far too complicated for their form filling! Remember, they DO NOT CARE ABOUT DADS. You have to approach them from that perspective. THEY HATE DADS. It really is that simple.
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CAFCASS Experiences
- Thread starter Cheese_Head_1986
- Start date
They don't see the value of dads.
They think as long as the kids seem safe with mum, that is all they need.
I don't need to list here all the positive attributes dads provide to their children.
I'm very fortunate I grew up with a stable family environment and I can't imagine my childhood without my dad. My dad has made me the person I am today.
They think as long as the kids seem safe with mum, that is all they need.
I don't need to list here all the positive attributes dads provide to their children.
I'm very fortunate I grew up with a stable family environment and I can't imagine my childhood without my dad. My dad has made me the person I am today.
From my experiences with Cafcass they are lazy and not fit for purpose. They are completely judgment based and take the mothers word as the gospel truth.
Rather than actually looking at the facts and evidence they go with the narrative that the mother is always right and the Father is secondary and the perpetrator.
Equality and "the voice of the child" is absolute bullsh*t!!
Rather than actually looking at the facts and evidence they go with the narrative that the mother is always right and the Father is secondary and the perpetrator.
Equality and "the voice of the child" is absolute bullsh*t!!
I decided to push ahead with a full complaint and have received a response. They refused to entertain the complaint because they feel I should have raised my concerns at the time - ie during court proceedings.
Here's the problem - I didn't raise concerns because I was told not to by my legal representatives, who said that if I did it would reinforce my ex-partner's allegations of abuse by me, I would be seen as argumentative etc. And why is that? Because of the social normative prejudice that men are guilty by default if allegations are made, we're not allowed to be assertive.
I think the disappointment here is that it is explicitly Cafcass' role to provide reports to help the Courts. That they are not willing to address the fundamental bias that infuses and skews their work, or be inquisitive to explore a foundational prejudice in their work. They are not reflective in their work, only reflective of their audience - a self-fulfilling prophesy.
That's how Cafcass roll. You can only raise concerns when you can't raise concerns. If you raise concerns then, you and your kid lose. If you raise concerns after you and your kid lose, you can't raise concerns. Heads we lose, tails they win.
As you say, Cafcass' role is just to provide a report for the Court that allows the Court to pretend they are considering the law. What's it called, the Children Act paramountcy principle or something? Must consider the wellbeing of the child as primary consideration?
Such bullshit. A lie and an illusion. Cafcass AND the courts enable parental alienation by refusing equal parenting, accepting false allegations, not enforcing their own orders and the wall to wall father hating.
Parental alienation is rife, almost always not in the child's interests, and the kids don't even realise what happened until they're 30+ usually.
The courts have a Victorian attitude to parenting problem, Cafcass have a misandry problem. We and our kids have wrecked lives.
As you say, Cafcass' role is just to provide a report for the Court that allows the Court to pretend they are considering the law. What's it called, the Children Act paramountcy principle or something? Must consider the wellbeing of the child as primary consideration?
Such bullshit. A lie and an illusion. Cafcass AND the courts enable parental alienation by refusing equal parenting, accepting false allegations, not enforcing their own orders and the wall to wall father hating.
Parental alienation is rife, almost always not in the child's interests, and the kids don't even realise what happened until they're 30+ usually.
The courts have a Victorian attitude to parenting problem, Cafcass have a misandry problem. We and our kids have wrecked lives.
After realising how a different Judge can derail what had been a generally positive process I reread this thread, post court hearing, and it's a complete downer really. When we were a family my little girl and I were inseperable and spent so much time together, always on a positive tip. But now it feels hopeless because there are so many variables that can't be prepared for but the one constant seems to be that I'm for ever having to demonstrate that I am of some significance.
My next hurdle is the CAFCASS call before the DRA
Ash has the opinion that it's all about praising the mother and talking about her good cooking, keeping it all about the child. So maybe I bring all questions and topics back to the child and how much I love them and how we've always enjoyed a close relationship.
I can't factor in for the person, their competence, their mood etc. But I'll record the conversation that's for definite.
Probably the wrong place for this post apologies if so.
My next hurdle is the CAFCASS call before the DRA
How do you go about approaching it from that perspective Jimi? My barrister says that it's important to drop in to the conversation the fact that PA has been present from the start but that seems fraught. They said that if I don't talk about it but the mother makes accusations in her call I'll be left in a position of weakness.
Ash has the opinion that it's all about praising the mother and talking about her good cooking, keeping it all about the child. So maybe I bring all questions and topics back to the child and how much I love them and how we've always enjoyed a close relationship.
I can't factor in for the person, their competence, their mood etc. But I'll record the conversation that's for definite.
Probably the wrong place for this post apologies if so.
Sorry not sure how far along you are but yeah just put the ex to one side.
Try to maintain a positive co parenting relationship or at least try to present as such if the reality is very different and speak about your child in a child focused way.
This is just a process to be navigated. Don't try and understand it as it's biased and not in our favour. But you've got to try to look past.
Just to reiterate from @Roblox - don't try to understand Cafcass. They are biased by default.
I have spoken with people who have been through the system 20+ years ago and in comparison they have said that nothing has changed with Cafcass or the family court system to this day.
Just be yourself, stay child focused and hope for the best.
if you get a good report - keep the narrative
if you get a bad report - undermine the flawed report in court and cross-examine the author of the report.
I have spoken with people who have been through the system 20+ years ago and in comparison they have said that nothing has changed with Cafcass or the family court system to this day.
Just be yourself, stay child focused and hope for the best.
if you get a good report - keep the narrative
if you get a bad report - undermine the flawed report in court and cross-examine the author of the report.
My Cafcass S7 home visit was cancelled on the day at the last minute and then rescheduled 5 days before the report was due to be filed.
My S7 report was really badly put together and completely biased. Ranging from recommendations based on word of mouth, factual inaccuracies, misquoted statements, significant information left out which could drastically change the outcome and not a single word about my parenting capabilities or any observations of me interacting as a parent.
I raised this with the FCA straight away who fobbed me off with "I will have a discussion with you about these concerns in court and raise them with the judge at the DRA"
On the day at the DRA the FCA didn't turn up and didn't make the courts aware that they wouldn't be attending. I had to ring Cafcass whilst sat in court asking where the FCA was? To then be told that FCA won't be attending (they would not state the reason why) and I had to then make arrangements with the court usher for the FCA to have a videoconference set up.
As a result of this, the court hearing was 2hrs late.
During the hearing the FCA hardly spoke and further asked for a videoconference for the next hearing where the FCA will get cross-examined which suggests to me that the FCA struggles with anxiety or panics being put on the spot. None of the concerns I raised about the S7 report was mentioned.
I raised my concerns with Cafcass about the conduct of this FCA with her manager who covered up for her with shitty excuses and fobbed me off with "put in in an email to your FCA"
Nearly 3 weeks has passed, no reply to my email and 3 calls chasing up with the manager with the promise of a callback but yep = nothing.
My S7 report was really badly put together and completely biased. Ranging from recommendations based on word of mouth, factual inaccuracies, misquoted statements, significant information left out which could drastically change the outcome and not a single word about my parenting capabilities or any observations of me interacting as a parent.
I raised this with the FCA straight away who fobbed me off with "I will have a discussion with you about these concerns in court and raise them with the judge at the DRA"
On the day at the DRA the FCA didn't turn up and didn't make the courts aware that they wouldn't be attending. I had to ring Cafcass whilst sat in court asking where the FCA was? To then be told that FCA won't be attending (they would not state the reason why) and I had to then make arrangements with the court usher for the FCA to have a videoconference set up.
As a result of this, the court hearing was 2hrs late.
During the hearing the FCA hardly spoke and further asked for a videoconference for the next hearing where the FCA will get cross-examined which suggests to me that the FCA struggles with anxiety or panics being put on the spot. None of the concerns I raised about the S7 report was mentioned.
I raised my concerns with Cafcass about the conduct of this FCA with her manager who covered up for her with shitty excuses and fobbed me off with "put in in an email to your FCA"
Nearly 3 weeks has passed, no reply to my email and 3 calls chasing up with the manager with the promise of a callback but yep = nothing.
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what a shitty situation you're going through @DadLad . I applaud your perseverance at challenging cafcass and hope you get some semblance of justice. Cafcass were involved in the tragic case of Finley Boden recently, just another shamble in a long list of mishandled cases. They are a disgrace and anyone working for them with a shred of decency should be hanging their heads in shame. Instead most of them think they are on a righteous crusade, (ridding the world of dad's!) Keep fighting mate.
I'm just one of many Dads and thousands of children who are failed by this shambolic system.
Cafcass needs abolishing its that simple.
Just reading now;
www.cafcass.gov.uk
Makes me so upset and annoyed with Cafcass.
Publication of the Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review Report into the murder of Finley Boden
The death of Finley was a tragedy, and our thoughts are with those who knew him and loved him. We are profoundly sorry that together we were unable to prevent his death. The publication today of the Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review report provides an opportunity for all the agencies...
Makes me so upset and annoyed with Cafcass.
Hey @DadLad
Did you use a barrister at any of your hearings so far? And/or are you planing to in the future?
Just trying to figure out if I can go to court without (the expense of) one..
Am already a LIP as far as solicitors are concerned.
I had a barrister for my FHDRA but looking at where I am now was a waste of expenses.
I am now going into a 4 day composite final hearing as a LIP.
if I was having a 1 day final hearing I would have definitely looked at having a barrister for this.
I can't agree with that. There are many Cafcass reports that find no issue with a Dad and recommend what he's applied for. And there are some good Cafcass officers (although maybe they are few and far between). If a Mother makes allegations, Cafcass have to assume they are true, and investigate, because some children are killed by a parent. So they have to play on the safe side. In some cases allegations are dismissed without a fact find.
The issue is that ex's make false allegations and try to manipulate the system.
Personally I think it's better to let Cafcass and the courts determine it's PA and just describe the behaviours and the effects on the child. And keep it absolutely child focused and not about the ex. For example you could say you're concerned that your child seems to be using negative adult language but after a couple of hours he/she settles into being a normal happy child.
One thing guaranteed to get Cafcass back up, is a stressed Dad ranting about the ex and accusing PA. Because to them you come across as an angry hostile person, and they then think the ex must be right about you. It's unfair they see it like that because this is a very stressful process, and we are desperate to see our kids. But a measured tone and approach works better. They are basically assessing whether or not you are a good parent and judge you by your attitude and behaviour.
I've just come through a contested interim contact hearing and have a DHRA in nine weeks. CAFCASS have been nowhere to be seen since the early days call so i'm waiting for them to pop up now.