CAFCASS..... An anagram that has little to do with the safeguarding of
children!
I have had two reports done by them, the first
described me as a controlling bully and recommended the traditional pattern
of alternate weekends and tea once a week. I got 50:50! the second did much
the same and I retained my 50:50 SRO.
Despite what
CAFCASS say they do in my experience, they do not come
upto the mark. The solution is to do everything they ask of you. The
interview, be polite focus completely on the best interests of the child
and do not denigrate the mother. Have a reasonable
contact or
residency plan worked
out, try and run it past the mother beforehand but if that is not possible
then tell CAFCASS about it. Focus on the time you have with the kids and
show that you are a good parent. Offer to take the child to clubs, why does
the mum have to so it? Get really involved ion the child's life.
When the report is done and you will probably not like what is in it, go
through it with a fine toothcomb, record everything you do not like or is
wrong. Any factual errors can be sent back to the report writer for
amendment, but that is it. Make sure you inform CAFCASS that you want the
report writer in court for the hearing, you will then be able to question
them on the contents of the report. Where they got their evidence from? How
they arrived at their conclusions?
The simple answer is if you
are good enough to have the child for one day, why are you not good enough
to have them for more than one day?
Treat CAFCASS as a hurdle
to overcome, they are not infallible and their track record is appalling.
Do not make an offical complaint against them yet. You can only complain
about procedural issues. i.e. they did not do their job in accordance with
strict guidelines, even then they may ackowledge that but will do nothing
about that. My complaint has taken nearly ten months and is with the
Parliamentary Ombudsman even though CAFCASS admitted that the report writer
made some glaring mistakes.
You will have to deal with some
damning statements about you from the ex, deal with the report in the same
way, fight it, show that it is wrong, do not get hung up about it.
If there is anything I can help you with in relation to this then message
me.
Good Luck
Forum 
England and Wales 
