What is Common Assessment?

What is Common Assessment?

The Common Assessment is a shared assessment tool for use across all Children's Services and all Local Areas in England. It aims to help early identification of need and promote co-ordinated service provision.

Common Assessment is for children with additional needs. These are children and young people who, according to the judgement of practitioners, require extra support to help them achieve the 5 Every Child Matters Outcomes:

• Be Healthy

• Staying Safe

• Enjoying and Achieving

• Making a Positive Contribution

• Achieving Economic Well-Being
  

Using the referral pathways documents for guidance, practitioners should complete common assessment for a child if they recognise that the child / young person has an unmet need at the vulnerable through to complex level.

Who uses Common Assessment?

It is for everyone who works with children, young people and families, whether they are employed or volunteers, and working in the public, private or voluntary sector. It is for staff working in Health, Education, Early Years and Childcare, Social Care, Youth Offending, Police, Youth Support / Connexions Service, Advisory and Support Services and Leisure. It is also for practitioners who work in services for adults, as many accessing those services are also parents or carers.

Please use the links down the left side of this page for further details about Common Assessment.

A copy of the Common Assessment Form is available on the Using the Common Assessment Framework page.