Health Wellbeing and Local Government Committee

HWLG(3)-11-09 paper 18

Committee Inquiry into CAFCASS Cymru – Evidence from Families Need Fathers

About Families Need Fathers (FNF)

FNF is a social care charity established in 1974 initially with the remit of supporting fathers who, post family separation, were unable to see their children. It has since developed a broader remit supporting all ‘non-resident’ parents and their extended families who seek to retain an active role in childrens’ lives. With the support of the DCSF and charitable foundations we offer support services to separated families and lobby for reform to family support services.

FNF has two branches in South Wales and is about to launch FNF Cymru.

Summary

There were some obvious themes from the feedback from FNF members in Wales. Firstly, one of the main concerns is the delay it took to report and make assessments. This was felt to be extremely painful for parents and children, who had to miss out on a relationship with each other.

The feedback also revealed a serious worry that CAFCASS were not allocating the correct funds to contact centres. It was felt that CAFCASS were not ensuring that resources are effectively and efficiently deployed in allocating funds to contact centres. This was considered to be one of the biggest problems, stopping children having safe contact with their non-resident parent. Members also displayed great sadness that CAFCASS were not effective at ensuring enforcement of orders.  

Members expressed the need for monitoring and inspection of CAFCASS to be a priority. It was felt that this should not be a function of the Advisory Committee (which FNF is part of). It was understood that in relation to the treatment of diverse groups there were insufficient experience in the group to make a reasoned assessment or comment.

Finally, when safeguarding children, it is important that fathers and the wider family be seen by CAFCASS as a resource that can and do play an important role in protecting children.

Evidence from FNF members

We understand the main purpose of the inquiry is to examine the work of CAFCASS Cymru. FNF are in a unique position to provide feedback on the service, as CAFCASS Cymru is one of the main agencies our members encounter, for this reason we have asked our members in Wales for their feedback on the key areas the committee addressed.  

The effectiveness of CAFCASS Cymru in conducting assessments and analyses to facilitate decision making in the best interests of the child.

“Length of time to process reports must be improved”.

“The importance of the child’s relationship with the non-resident parent was poorly understood or supported by CAFCASS officers – who failed to remove barriers such as the presence of the resident parent when interviewing children.”

“The failure of CAFCASS to interview the children when present at my home –was a very significant failing.”

“The first contact I had with my CAFCASS officer was the receipt of a diversity form. I do not think this is acceptable”

“I phoned my case worker nine times without being able to speak to them or being called back.”

“The purpose of Family Assistance orders seemed poorly understood and communicated. Little tangible benefit had been secured during the period of an order. Little progress to facilitate contact in the face of implacable hostility from resident parents had been achieved.”

“I did not feel that my CAFCASS officer exhibited an even handed approach when dealing with me specifically in relation to the seriousness with which allegations are treated and acted upon by CAFCASS officers.”

The integration of CAFCASS Cymru into the safeguarding children framework in Wales.

In the region of 25% of children have experienced the separation of their mother and father and are being brought up under the care of one parent at a time. If both the father and mother and their wider families can be encouraged to take a role in a child’s life there will be more caring adults available to signpost any concerns and offer the parenting support that could help prevent abuse or neglect.

We think this is a resource that is often ignored or dismissed.

As a society we are still prone to equate a failed marriage or relationship with failed parenting. This is of course absurd and yet when child safety is involved we see instances of children being taken into the care of the local authority rather than the NRP or the extended family being considered.

Other countries show a great deal more faith in kinship care and we believe create more stable family structures for children at risk. We think this should be investigated.

“CAFCASS officers are particularly poorly trained to interview younger children – particularly on issues of domestic violence”.

“More trained child psychologists need to be engaged by CAFCASS”.

“The role of CAFCASS in the wider child protection framework in Wales is essential, yet currently poorly or at best sporadically enforced. I have had really bad experience with the involvement of CAFCASS in curtailing my parental responsibilities particularly in relation to child protection issues.”

How effective is CAFCASS Cymru in addressing the needs of diverse groups?

“I am a Sikh, my CAFCASS officer failed to understand my family’s culture. This had tragic consequences for my family”

“Not very effective due to poor access to Welsh speaking officers in South Wales”

The effectiveness of performance management tools used to assess the performance of CAFCASS Cymru service areas, including compliance with national standards.  

Members expressed the need for monitoring and inspection of CAFCASS to be a priority. It was felt that this should not be a function of the Advisory Committee (which FNF is part of). It was understood that in relation to the treatment of diverse groups that there were insufficient experience in the group to make a reasoned assessment or comment.

It was proposed that the work of individual officers could be monitored by a ‘traffic light’ system in terms of how effective they were in ensuring the best interests of the child were properly protected.

To what extent do CAFCASS Cymru services reflect the Welsh Assembly Government’s approach to children’s rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child?

It was felt that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child were poorly understood and equally poorly reflected in the work of CAFCASS officers, particularly in ensuring that the child has the right to have a full relationship with both parents.

Article 9

3. States Parties shall respect the right of the child who is separated from one or both parents to maintain personal relations and direct contact with both parents on a regular basis, except if it is contrary to the child's best interests.

What action should the Welsh Assembly Government take to ensure there are sufficient opportunities for services users’ and stakeholders’ views to be captured in the work of CAFCASS Cymru, including children and young people themselves and the wider family network?

FNF believe that it is imperative that CAFCASS Cymru engage fully with service users and stakeholders. In England we are key stakeholder with CAFCASS and enjoy a positive relationship. It is also important that CAFCASS engage with children, both parents and the wider family. Grandparents are routinely excluded.

Regular meetings and forums are needed as well as feedback being sought on a more personal basis, especially from children.

How effective is CAFCASS Cymru in ensuring that resources are effectively and efficiently deployed and in allocating funds to activities such as child contact centres?

On this issue in particular there were some very strong opinions on the failure of CAFCASS to fund child contact centres. Child contact centres are very important in maintaining safe relationships with both parents. FNF members feel that there is a very real need for CAFCASS to fund Contact Centres in Wales. If not, children will and are losing out on important relationships with one of their parents after separation.

“Greater emphasis and more funding needs to be found for mediation – thereby reducing the pressure on the Courts. This is also an issue for Contact Centres – where it was claimed that the LSC have reduced funding. More independent contact centres need to be urgently supported CAFCASS has a list of only 17 centres that it acknowledges in Wales.”

“The importance of BBC Children in Need funding of contact centres was a sad indictment of the role of CAFCASS in funding such provision.”