Cafcass stands for Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service. It is a body of qualified social workers who act on behalf of children and support families within the Family Court arena.
Cafcass advise the courts and makes recommendations regarding safe arrangements for children and families who are facing sensitive issues such as divorce or separation, care proceedings or adoption.
When a child is joined as a party to proceedings, a Cafcass worker, or guardian as they are better known, will be appointed to act on the child’s behalf. The guardian will act as the child’s voice throughout the proceedings and will undertake investigations, work with the child and family and make recommendations to the court in line with the child’s wishes, feelings and best interests. The guardian will usually be supported by a Children Panel Solicitor (such as us) who will advise them on different aspects of family law and the court procedure.
Family proceedings can be extremely unsettling for children and young people, and it is important that they feel that someone is in their corner. This is why Cafcass strives to make children’s voices heard, and to ensure the court’s decision is in the child’s best interests.
Families can face all types of difficult circumstances, but Cafcass can offer support in a wide range of areas, such as:
- Adoption
- Care proceedings
- Child arrangements/Contact
- Divorce and Separation
- Domestic Abuse
- Surrogacy
There are also various resources available on the Cafcass website using the following links:
For grown-ups – https://www.cafcass.gov.uk/grown-ups/parents-and-carers/
For young people – https://www.cafcass.gov.uk/young-people/
How we can help
If you need further information about Cafcass, please contact our experienced care proceedings and children services team who can help you with any queries or concerns. Contact our team, on our dedicated helpline 0161 694 4149 or email newcareenquires@bromleys.co.uk for your free initial telephone discussion. If you prefer, you can fill in our online form or alternatively, you can email us on bromleys@bromleys.co.uk and we’ll call you back.
Image source: Approved for use by Cafcass