Cafcass advice!

[Ash]

Sorry to disagree a bit there I don't think there's any real format required for a PS. My Barrister used to say he sometimes just called them "Note" and it was literally just a couple of pages of double line spacing. Personally I wouldn't narrow the margins much.

All it needs at the top is your name (Father) and case number then the heading position statement. It is much more informal than a final statement and with something that short, you don't normally need headings. It should flow and be quick and easy to read with the points clearly made. It can help to think of it as something you would speak out loud to say to a Judge, to get it to flow. Once you;ve done it a couple of times it becomes much easier.

 

[winger]

Really simple tips, sorry if this stuff is obvious.

Use the Header on word to put all of the necessary information. I mean case number, hearing date, names of parties... The info will appear on both pages and you'll save lots of space. If you really, really struggle, you can set margins to narrow. But try to get it done with normal margins first. Saving a line can be really important. If you have a few stray words going onto the next line at the end of a section. Look over the whole section to see if any sentence can be shortened. Expressing things in the simplest form helps readability and concision.

When you are deciding what to include, don't write a long draft and try to shorten it. Work out your purpose. Work out the titles. Give an amount of space to each title. Write something that serves your purpose in the space you have and improve it from there. If you have to, use an appendix or two, e.g. model schedule in the form of a colour coded calendar...

An accurate, comprehensive, and beautifully written statement is no use if it is not read. If it is not short, clear, and punchy, it will not be read.

Thanks Resolute, Ash, really appreciate your help and advice. I'll think about my purpose / titles and go from there. Cheers guys

 

[Chi22]

Lots of good advice from Resolute and Ash here.

As regards Social Sevices - ultimately the solicitor can just briefly verbally update on this on the day of the Hearing. If there is some reference to the SS investigation somewhere on paper rhe judge won't have missed it.

And no, making reference to SS in your paperwork is not trying to get the child taken away from the mother. You raised a legitimate concern.

 

[winger]

This is something we help with - position statements, so it could get confusing if you're getting advice from two different sources But by and large I'd agree with that but go a bit further.

It's not just about asking for what you want - it's an opportunity to update the court on what has happened since you applied, and is effectively a note to the Judge - an opportunity to be heard in advance of the hearing. The bit at the end would be asking for what you want in a final order (not in detail at this stage, you can do that in a final statement) and also asking for an interim order.

So for example at this stage you might say you're asking the court to make an order for (just an example) every other week end and a midweek overnight, some time at Christmas and two weeks holiday with each parent a year until child starts school and then half the school holidays.

ie it doesn't need to be too specific at this stage because you can set it out in detail in a final statement (or attach a draft order with everything you want in). This also leaves more room to say what you want to say.

Ultimately I want 50/50 shared residency, so should I put that in my position statement? I realise it may need to be built up to that, but that is what me and my daughter should have going forward. Does it matter if I miss something in this statement, then add it on in the next one, in final statement, or would the judge say why didn't you put this in at the start? What I mean is do I need to have everything I want in this statement?

 

[BrainDad]

Cafcass as an organisation are basically women's rights activists and in bed with the political ideology of women's aid.

They view the child's wishes and needs as being indivisible from those of the mother.

Ash mentioned a while back that Karen Woodall posted a blog that they are based on a 1970's femininst model, I think I found the blog (or at least something very similar from her):

Through the Gendered Lens Darkly

I am reading today, a report from research undertaken by CAFCASS and Women’s Aid on the nature of allegations of domestic violence in the UK Family Courts. This report on a study of 216 cas…

karenwoodall.blog

You've raised it and it's now their risk. Not that they are ever held accountable.

Blogs from Karen Woodall are very helpful in understanding how cafcass view things:- high conflict, women's rights are what's best for child.

Know your enemy.

Cafcass opinions should not be admissible as evidence. They are arguably knowingly misleading the Court. It would be interesting to see what the SRA had to say about this issue, because arguably Cafcass Legal are complicit in allowing their client to mislead the court.

 

[Chi22]

Cafcass as an organisation are basically women's rights activists and in bed with the political ideology of women's aid.

They view the child's wishes and needs as being indivisible from those of the mother.

Ash mentioned a while back that Karen Woodall posted a blog that they are based on a 1970's femininst model, I think I found the blog (or at least something very similar from her):

Through the Gendered Lens Darkly

I am reading today, a report from research undertaken by CAFCASS and Women’s Aid on the nature of allegations of domestic violence in the UK Family Courts. This report on a study of 216 cas…

karenwoodall.blog

You've raised it and it's now their risk. Not that they are ever held accountable.

Blogs from Karen Woodall are very helpful in understanding how cafcass view things:- high conflict, women's rights are what's best for child.

Know your enemy.

Cafcass opinions should not be admissible as evidence. They are arguably knowingly misleading the Court. It would be interesting to see what the SRA had to say about this issue, because arguably Cafcass Legal are complicit in allowing their client to mislead the court.

I'm afraid that after fighting for my children for several years I thoroughly believe this. CAFCASS isn't fit for purpose. It is biased in favour of the mother and it's default belief is that there needs to be something extremely wrong for them to have a major criticism of the mother AND that children are *by default* better off with their mothers.

To fight the 'back of a fag packet' opinions of CAFCASS after they undertake a couple of sessions of the children with workbooks is an uphill battle.

Thanks for the link.