CAF or EHAT Frequently Asked Questions
ISSUES ARISING AS WE TRANSITION FROM CAF TO EHAT
As we transfer from use of a CAF to an EHAT, it is important to remember that the changes are strengthening ownership and quality in a Common Assessment, and involving broader family members.
There will inevitably be some circumstances that require clarification, or challenge the processes in place.
This Q&A note will set out some issues that have arisen to date, and will be added to as we begin to move across to EHAT use.
Questions and Answers are listed in the order they emerge, not grouped in any specific order at this stage.
1Q Can a staff member in the Voluntary Sector be a Lead Professional?
1A Yes, If the parent agrees, it is likely they will already have a good relationship and a strong basis of trust exists – there is no reason why a voluntary sector organisation should not support a staff member being a lead professional.
2Q if a CAF is already open for a child, is an EHAT needed?
2A No – two Assessments for the same child cannot be ‘open’ at any one time.
3A If a CAF is open and the parent(s)/carer(s) have newly identified needs, as well as the child, is an EHAT needed?
3Q No – the parent(s)/carers(s) needs should always be included in the Assessment, and impact on the child(ren) should always be considered.
Any changes in the needs of parents not identified initially, should be included and recorded at a review, and the impact these needs have on the child. This might require additional actions.
4Q If a CAF is open for a child, and siblings are identified as having needs, should an EHAT be undertaken and registered?
4A Yes. However, you cannot close the open CAF and that CAF should inform the EHAT with the specific child’s information and actions outstanding so that all family needs will be incorporated into one assessment.
At this stage, practitioners will need to discuss with the parent who should undertake the EHAT and be the lead professional – the important thing to remember is that it has to be what is best for the family and consideration given to who is best placed for the longer term support and the relationships that exist with the family.
5Q Will all CAFs be transferred to EHATs?
5A We are not planning at this stage to transfer CAFs to EHATs. However, where a CAF is open, and an EHAT is needed to include other children of the family, the CAF information will be incorporated into the EHAT.
Ideally, CAFs will be closed naturally, as needs are met and there is no longer a requirement for support, or they are transferred to an EHAT.
We may be in a position in the future to transfer open CAFs to EHATs, but may do so when the number is reduced, or more resources are available to administer this task.
The purpose of retaining the Open CAF when an EHAT for the family is opened is simply a reporting/recording requirement at this stage, but we will closely monitor this for the future.
6Q How do I know I have completed an EHAT well?
6A Complete and read it as if it was passed to you to become a Lead Professional – would you understand the issues, can you make sense of the Actions and are they clearly identified and measurable?
The EHAT Guidance Note gives a check list for you and your line manager so that you can be certain that all the key points are addressed.
Champions will be available within your service/agency to provide support.
Random sampling will take place, and feedback will be given through the Champions so that quality is embedded from the outset – not at the end !
7Q What if I can’t get a parent to agree or engage in the process?
7A This has to be a professional judgement call.
Engagement is brought about by positive promotion of better outcomes and ownership – most parents/carers will engage if they know this is promoting self- help. Sometimes, it may be necessary to highlight the negative implications of not engaging.
Seek advice from your service/agency Champion, your line manager, and refer to your internal Safeguarding procedures. In the near future, you will be able to request the advice from the Early Help Hub.
Consent to participate in an EHAT should not prevent support being made available.
8Q We have been told we don’t have to complete all boxes – is this true?
8A You must consider all boxes (questions). If there is no known needs to report, by implication there will be strengths to record.
If the parent/carer is not ready to disclose/share – simply state that.
9Q Additional information has come to light now I know the family better, where do I record this?
9A This can be recorded in the planning and review document. It is likely to either address concerns or increase them and lead to further actions – again recorded within the planning and review document.
10Q When should I register a completed EHAT with the EHAT Co-ordinator?
10A Firstly check that one (or a CAF) does not already exist with the EHAT Co-ordinator
Only register the EHAT when you have consent from the parent/carer to undertake the Assessment. Your initial discussions with the family should identify if other services are providing support, and will help you to carry out a comprehensive assessment.
Once you have consent to undertake the EHAT, registering it with the EHAT Co-ordinator will engage other services working with the family in a joined up way.
11Q I have not yet attended the EHAT workforce development session – can I still use the CAF Form?
11A For a short time only. We will no longer accept the old style CAF forms once a session has been accessed (we will check attendance when a CAF is recorded). It will be returned to complete an EHAT if the practitioner has attended but completed a CAF form.
It is hoped that we will be able to remove the CAF form from September 2014, when most practitioners will have attended workforce sessions, or they can access advice and support from Champions.
12Q Will more EHAT Workforce Development Sessions be made available?
12A We are closely monitoring attendance, and have sessions planned up to the end of October 2014.
The intention is to develop a ‘train the trainer’ model so we can continue to cascade multi agency sessions with the use of local practitioners after October 2014.
13Q I have just begun an Assessment with a family and find the concerns are more significant than I initially thought and I believe it meets level 4 and should be considered by Careline – should I complete the EHAT?
13A Yes – although you should not delay in contacting Careline where you believe the concerns are at level 4, a completed EHAT will give a clear ‘picture’ of concerns and who is already involved in supporting the family. This will assist Careline in gathering information to inform their assessment and the EHAT is therefore an information gathering ‘tool’ which Careline can pass on to relevant services when it is agreed that statutory interventions are needed.
Consent is not needed at the stage of statutory interventions, but remember it is always best to discuss matters openly with families as their engagement and co-operation often leads to better outcomes.
14Q I have been asked to be a Lead Professional – what am I expected to do?
14A Being a Lead Professional is not a job role, it is a way of working with a family, so that only one person is the link in co-ordinating services and making sure there is impact with the support provided. The family can choose who they would like to be the Lead Professional, so this is usually decided by the strongest relationships and existing support/trust, not necessarily who services think might be best. Lead Professionals should:
· Develop good relationships with the family
· Agree (with the family and other services) actions to be taken, by whom and by when
· Help to identify solutions and services to support
· Co-ordinate services to provide agreed support and monitor engagement
· Review and monitor progress and impact regularly
· Positively challenge non engagement (family or services)
· Escalate concerns when support is failing to make impact
· Be honest with families, in terms of what they can expect and what they need to do, including when things don’t progress well.
· Transfer to another Lead Professional when it is appropriate to do so.
· Close the EHAT (or CAF) when it is appropriate to do so
A specific Information Leaflet for Lead Practitioners is available on Liverpool City Council’s website
15Q Can I ask someone else to be a Lead Professional?
15A Yes – but remember that the parent will need to agree to this, and the identified person must be in a position to effectively take on this role.
Don’t forget to confirm any change of Lead Professional as part of a review so there is a clear chronology of who is responsible for taking this role.
16Q I disagree with what a parent/carer is saying, how do I record this in the EHAT?
16A In all cases, you would not be expected to disagree with a parent without having a discussion with them first, then that disagreement can simply be recorded in a way that demonstrates that difference.
This is a consensual process, and parent/carer ‘own’ their Assessment and have to sign acceptance of the content.
Difference in opinion is common, especially when parent/carer may not be at a stage of acceptance of needs, so it is important that matters are openly discussed. Recording such as ‘Mum has stated’ and ‘ I have discussed my concerns with Dad’ is fine.
Q17 Do I need to hold a Team Around the Family meeting at 12 weeks after registering the EHAT
A17 As the lead professional, you will be aware when a TAF meeting is needed. It is good practice to review progress against actions at 12 weeks. This will make sure that progress with actions do not slip and that ‘drift’ can be avoided.
However, as the lead professional, you will determine when a TAF meeting is needed, as this will be decided on a number of facts. Do not let other practitioner’s availability allow ‘drift’ to happen. Make sure you are kept updated on progress, or reasons for lack of progress by partner services.
Keep the EHAT team updated so that it does not appear that ‘drift’ is happening and a reassurance that the family remains involved.
If you have a question that is not recorded on this QA document, please email your question to and you will be given a direct response, and your question will be added to this document, along with the answer for others to see.