Child and Family Support page – CAF and Continuum of need
On 6 September 2021 the ‘Your Family’s Early Help Assessment’ replaced the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) across Lancashire.
The Early Help Assessment is an intervention with a family to gather, explore and analyse with them information about all aspects of the child or young person (and their family’s) life and then to identify areas where change will address support needs and positively impact on their lived experiences.
This is recorded on an Early Help Assessment form which includes the family’s Early Help Plan.
The Early Help Assessment should be completed by the professional supporting the family to identify the family’s needs and develop a plan of support with the family.
Your Family’s Early Help Assessment is available to all practitioners and professionals working with children, young people, and their families across Lancashire.
Working alongside families forms a holistic, strength-based approach when areas of support are first identified, this will stop escalation towards crisis and the need for more intensive and specialist intervention.
Through the Early Help Assessment, Plan, and reviews via Team Around the Family meetings the wider partnership of services can provide families with the right support at the right time.
Related guidance
For any families who have any financial worries, finding bills hard to pay, we can point you in the direction of projects who can support you. We have a range of school uniform in school, some of which is unused and some which is as good as new that you can access free of charge. In addition we can refer into local food banks and the Shine project. Everyone needs help at some point, please do not suffer alone. Appointments can be confidential and can take place over the telephone or through Team’s video link should you wish.