Capturing a Young Child’s Voice in the Common Assessment Framework
Who is this document for?
This document has been devised by Salford’s CAF team along with Vanessa Grizzle
(Educational Psychologist) and Suzanne Pendleton (Starting Life Well) to assist
professionals in capturing a young child’s voice within assessments. Professionals
should take into account the developmental stage of the child as well as the
chronological age. The resources and suggestions within this document can be used
where there is a special educational need and/or a developmental delay. Throughout
this document a ‘young child’ is used to represent the young chronological age of a
child and can also represent the young ‘developmental’ stage of a child.
Why is it important to capture a child’s voice within assessments?
Children and young people have a right to be heard. The UN Convention on the
rights of a child (1989) state that it is a child’s right to be heard and have the views of
the child taken into account.
A summary of Serious Case Reviews by OFSTED (2011) concluded that the voice of
the child had been missing from the majority of the cases.
The 2013 version of Working Together to Safeguard Children clearly states that,
‘Children should to be seen and listened to and included throughout the assessment
process. Their ways of communicating should be understood in the context of their
family and community as well as their behaviour and developmental stage.’
‘Children should be actively involved in all parts of the process based upon their age,
developmental stage and identity. Direct work with the child and family should include
observations of the interactions between the child and the parents/care givers’
The child’s voice within the assessment is important as it ensures that professionals
understand the impact of issues on each individual child. The ultimate aim of the
assessment is to improve outcomes and life chances for children. The child’s voice
should also be heard with in the review process and similar methods highlighted
below can once again be used to ensure that this is achieved.
Areas of Assessment.
The table below gives guidance on what you can look for when capturing the views
wishes and feelings of young children within each area of section one (development
of unborn, child or young person) of the common assessment framework. There are
also some ‘hints and tips’ on ways in which you can gain this information. Almost all
areas will require the use of direct observation, pictures, photographs, small world
play, role play or puppets. Open ended, age appropriate questions should be asked
in order to establish the child’s voice. Using descriptive commentary whilst the child
is playing is a useful way to enable the child to openly comment during play. It is
important during this time that you are at the child’s level, have gained eye contact
(as much as possible) and show genuine interest in what the child is saying.
Assessments should clearly show what an observation is, what the child has said in
actual words and how this information was collated.
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For example: During a role play activity Emily stated that ‘she was sad when
Mummy went to work.’
Or, whilst looking at photographs of family members Charlie picked out his Grandma
as being the person who gives him the most cuddles.
The information in the assessment will be complemented by the parents/carers views
and also the views of any other professionals working with the child/family. The
child’s, parents/carers and professionals views are equally as important as each
other and one set of views should not be substituted with another.
There are also some links to various resources which can be found on the internet.
However; most resources can be easily made by taking photographs and using clip
art. You may also have your own resources and techniques which can be used to
gain this information.
However the child's voice is collected, any evidence e.g. drawings, observations etc
can be sent in separately in what ever format as well as being incorporated in the
contents of the assessment-via the secure upload.
Area
General Health
What to look for/Ask the child
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Physical Health
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Speech, Language
and
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Hints and Tips
Observations on the child – are they
thriving, active, lively, tired and
lethargic-give examples
Do any health issues impact on the
child’s ability to play-if so how?
What makes the child happy and sad,
what makes them feel better when they
are sad?


Use observations to establish child’s
development regarding fine motor skills
– pincer grip, hand-eye co-ordination,
what do they join in with, what do they
like doing, what do they dislike doing?
Gross Motor Skills – are they sitting,
crawling, walking, running, climbing –
are they motivated to join in with large
physical play, what motivates them?
What does the child like to eat; favourite
foods (if in a setting, use observations)
Will the child try new foods?
Establish what the child likes to eat,
what did they have for breakfast, lunch,
dinner, what are their favourite snacks
and drinks?
How often does the child sleep?
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Pictures
Photographs
Role play activities
Books
Puppets.
EYFS development
Matters

Use Every Child A
Talker assessments
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Does the child listen to songs and
rhymes, do they have a favourite song
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Observations
Use role play activities,
puppets, small world
play, clip art pictures
photographs
feelings box
Early Years
Foundation Stage
(EYFS)
Communication
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Social and
Emotional
Development
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Behavioural
Development
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Self Esteem, Self
Image and Identity

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Family and Social
Relationships
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or rhyme and do they sing songs and
rhymes at home.
Can they sit and listen?
How long can they concentrate for?
Do they have a favourite book?
Do they interact with other children? If
so, how?

(ECAT)
EYFS development
Matters
How does the child react to members of
the family?
How does the child react to strangers?
How does the child play- solitary,
parallel, co-operative.
Does the child demonstrate strong
attachments?
Is the child out going or do they ignore
adults.
What is the child’s relationship like with
its peers?

Does the child have ‘tantrums’, are they
age appropriate?
Does the child have the ability to self
soothe?
Can the child be calmed down when
upset, if so how?
How long does it take the child to calm
down?
Does the child have any coping
strategies?
Does the child display attention seeking
behaviour?
How does the child react to behaviour
management strategies which may be
used?
What makes the child sad/angry?
Likes/Dislikes
Is there a pattern to any behaviours
which are displayed?
Does the child take risks?
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Observations
Clip art pictures
Photographs
EYFS development
Matters
Does the child tend to be happy/sad?
Does the child recognise family
members?
What reactions does the child have to
family members?
How does the child react to
parents/carers?

Farrer Leavers Well
being signals
Observations
Photographs of family
members
EYFS development
Matters
Who lives with the child?
Does the child have its own room?
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Use pictures of key
people in that child’s
life.
Observations
Persona dolls
Farre Leavers Well
being scales and
involvement signals
EYFS development
Matters
Observations
Photographs
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Self Care and
Independence
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Progress and
Achievement in
learning
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Who does the child play with?
What types of play does the child
display eg: parallel, solitary, cooperative
How does the child react to other
adults?
How does the child react to other
children?
How does the child react in large
groups?
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Role play
Small world play
Puppets
EYFS development
Matters
What can the child do independently?
Does the child have a desire to be
independent?
Does the child make choices?
How does the child expresses his/her
own choices- by saying no or moving
away from toys etc?
How does the child play independently?
Will the child independently chose an
activity which they enjoy?
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
Observations
EYFS development
Matters
What activities does the child participate
in?
What activities do they like to participate
in?

EYFS development
matters/Characteristics
of learning
Role play
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Participation in
learning
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Types of play
Levels of curiosity
Preferences, what does the child prefer
to do?
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Observations
Role play
Pictures
EYFS development
Matters
Understanding,
Reasoning and
Problem Solving

Does the child show persistence in what
they are doing?
Is the child curious of its surroundings?
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Observations
EYFS development
Matters
Aspirations
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Is the child motivated to succeed?
During play activities does the child
aspire to be anything eg, nurse, doctor,
super hero?
Does the child have any early skills
which could be applied later in life, for
example, perseverance, motivation
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Role play
Observations
EYFS development
Matters
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Resources/Links
http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/farnorthandaboriginallands/files/links/link_104984.pdf Effective Early Learning Programme Child Involvement Scales – Farre Leavers
http://www.talkingmats.com/ Information on Talking Mats
http://www.iriss.org.uk/resources/empowering-vulnerable-children - Case study on
how to use the talking mats
http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/DevelopmentMatters-FINAL-PRINT-AMENDED.pdf - The Early Years Foundation Stage 2012
http://www.salford.gov.uk/ecat.htm - information on using the Every Child A
Talker tool
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/research/briefings/voice_of_the_child_wda81898.ht
ml - A summary of OFSTED’s "The voice of the child: learning lessons from
serious case reviews"
Useful Contacts
For further information or guidance please contact the CAF team on 0161 603 4239
Starting Life Well Team 0161 909 6508
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