The key elements of integrated working are
- early intervention – intervening early in a child or young person’s life or identifying a small need before it becomes a crisis
- assessment – normally the consent-based Common Assessment Framework (CAF), which is a standardised process to enable practitioners to undertake an early and initial assessment of a child's needs for extra services and act on it (to be electronically enabled by electronically enhanced CAF)
- recording – information in one place and with the consent of the child or parent
- sharing information – with relevant inter-agency practitioners in the Team Around the Child (TAC)
- the Team Around the Child – working with the family, making joint decisions on the assessment and recommendations for further support
- the lead professional – key to the process of integrated working is the practitioner who acts as the point of contact with the child/family and coordinates and monitors the action plan.
Guidance is not statutory, so local areas have developed integrated working practice in many different ways and are progressing at different speeds.
Please note: National eCAF is the electronically enabled version of the CAF form and process.
