How CAFCASS Officers Help Children

The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) is a public body that primarily is charged with looking after the welfare of children who are involved in proceedings centred around the Family Court.

Set up in 2001 CAFCASS is answerable to the Secretary of State for Children and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). The remit of CAFCASS is a simple yet effective one: provide children with fair representation in a family court and also provide their families with advice and support where needed.

What a CAFCASS Officer Does

During the separation or divorce of two parents it may become necessary for the Family Court to become involved if there are disagreements between the parents as to how the children should be best looked after. Commonly this is the case if there is a less than amicable split between the two parents and it is often the case that the children become embroiled in a bitter feud as both parents fight and argue with each other.

If this is the case and such a matter comes before the Family Court then a CAFCASS officer may be called upon to mediate between both parents and also act as the voice for the children. In this way the children are afforded the opportunity to have their say which might normally be ignored by the parents if their fighting continues.

Children in Care

Sometimes it is necessary to take a child or children into care because both parents are deemed unfit to look after them or if one parent is no longer around and the other parent cannot cope. If this is the case then the local authority is responsible for rehousing them with foster parents or in a local authority run children’s home.

If this should happen and an application for care or supervision is requested a CAFCASS officer may be named as the child’s guardian. They are responsible for making some decisions as to the child’s quality of life; for example schooling etc. They cannot however make decisions which involve medical issues such as the administering of medication or authorising of medical procedures.

Duty of Care to Children

A CAFCASS officer also has what is known as a ‘Duty of Care’ to any child or children under their supervision. This means that they are charged with making sure the children are:

• Safe
• Healthy
• Keep in comfortable and safe surroundings
• Socialise and mix with other children
• Make every effort with educational studies

Other Duties

There may be occasions when families break down and cannot make decisions themselves or cannot reach an agreement which is satisfactory to all: when this happen they can call upon the Family Court for guidance and indeed a ruling if it is deemed necessary. A CAFCASS officer is assigned to them in order to talk them through the process and to offer help and advice where appropriate.

Also the CAFCASS officer is on hand to ensure that the child or children involved are not undergoing too much emotional stress as the result of the ensuing situation and can make recommendations to the magistrate in the court proceedings if he or she feels it is right and proper to do so.