Annual Report 2006-2007 - Cafcass

Section 4: Statement on Internal Control
Section 4:
Statement on
Internal Control
Scope and responsibility
As Accounting Officer, I have responsibility for maintaining
a sound system of internal control that supports the
achievement of Cafcass’ policies, aims and objectives,
whilst safeguarding the public funds and departmental
assets for which I am personally responsible, in
accordance with the responsibilities assigned to me in
Government Accounting. Cafcass’ aims and objectives
are set by the Board in accordance with relevant
legislation and the Framework Document agreed with
the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). Cafcass
is an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB).
It is headed by a non-executive Board appointed by the
Secretary of State for Education and Skills, as set out in
the Act, varied by the Transfer of Functions Order, January
2004. The Chief Executive and three Corporate Directors
have executive responsibility for the management of
Cafcass on a day-to-day basis and support the Board
and Cafcass as a whole. All main Board meetings, which
occur every six weeks, receive reports on finance and
performance. On a quarterly basis the Board receives
reports on governance and risk issues, and reports
from the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee, whose
membership and Chairman are appointed from the nonexecutive
Board members, meets a minimum of four
times each year.
The DfES sponsors Cafcass and appropriate arrangements
are in place to ensure that the DfES is fully informed of
the business of Cafcass and that we, in turn, are informed
of the DfES’s requirements for Cafcass. This includes
six-weekly sponsorship meetings with the CEO, Corporate
Directors and DfES officials and regular catch-up
meetings between the CEO and senior DfES officials. Oneoff
meetings to solve specific problems are also convened
and followed through as required. The Chair and Chief
Executive meet with the sponsoring Minister on a
regular basis, and bring matters of significance to
Ministerial attention.
The purpose of the system of internal control
The system of internal control is designed to manage
risk to a reasonable level rather than to eliminate all
risk of failure to achieve policies, aims and objectives; it
can therefore only provide reasonable and not absolute
assurance of effectiveness. The system of internal control
is based on an ongoing process designed to identify
and prioritise the risks to the achievement of Cafcass’
policies, aims and objectives, to evaluate the likelihood of
those risks being realised and the impact should they be
realised, and to manage them efficiently, effectively and
economically. The system of internal control has been
in place in Cafcass for the year ended 31st March 2007
Section 4: Statement on Internal Control | 41