E-enablement of the Common Assessment Framework – National eCAF
On 25 July 2007, the Government announced that it would provide assistance to front-line professionals in children's services by implementing a single national IT system to support the Common Assessment Framework (CAF). The National eCAF system is the e-enablement of CAF.
The National eCAF system
The National eCAF system will allow a practitioner to electronically create, store and share a CAF securely. It will give practitioners from different sectors, who are approved and trained to use the system, appropriate access to key information concerning the assessment. This will allow them to participate in the delivery of the most appropriate services. In order to gain access to the CAF, practitioners will need explicit consent from the young person who is the subject of the CAF and/or, where appropriate, their parents or carers.
Benefits of a National eCAF system
The National eCAF system will be made available to all organisations working with children. We strongly recommend that the system is taken up by as many organisations as possible in order to maximise the benefits of a national approach.
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National eCAF progress to date
The DCSF National eCAF project team continues to work closely with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure that developments are relevant and lead to more effective practice. We are also working closely with colleagues delivering other Every Child Matters initiatives such as ContactPoint and the Integrated Children's System.
Practitioner input is vital to ensuring the successful design of the National eCAF system. From the outset, practitioners were involved in the original design and procedures of the CAF and made recommendations for appropriate IT support. The National eCAF system User Group was established to bring together key stakeholders from across the National eCAF user base.
The National eCAF system will be deployed in a phased approach and the DCSF is working with a National eCAF Early Adopters group to help shape the overall implementation approach.
It is planned that National eCAF will be available in the first quarter of 2010. We will provide a further update in spring 2009.
Contact the National eCAF project team
The National eCAF Project Team can be contacted directly by email.
This page was last updated on 29 January 2009
