Annual Report 2006-2007 - Cafcass

Family Justice Councils Cafcass continues to be
represented on the national Family Justice Council (FJC),
the sub-committees and all the local Family Justice
Councils. We have made a significant contribution on
several issues, for example to the work of the Voice of the
Child sub-group. We also contributed to a report by the
FJC Children in Families Committee on the approach to be
adopted by the court when asked to make a contact order
by consent, where domestic violence had been an issue. As
part of the work, Cafcass undertook a “snapshot survey” of
practitioners. The findings will help inform future practice.
These include:
• Confidence and Confidentiality: Promoting transparency
and openness in family courts (DCA consultation)
• Separate representation of children (DCA consultation)
• Care Matters Green paper (DfES consultation)
• Joint policy review: children and young people (DfES/HM
Treasury consultation).
Consultations We have systematically responded to all
government consultations in areas related to our work.
case study
Families Need Fathers and Cafcass in Liverpool
“About three years ago we invited Colin Derby, a Service Manager in Liverpool, to attend one of our meetings.
Afterwards we established a protocol that if one of our members was upset by something Cafcass had done, they
would come to me. Now that I have a greater understanding of Cafcass, I can often deal with the grievance myself,
or I talk to Colin about the issues involved and Cafcass’ policy. We’ve built up a platform of trust between us now.
I think Colin sees us as a group that acts responsibly and there’s definitely a better feeling about Cafcass among
our members.”
Emlyn Jones, Chair, Wirral Families Need Fathers
“In the past, we only had contact with Families Need Fathers through complaints, but that’s not the case any
more. We also talk about how we can work together. I go to their meetings once or twice a year and keep the
communication channels open; I talked to them about the Liverpool dispute resolution scheme before it started, for
example. I’ve also referred some parents to the group.”
Colin Derby, Service Manager, Cafcass Liverpool team
case study
Multi-agency working
In this adoption case, three siblings were living with their grandmother on long-term residence orders and a
fourth sister was being placed for adoption. The siblings were very keen to maintain contact and the Guardian had
argued for sibling contact to be maintained, even after the adoption placement had been made. The local authority
was initially strongly against this, but the Guardian persuaded the local authority manager to join him on a home
visit. As a result, the local authority agreed to twice-yearly contact between the girls and this was endorsed by
the courts.
“When I thought I wouldn’t be able to see her (my sister) again I felt really annoyed and upset. What I said to the
Guardian was that I wanted to see her twice a year instead of two letters. He told them everything I said and he said
it would be ok to see her twice a year.”
James, 12
”When we’re working together with other agencies, although we have to be able to have different perspectives and
different points of view, it’s important to look at how we might achieve good results for children.”
Children’s Guardian
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