Common assessment forms

Access all the forms currently available and used in Suffolk as part of the Common Assessment Framework process

CAF information

Pre-assessment checklist

Common assessment form

Referrals

'Meeting the Needs' 

Additional information

 Pre-assessment checklist

The pre-CAF form can be used by practitioners to help them decide whether a full-needs assessment is necessary. It should be used when:

  • a practitioner is worried about how well a child or young person is progressing (e.g. concerns about their health, development, welfare, behaviour, progress in learning or any other aspect of their wellbeing)
  • a child or young person, or their parent/carer, raises a concern with a practitioner
  • a child's or young person's needs are unclear or broader than the practitioner's service can address.

Using the pre-assessment checklist, a decision can be made by the practitioner as to what is then required. It is a professional decision made by the practitioner, for example, whether or not to refer straight to safeguarding (a child protection concern) or a specialist assessment or whether to action a holistic assessment (the CAF).

 Common Assessment Form

 

  • CAF consent statement - this is available as a separate document but is also included in the main CAF Assessment form.

Returning a completed CAF
Completed Common Assessment Framework (CAF) forms can be sent by secure email to the CAF Admin team. If you have a Suffolk County Council email address (for example: your.name@suffolk.gov.uk) you can attach the completed form to an email and send it to caf.admin@suffolk.gov.uk 

If you do not have a Suffolk County Council email address, you will need to either request a secure and encrypted email from CAF Admin, or post the completed assessment to CAF Admin using the following method.

The CAF assessment should be double-enveloped and the inner envelope must state "addressee only". Please send by Royal Mail Recorded 'Sign For' delivery to: 

CAF Administration
Suffolk County Council, 3rd Floor, Landmark House, 4 Egerton Road, Ipswich IP1 5PF

 Referrals

The CAF is an assessment tool, not a referral. If you want to make a referral to children's social care, please use the new multi-agency referral form.

 Meeting the Needs thresholds

The Meeting the Needs threshold document provides guidance for practitioners that will help to identify suitable responses to the needs and issues professionals encounter when working with children, young people and families. More information is available on the Meeting the Needs section of this website.

 Additional information

Common assessment form - alternative versions

CAF supporting documents