CAFCASS Experiences

[Ash]

Hi @JC83 what parenting courses did you do and where can they be found?? @Ash might be worth a sticky somewhere so they can be found by existing and new members easily?? TIA

At the moment there's just this thread stickied

Y

Thread 'Triple P (Positive Parenting Course) is court approved.'

Jul 5, 2024

I am just posting this here to help other Dads advised to complete a parenting course. The Positive Parenting Programme also called the Triple P is accepted by the court.
It costs £85 and can be competed in days before your hearing.

It is different from the Parenting Together course by CAFCASS.

I completed mine after seeing the CAFCASS report and it was accepted by the court.

It saves a lot of time in resuming contact with the children.

All the best

• Yomi
• Replies: 5
• Forum: Child Arrangements, court applications, problems

• 

And this info on the home page

Article 'SPIP course replaced with Planning Together for Children'

Parenting courses are sometimes ordered by the courts, to help parents try to resolve issues in the best interests of the children, and hope it leads to agreement. SPIP courses (Separated Parents Information Programme) have been in place for a number of years, but have now been replaced with...

• Ash
• Jun 24, 2021
• 2 min read
• Reaction score: 1
• Comments: 6
• Category: Dads with Kids Home Page

 

[Oneofmany]

Thanks @Peanut 21 I’ve reached out to my GP surgery this afternoon who said they can do me a letter for Court. It will cost, but at least I’ll have it.

Ex also told the police I get drunk and abuse drugs (more lies, I can’t remember the last time I had any alcohol and I certainly don’t abuse drugs) so I’ll get the GP to cover that in the letter to in case she mentions it at court.

I mean really, that’s a low blow eh! An ex ripping a child away from a father then accusing him of mental health problems! Who wouldn’t have depression after that. I’ve had treatment and been given coping strategies but I’d be more worried about dads who weren’t depressed if this were to happen to them.

This

 

[Brighton with 2 kids]

I thought the first CAFCASS meeting went well, until I got sandbagged and ignored. CAFCASS said their report would be sent to me 2 weeks before the court date. My ex got the report. I got a copy 5min before the court hearing. There were numerous errors, omissions and down right falsehoods in the report (they didn't even get my name or dob right)

There was a S7 ordered and this new CAFCASS officer was a bit better.

I definitely remember her asking me if my daughter didn't want to see me (as my ex kept saying) is it in her best interest. I maintained that it's best for her to know both parents. But she kept asking if I thought it was in my daughters best interest or not.

I informed her that I attended the separated parents information program on my own and paid for it, she still recommended I attended it again though.

Overall, I felt like I was always having to justify why I should be allowed to see my daughter and all my concerns about my ex were being ignored.

I'm afraid that sounds like standard Cafcass experience - certainly widespread. Your case isn't at Brighton family Court is it?

 

[Brighton with 2 kids]

How it goes may depend on the individual FCA (Cafcass Officer) but one thing to remember is that they are probably trying to provoke you to be angry - so they can say "Look he's an angry man, mustn't let him near children". So, even if it is difficult try to stay calm and reasonable even if they, or your ex, aren't.