Home Schooling & Team Around the Family Meeting

Hi Cbp,

I am not a professional in these matters, so you need to check the following, however, my understanding is as follows:

A team around the child meeting is usually called in direct response to a specific concern that has been identified by a professional who works with your child.

The concern is usually identified using a standardised form called a CAF (Common Assessment Framework form.)  My current understanding is that a CAF Form cannot be completed without the parents’ permission.  

If a CAF Form has been completed and has identified an area of concern around your child, a team around the child meeting is usually held which will include parents, a social worker and other professionals who work with your child. The social worker need not be your social worker, whether you have one or not; it is usually a random one who is called upon to simply attend the meeting. My understanding is that no safeguarding issue or specific risk has been identified at this point, and the purpose of the meeting is therefore intended to identify and work through a solution to resolve a specific and alleged concern (but not a safeguarding risk.)  

It may be that the school is simply fearful of home-education and this is what has instigated them to call the meeting, and nothing more sinister.

However, my understanding is that if the school is named as the place of education on your child’s EHC Plan, it is possible that the LA can attempt to stop you from withdrawing your child from that named school- which could well be what this is all about? The meeting could be about ensuring that you, as a home educator, will be making adequate provision to meet all the actions and needs that are specified on your childs EHC Plan? If this is the case, it would be wise to contact your local LA who will have a Homeschooling Dept. who will be able to help you with this.

As a parent, I would therefore first ask the school, (in writing via email and ask for responses via email and keep all this as evidence) whether a CAF form has been completed without your knowledge. And I would ask for specific details as to what the concern they have is. It would not be fair of them to ask you to attend a meeting without prior knowledge of what is going to be discussed at the meeting, so I would ask for details about what they want to discuss at the meeting too.

Keep all your email correspondence completely polite, concise and positive. Ask simple and direct questions; and don’t offer any explanations or elaborations, however, do state clearly and politely if you disagree with any allegations being made.  

• Has a CAF form been completed for my child?
• If so, what is the specific concern the CAF has raised?
• What specific concern/s are intended to be addressed and/or discussed at the meeting?
  

You really do need answers to these 3 questions before you can then plan your next steps.

Hope this helps

Hi Cbp,

I am not a professional in these matters, so you need to check the following, however, my understanding is as follows:

A team around the child meeting is usually called in direct response to a specific concern that has been identified by a professional who works with your child.

The concern is usually identified using a standardised form called a CAF (Common Assessment Framework form.)  My current understanding is that a CAF Form cannot be completed without the parents’ permission.  

If a CAF Form has been completed and has identified an area of concern around your child, a team around the child meeting is usually held which will include parents, a social worker and other professionals who work with your child. The social worker need not be your social worker, whether you have one or not; it is usually a random one who is called upon to simply attend the meeting. My understanding is that no safeguarding issue or specific risk has been identified at this point, and the purpose of the meeting is therefore intended to identify and work through a solution to resolve a specific and alleged concern (but not a safeguarding risk.)  

It may be that the school is simply fearful of home-education and this is what has instigated them to call the meeting, and nothing more sinister.

However, my understanding is that if the school is named as the place of education on your child’s EHC Plan, it is possible that the LA can attempt to stop you from withdrawing your child from that named school- which could well be what this is all about? The meeting could be about ensuring that you, as a home educator, will be making adequate provision to meet all the actions and needs that are specified on your childs EHC Plan? If this is the case, it would be wise to contact your local LA who will have a Homeschooling Dept. who will be able to help you with this.

As a parent, I would therefore first ask the school, (in writing via email and ask for responses via email and keep all this as evidence) whether a CAF form has been completed without your knowledge. And I would ask for specific details as to what the concern they have is. It would not be fair of them to ask you to attend a meeting without prior knowledge of what is going to be discussed at the meeting, so I would ask for details about what they want to discuss at the meeting too.

Keep all your email correspondence completely polite, concise and positive. Ask simple and direct questions; and don’t offer any explanations or elaborations, however, do state clearly and politely if you disagree with any allegations being made.  

• Has a CAF form been completed for my child?
• If so, what is the specific concern the CAF has raised?
• What specific concern/s are intended to be addressed and/or discussed at the meeting?
  

You really do need answers to these 3 questions before you can then plan your next steps.

Hope this helps