Annual Report 2006-2007 - Cafcass

Section 1: Management Commentary
Section 1:
Management
Commentary
About Cafcass
Cafcass champions the interests of children 1 involved in family proceedings, advising the family
courts in England on what it considers to be in the best interests of individual children.
Cafcass’ professionally qualified social work staff, called
Family Court Advisers (FCAs), work exclusively in the
family courts. Examples of matters that may be decided by
family courts are:
• When children are subject to an application for
care or supervision proceedings by social services
(public law). In these instances our FCAs act as
Children’s Guardians.
• An adoption application (public law). In these instances
our Family Court Advisers act as Reporting Officers.
• When parents who are separating or divorcing can’t
agree on arrangements for their children (private
law). In these instances our FCAs act as Children and
Family Reporters, or as Guardians ad Litem if separate
representation of the rights and interests of the child is
required (Rule 9.5 cases).
Our vision 2
Cafcass will:
1. Put children first.
2. Keep children as safe as possible.
3. Ensure each child has a voice that is heard,
understood and respected in the family courts, in
a way that is consistent with and responds to each
child’s wishes, competence and understanding.
4. Start with the child and stay with the child, throughout
the life of cases.
5. Be clear about the needs, wishes and feelings of
individual children in family court cases, as the core
business of Cafcass.
6. Make a contribution to securing the safest, highquality
outcomes possible for each child, and evaluate
this contribution after a case is closed.
1 The terms “children” and “child” are used throughout this Annual Report to refer to children and young people
2 Cafcass National Standards
| Cafcass Annual Report and Accounts 2006–07