CAFCASS

Cafcass looks after the interests of children involved in family proceedings. We work with children and their families, and then advise the courts on what we consider to be in the best interests of individual children.

We operate within the law set by Parliament and under the rules and directions of the family courts. Our role is to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, give advice to the family courts, make provision for children to be represented, provide information, advice and support to children and their families. The main types of cases in which the courts ask Cafcass to help are when parents or carers are separating or divorcing and have not reached agreement about arrangements for their children, social services have become involved and children may be removed from their parents’ care for their safety or children could be adopted.