What is the Annual Performance Assessment (APA)?

The Annual Performance Assessment (APA) process started in 2005 and is undertaken in children's services authorities by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) and the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). APA assesses the the contribution of councils' education and social care functions to improving outcomes for children and young people, with the contribution of other services being considered where relevant. A key feature of the APA process is self-assessment by councils of their performance and contribution to the five outcome areas in the Every Child Matters framework.

The APA makes judgements about:

• The council's children's services and the specific contributions they make to improving outcomes for children and young people.
• The council's capacity to further improve these services.

These will be graded on a four-point scale and the children's services grade will be taken forward into the children and young people's service block of the 2006 Comprehensive Performace Assessment (CPA) of single-tier and county councils.

Self-assessment is an important feature of both the annual performance assessment and joint area review. Self-assessment is seen as an on-going, integral part of evaluation, planning and improvement. From 2006, self-assessment by councils will need to take into account the new requirements for the creation and review of children and young people's plans.