Annual Report 2006-2007 - Cafcass

Objective 4
Supporting children and families and improving our
services through working effectively with all our
partners
We work within the family justice and social care systems
in a collaborative way in order to provide responsive,
joined-up services. We launched our Engagement and
Participation Strategy in October 2006. This was written in
consultation with stakeholder and partner organisations
and service user groups. It sets out how we intend to
embrace the contribution of diverse and representative
groups, and how we will develop effective engagement
structures at national, regional and local levels to deliver
an outward-facing “customer-focused” service, which we
believe will deliver better outcomes.
This year we have recruited a new Head of Commissioning
and Partnerships who will lead the work necessary to
prepare for major new commissioning responsibilities
ahead of the implementation of the Children and Adoption
Act 2006.
Voluntary-sector partnerships We work in partnership
with 226 voluntary-sector organisations (41 more than
last year). During the year we funded our partnerships
with the voluntary sector at a cost of just under £1
million. This included child contact centres, mediation
and other services such as counselling. We received an
extra £200,000 from DfES to support supervised contact
centres and will receive a further £1.5 million in 2007–08
for contact provision. We are also core members of
and contribute financially to all the Local Safeguarding
Children Boards across England.
Figure 5 shows the types of partnership agencies we
funded during 2006–07.
Strategic partnerships and policy alliances We have
a wide range of partnerships and policy alliances with
the voluntary and statutory sectors. For example, we are
working with the Children’s Commissioner and member
organisations of Children’s Rights Officers and Advocates.
We are a member organisation of the Alliance for Child
Centred Care, which promotes good practice for all
looked-after children and work with the National Youth
Advocacy Service. Our Library and Information Service
is the product of a unique partnership with the voluntary
sector (see page 18).
We provide active representation on the Board of the
Children’s Workforce Development Council, which ensures
that the people working with children have the best
possible training and advice.
Relationship management We have appointed
relationship managers, individuals within Cafcass who
support our relationship with a partner organisation
or individual. An example of this working well is the
relationship between Young Voice and Christine Smart,
Children’s Rights Director. As a result there have been
joint initiatives on training and research, and Young Voice
gave input into our children’s feedback tool, Viewpoint.
Local partnerships There are many partnership initiatives
within teams and regions. For example, Families Need
Fathers are working closely with Cafcass in Liverpool, and
Women’s Aid and Cafcass in Rotherham liaise effectively.
Figure 5: Type of partnership 2006–07
Child contact centres (180)
Mediation (27)
Other (eg counselling) (19)
Contact centres are neutral venues where children in separated families can enjoy contact with one (or both) parents, and
sometimes other family members, in a comfortable and safe environment when there is no viable alternative.
20 | Cafcass Annual Report and Accounts 2006–07