CAF's early intervention 'saves service costs'
Catherine Gaunt
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Using the Common Assessment Framework is cost-effective in identifying children and families who need help early and in reducing costs up to 15 years later, research has found.
A study of 80 cases in 21 local authorities by the NFER analysed the cost-effectiveness of using the CAF to find out how much money could be saved in using it to target early intervention and reduce demand on more expensive specialist services.
The report, Early intervention, using the CAF process, and its cost effectiveness: findings from LARC3, said that the CAF is leading 'to better outcomes in response to a whole range of needs, from circumstances where children and young people need early preventative support through to circumstances where substantial multi-agency interventions are required'.
The most common reasons for initiating a CAF episode were behavioural difficulties at home or school, followed by parents feeling unable to cope and education problems, based on low-attainment and engagement at school.
In more than half of the cases interventions were put in place to give parents support, from Home Start and family support workers to more formal interventions, such as parenting programmes.
Findings show that in most cases CAF process costs are usually under £3,000, and up to £8,000 for the most complex cases requiring multi-agency intervention, which was low compared with potential savings of £100,000.
'The CAF process is an enhancement to capacity for early intervention and not a costly bureaucratic overhead,' the report said.
The research also found the CAF is a valuable tool in helping schools target pupils who face barriers to their learning and says schools should be encouraged to work with LAs to use the CAF process as a key part of their work to improve educational underachievement.
- Read the report at http://www.nfer.ac.uk/nfer/publications
