Cafcass was set up by the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 and works only in the family courts in England. Its practitioners are social workers, usually called family court advisers.
It works in two kinds of case:
- Public law cases, brought by a local authority, such as applications for a care order. A Cafcass worker acts as the children's guardian, representing the child and checking that the local authority's plan is in the child's best interests.
- Private law cases, usually between separating parents who can't agree arrangements for their children. The family court adviser gives the court information to help it make safe decisions about who the child lives with and spends time with.
For a school, Cafcass may get in touch for information about a child's welfare, attendance or what the child has said, or a guardian may ask to meet the child. Share information in line with your safeguarding and data protection policies, and involve the DSL. A school isn't a party to the case, and any report or statement for court should be factual.
Don't confuse Cafcass with children's social care. Cafcass doesn't investigate concerns or provide support services. If a Cafcass contact raises a new concern, follow your usual procedures and refer to children's social care.