CAF meeting for primary school child

Frith

Does anyone know what a CAF meeting entails?

I have been invited to one tomorrow about my younger son.

I have had no details or agenda, just phone calls from the school nurse and paediatrician to say they can't make it.

Thank you.

rachel90

It means Common Assessment Framework and is nothing to worry about. A lot of parents refuse to go to them as they don't understand what it is.
It will hopefully benefit you and your son. Sorry I don't know anymore about it, please don't worry!

cobbingstones

Hello a CAF meeting involves all the professionals that are involved with your child/family sitting together very informally and chatting about what needs or provisions your family may need. Its nothing to worry about!

You will have a lead professional at the close of the meeting (this is someone who will be leading the following meetings and should be someone who you are happy to deal with. You will be sent notes of the meeting afterwards which should include phone numbers and work addresses of all who are involved in your sons care.

kingfisherblue

A CAF means that information is available to those who need it, without you having to go throught he details every time you see someone. So, for example, if your child has a disability, the theory is that everything is entered onto the CAF and that information is available to the school, GP, paediatrician, speech and language therapist, physiotherapist, social worker, etc - whoever has dealings with the child's needs. In practice, it isn't always updated when it should be, but at least the main details should be recorded.

Frith

Should I mention at the meeting that I have now appointed a solicitor for my son? He has been excluded for so long I felt I had no choice.

He has seen (over the years) Occupational Therapy, Ed Psych, Child Pysch as part of CAMHS, CASBAT (autism team who said he has autistic traits but isn't actually autistic - they are now wavering and want to assess him again), the marvellous paediatrician who sadly can't make it and the school nurse.

And SENCo, the Behavioural Support Team from the county, the Learning Support Officer (very sensible lady) and the Exclusions Officer...

The head has made no secret that she wants him out, into another school with a nurture unit.

I have found an outstanding short stay school (really, every single category a level 1 in its Ofsted!) that apparently turns children round within 2 months. Should I mention it as an option?

bigmomma051204

Agree with the other two posters above - i do CAF's on families pretty often in my job as family support worker. Basically a CAF is an early intervention way of getting all professionals who are involved with a child together, at a meeting where they will hopefully be able to agree on an action plan of how they can all work together and with you/your child to best meet the childs needs.

BTW - you SHOULD know all about it.... if someone has raised a CAF on your child, they can only do so with YOUR permission. It is NOT like social services... it is VOLUNTARY from you point of view and if you didnt want one raised on your child, you can not only refuse to go...you can refuse to allow them to do it! Admittedly, i wouldnt refuse as usually they are useful tools to try and get professionals round a table talking... in practice though, the likelihood of all professionals attending is pretty slim - GPs, Paeds etc never usually attend in my experience - i guess they are too busy etc....

Anyway - PLEASE be aware that someone involved with your child has RAISED this CAF and SHOULD have not only TOLD you, but they should have ASKED your permission first!!!!! In fact, the initial paperwork usually involves the parent should be written with them where possible as it is supposed to be explaining your situation in YOUR words and saying what outcomes you want for your child and what your child wants/needs to succeed, achieve etc! I am very very surprised that you dont know anything about it as you should do!!!!!!!!!!

It is nothing to WORRY about though, so please don't.... but i would be asking who has raised te CAF and for what reasons.... and asking why you werent involved in the process from the outset......:A

Frith

I had to sign a form several weeks ago which gave the head permission to contact all the other professionals.

But that's all I know about it!

bigmomma051204

Hi - i get the feeling you are being rail roaded into this CAF and i shall be honest, that is totally NOT what it is about and i feel a bit uncomfortable about it! You really need someone there who is on "your side" as it were..... the person who has initiated the CAF should have written the initial paperwork with your views in mind. I would enquire who initiated the CAF and then ask to read it BEFORE the meeting. I cannot reiterate this enough IT SHOULD BE WRITTEN WITH YOU AND YOUR CHILD .... so you should not only have SEEN it, you should have been involved in the writing of it!

Also, the Paediatrician etc who arent attending should have recieved copies of the initial paperwork and should have produced a report based on their thoughts/opinion etc.

You are TOTALLY within your rights to ask the meeting to be reconvened to another time when someone who can support you can attend... OR if you dont agree with the paperwork, you can tell them that and ask it to be rewritten WITH you xx

bigmomma051204

Frith wrote: »

I had to sign a form several weeks ago which gave the head permission to contact all the other professionals.

But that's all I know about it!

Yeah, that would be part of it but in my opinion and with reference to my training of the CAF process, i dont feel that they have done what they should have. Again - YOU should have been asked whether they could do a CAF, then you should have been involved in the writing of the initial paperwork.....if not involved, then at LEAST they should have given you a copy and asked for your input and whether you agreed, had something to add etc. Sounds very iffy in my professional opinion...especially if the head is someone who you dont feel is sympathetic to your situation and she has written it!!!!!!

HarriettPotter

Yes I agree. I was going to suggest that perhaps the meeting was to write the CAF but you wouldnt usually have all the professionals at that. Sometimes, in my area, if families have been involved with Social Services then CAFs kind of start by themselves if a plan was already in place through Social Services, they don't tend to start a CAF from scratch if this is the case. This may not apply to you though.

bigmomma051204

HarriettPotter wrote: »

Yes I agree. I was going to suggest that perhaps the meeting was to write the CAF but you wouldnt usually have all the professionals at that. Sometimes, in my area, if families have been involved with Social Services then CAFs kind of start by themselves if a plan was already in place through Social Services, they don't tend to start a CAF from scratch if this is the case. This may not apply to you though.

I agree BUT if it was a "step-down" from social services, then mum would know about it as it would have been done as part of the "step-down" process......and again, even if this was the case, mum should have been involved in writing the initial paperwork!!

I shall be honest, a lot of professionals use CAF for their own means and that it NOT how it should be at all. I am actually pretty annoyed that you have been put in this situation OP...... I would personally be contacting the CAF Co-ordinators for your area (usually by contacting your county council or local council) and explaining your concerns that you havent a clue what it is about - ask if the CAF co-ordinator can meet you beforehand or at least speak to you on phone to explain the process.... you could ask them to attend the meeting as you really should have someone there as your advocate xx