3:  A Common Assessment for all agencies?

In line with Government requirements, we are working towards the CAF process becoming the standard way for practitioners to share information, and request involvement of other agencies and services.  This approach was strongly endorsed at the C & YP Commissioning Partnership meeting on 10th October 2008.

New Process - Referral to Social Care

Jim Leivers, Acting Head of Children’s Service, has recently circulated an email communicating a change in procedure at the Contact Centre:

“As from 13th October referrals for Children’s Service Social Care should be submitted on a CAF Form + Common Referral Form. This will replace the Inter-Agency Referral Form currently in use.

The CAF is an integral part of the Every Child Matters Agenda and use of CAF forms will help to bring us into line with government expectations around the implementation of the full CAF process.   Please continue to use the existing Levels of Need guidance for professionals referring to Surrey Children’s Service Social Care (this will be revised in January 2009).

If a case referred to the Contact Centre does not trigger a Children’s Service assessment after Duty Manager screening, they will try to identify alternative sources of support. Also in this situation the CAF Forms will be forwarded to the local CAF Area Implementation Manager who may be able to assist.   

In some circumstances the case can be sent to the CAF Common Assessment Panel (CAP) to identify alternative ways to meet the child’s needs (see CAF Policy & Procedure Manual on the CAF home page)

All relevant information relating to the CAF can be found on the CAF homepage on Surrey Public website (www.surreycc.gov.uk/caf).    Essential information includes:

·        Download the CAF 5-Step Process

·        Download CAF Form and Common Referral Form

·        Download Urgent Referral to Children’s Service Form

·        Submit on-line CAF Service Return

·        Book CAF 1 Day Multi-Agency Training for Users

·        Access Contact Details including your CAF Area Implementation Manager

For help and advice on making a referral please telephone Surrey County Council Contact Centre (Children) on 08456 009 009 Option 2.

Where there are urgent safeguarding concerns, please immediately telephone the Surrey County Council Contact Centre Children’s Team (08456 009 009 Option 2) and speak to a Referral & Information Officer.  If after discussion you wish to make a referral to Social Services, you should follow this call with a completed ‘Urgent Referral to Children’s Services’ Form”

Please could you circulate this information to your teams.

Thank you

Cathy Reynolds

CAF Project Implementation Manager

Childrens Service - Families Directorate

Tel: (0208 5) 419731
Mob: 07968 833 381

4:  FREE!  A Training Workshop for Organisations - Engaging Youth Volunteers
Surrey vinvolved & Reigate & Redhill YMCA training workshop for organisations and charities in West Surrey.  Giving you a choice of TWO dates in TWO Locations…

Wednesday 3 December 2008, 9.30am – 4.15pm

St Saviour’s Church, Guildford

or,

Tuesday 20 January 2009, 9.30am – 4.15pm

Christ Church, Town Square, Woking

Please accept our apologies if you have seen a similar advert for this, but we decided to make a few adjustments to the October workshop date’s in Guildford and change it to December.

If you have seen this email, giving you an option of two date choices & you’ve booked, then please ignore this!  If you haven’t seen the new date options, please read on…!

We would like to invite you to a choice of one of the two training workshops that Surrey vinvolved is running to attend either Wednesday 3^rd December 08 in Guildford or Tuesday 20^th January 09 in Woking.

Following the success of our first Training Workshop in Redhill YMCA, we believe this is an invaluable session drawing on knowledge and skills from other colleagues, and vinvolved is running a further two repeat training sessions to support organisations who involve, or who wish to involve, young people as volunteers.

Please find attached the Training details and day’s programme with information on how to book. Places are already filling up fast for both dates and delegates will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Please RSVP to this email address – esther.nash@ymcaredhill.com with the attached form, or post to the below address at Woking YMCA.

If you feel this event is not suitable for your organisation directly but may be of interest to others you work with, please feel free to distribute it.

Look forward to hearing from you,

Esther Nash| Youth Volunteering Development Manager | Surrey vinvolved

Woking YMCA, Chobham Road, Woking, Surrey, GU21 6JD | ( 07885 552906 | * esther.nash@ymcaredhill.com  | D www.surreyvinvolved.org

If you have any new opportunities available for the Christmas period, or you would like to volunteer over the Christmas season, please contact one of us at Surrey vinvolved!