the parents

 

the different dimensions of the caf are not new but are similar to the framework for assessment on children in need

 

the dimensions are designed to give the person assessing the childs needs a more holistic view.

[Guest]

Thanks for the briefing Nefertari,

 

"the caf is a common assessment - which when fully implemented will serve as a standards means of assessment that will be used nationally

all agencies can call this form in and add their part then send it back to a centrally held place"

 

Do you know when it will be fully implemented?

Who will make the initial assessment?

Is the centrally held place set up yet?

 

I think it is a useful way to co-ordinate information for all concerned with supporting a child, I'm just eager to use a system like this.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

every authority is working on this at some point - im not sure if we all have a common roll out date - as far as my area we are well infront of our bordering counties

 

the person who will make the initial assessment is the professional who is working with the child - maybe area senco, nursery senco, speech therapist - whoever is the one who has a concern

 

and no the centrally held place is not set up - we all work backwards when faced with government initiatives - this is not a new idea peggy!! sorry for the sarcasm

[Guest]

I understand the sarcasm completely, like the "extended Schools" initiative was the subject of my dissertation in, wait for it, 1998.

 

Peggy

[AnonyMouse_4544]

I wonder if all agencies will ever learn to work together and share information