For an agency that’s not well known, Cafcass (the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) wields an awful lot of power. Whenever parents can’t agree over an application for a Contact Order, they become involved, compiling a report on the family, both parents and children. The document they produce carries a great deal of weight with the Family Court.
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Both Cafcass and Family Court have undergone their share of controversy, the first for some of the content of their reports and its methodology, the second for operating in relative secrecy. Cafcass presents its report as a completed document at court, and interested parties have no chance to challenge it beforehand, although they are sent copies.
Who Compiles The Cafcass Report?
The Cafcass Staff who compile the reports are known as Children and Family Reporters. It’s their job to interview both parents in the case, as well as the children, and any others who might be needed, which could mean social workers, medical professionals, or even relatives.The Reporters are social workers themselves, but their qualifications don’t go beyond that (one criticism levelled at them is that they sometimes make observations that go beyond their field of expertise, such as in the medical area).
From the interviews they conduct, the Reporter will determine two things: whether there should be contact allowed, and, if so, how much. It’s a measure of how important the Cafcass recommendation is that the court will almost invariably adhere to it.
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The building blocks of the Cafcass report are the interviews the reporters carry out. They talk to both parents, generally quite extensively, although not necessarily in a home setting, which can leave people uneasy in an unfamiliar environment.
Since the report takes around 10 weeks to compile, a number of people are interviewed, a wide range, and there are instances when the court will ask the Reporter to talk to a specific person, for instance a health visitor.
The Reporter will inform parents about the people they’ll interview, which will include the police and a check of the Child Protection Register – that’s standard, and shouldn’t alarm anyone.
Of course, they’ll also want to interview any children involved, as long as they’re old enough. Part of the responsibility of the court is to take the wishes of the children into account where possible, although that doesn’t mean that will necessarily happen. It’s vital that the Reporter remains neutral with the child and doesn’t ask him or her to take sides.
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
Criticism of Cafcass Reports
Although most Cafcass reports are fine, there have been a number of criticisms thrown at Reporters. These can be for inappropriate remarks, or ones that are unqualified. For instance, a report might mention “domestic violence” in a relationship, without explaining what the violence is (it could, in fact, be something as trivial as sulking). There have been occasions when the Reporter has included nothing in the report about the wishes of the child, even when the child is old enough to expresses preferences and opinions. At times reports haven’t included pertinent information about the children, such as learning difficulties.
In other words, the reports aren’t perfect, and where a person finds failing in the report, there are grounds to ask for it to be disregarded – that can be entirely or just in part – or to be discredited. There have been occasions when the court has made it decision based on a bad report. When that’s happened, the bad report constitutes grounds for appeal.
Not all experiences of Cafcass are negative, many are positive and help numbers of fathers gain access to their child. Have a look at our reader story My Positive Experience of Cafcass.
I am a woman who had the misfortune of falling for a narcissist conman, someone who love bombed, made himself out to be responsible and caring before discarding when he had secured his target into position. He went on to steal, gaslight, lie to his family and friends to triangulate, use for a place to stay as required whilst being inconclusive about whether he was with his family or not...had his family lie. I had mutual friends tell me he was lying to another party who he couuldnt care less about because she was thick and didnt challenge him. This man chose benders over his commitments to see his kid. He stopped paying what his child was entitled to because he had to pay for someone else he was using for a place to stay...carried on denying it all to lead his family on until proof came out...
I found out he started lying in 2017, apparently telling some random he cared because she was easy...this us what men do...sad isnt it
Analysis of issues arising from safeguarding or risk identification
Safeguarding checks are complete.
The information currently available suggests that Ib may have been exposed to parental domestic abuse. It is alleged that Ib*** has been present and witnessed the abuse and that he has been put at risk of both emotional and physical harm himself when caught up in the middle of incidents.
Ib *** has not had any contact with his father for over a year and if what mother reports is true his last contact with his father may have been a very frightening one. Ib*** needs to have all his needs met in an emotionally warm environment free from exposure to parental domestic abuse and risk of physical and emotional harm.
The court is going to require more information to ensure that future arrangements for Ib are safe and in his best interests. The following advice is offered to the court:-
? This matter is not considered suitable for mediation or Separated Parents Information Programme.
? The court may benefit from disclosure of the assessment completed by H*** Local Authority and parties providing statements dealing with the alleged domestic abuse against mother and any against Ib***
? The court may then be in a better position to clarify whether the alleged abuse is going to be determinative and whether any fact finding is required.
? The issue of Ibraheem spending time with his father is going to require further assessment by way of a s7 report. Such a report would be completed by Cafcass but could not commence until after any fact finding has been concluded, should it be required.
? The author of the s7 report will assess whether contact is safe and appropriate and include recommendations in the report.
? Court may benefit from enhanced police checks which would provide more detail on any involvement with family.
? If available the Cafcass officer may be able to provide the court with any further assistance required
I had separation from wife last year she alleged me fordomestic abuse which is not proven
Recently I made my child contact or arrangementin court as mother was not allowing me to meet my child only allowing for supervised contact
recently Cafcass has done it safe guard with nothing alarming
My question would court allow to me to meet my child freely or there would be some limitations in meeting or prohibition?
Can child can stay with me few days like in weekend ?
Can I request courtmy child passport to held by court ?As I may doubt he would be abducted to back country ?
I m 40 , no criminal record or prosecution nor any mental problem ,, my child is 5 years old
I had separation from wife last year she alleged me for domestic abuse which is not proven
Recently I made my child contact or arrangement in court as mother was not allowing me to meet my child only allowing for supervised contact
recently Cafcass has done it safe guard with nothing alarming
My question would court allow to me to meet my child freely or there would be some limitations in meeting or prohibition ?
Can child can stay with me few days like in weekend ?
Can I request court my child passport to held by court ? As I may doubt he would be abducted to back country ?
Fortunately I was able to provide the police with a lot of material to undermine her complaint and I was not prosecuted.
At the time of our separation, our son was 9 years old and he was angry with his mum for bringing the marriage to an end.
I successfully applied to the court for a child arrangement order and was able to see my son regularly for a period of 2 years.
Sadly now my son has turned against and has stated he no longer wishes to see me
He has told the cafcass advisor untruths and stated he no longer wishes to see me.
This is a very hard pill to swallow as both myself, family and friends I've shown him a great deal of love and support.
I'm of the view that is Mum I slowly turned him against me.
Friends and family tell me to walk away and leave them to it as I could not have done any more.
Unable to do this as I am his father and I still love him daily and remember the great times we had together prior to recent events unfolding.
I I intend to address the court personally with a rational heartfelt honest statement when I attend letter this month.
I suppose what I'm asking, as any other fathers had similar experiences, what advice can they offer and will the judges listen to me
Cafcass what a joke. I found most of these Reporters have been adopted or been in care themselves - so their judgement is tainted by their own experiences or viewpoint on parents - thus many men not seeing their children.
Hopefully the British government will understand that gang violence is in majority of cases, due to a lack father's contact with their respective children.
We did an Easter egg hunt, made Easter eggs, went bowling in the afternoon but the children had miserable faces, my ex wife had kept them up all night. They were irritable and are very negative towards me (parental alienation?). Age 11.
CAFCASS recommend it is not appropriate for me to be near them. I intimidate them, bad influence and not happy.
I feel like I invited a wrecking ball into our home. We played some word games, CAFCASS officer reported I was belittling her. I had a timetable of activities, cafcass reported I was too ridgid and structured. Children bit off, thats because they are scared of me. There wasn't a single positive.
Maybe I should have just gone down to MacDonalds and sat outside smoking weed.
I love my children and 10 years of struggling to get contact (=10 years being denied it), constant broken court orders and now they've gone. Its heartbreaking.
Now I know my ex wife will want a safeguarding check done and although it's going to be fine I don't want to have to add this to the on going case
Will it have to be a cafcass one or one that can be done ourselves
I met my new partner and I started staying at hers on a weekend also so I was close so I didn’t have to travel when I had my contact anyways the children’s mother didn’t like the idea of me being with someone else and made lies up in court stating I wasn’t consistent enough and it was effecting the children’s education but a couple weeks prior I spoke to my child’s head teacher to ask how she was doing in school etc and was told she was a very hard worker very pleasant always asking for more work to do and wished they had more children like her but cause the mother told the courts that the education was falling due to my contact or my consistency and asked the courts to stop my contact.
So the clerk asked the woman from cafcass as she said that there are no safeguarding issues at all however since the children’s mother has stated that the education has fallen I would recommend that the contact should be stopped... is there anything I can do about this as my ex is a very convincing compulsive liar
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