Family Court Cafcas- Advise

[wassaw123]

So i have just had cafcass recommendations for the gate keeping hearing on Tuesday next week.
They have recommended a section 7 been completed (this will be my 3rd one now)
They have recommended supervised contact carry on (been going on for 31 months now)

Im aware the gate keeping hearing, im not suppose to attend so is it worth sending a position statement to the court for this hearing

 

[Ash]

Yes.

 

[jafranks]

So i have just had cafcass recommendations for the gate keeping hearing on Tuesday next week.
They have recommended a section 7 been completed (this will be my 3rd one now)
They have recommended supervised contact carry on (been going on for 31 months now)

Im aware the gate keeping hearing, im not suppose to attend so is it worth sending a position statement to the court for this hearing

Supervised to be carried on… by who sorry? A contact centre or a family member?

 

[wassaw123]

Family members
They have been doing it now for 31 months

 

[jafranks]

Family members
They have been doing it now for 31 months

Doesn’t help you at all - well done for battling on under such conditions of how you personally have to spend time with your child(ren) for a long period.

Can I ask just briefly. What are the main current safeguarding issues Cafcass/Court have against you in spending time with your child(ren) unsupervised? Or are they doing the conflict between parents crap still…

 

[wassaw123]

Well it’s just seems to be more crap coming from ex
But interestingly I have a report from the dapp course which they say I’m safe to have unsupervised so I am going to make that point in my position statement that’s for sure

 

[wassaw123]

Well my gatekeeping hearing was yesterday infront of a legal advisor, Im guessing they wont have paid attention to my position statement
i Wont get the results until the end of the week maybe next week
I suspect they will order a section 7 report - This will be the third one ordered in two year throughout the case

Surely this isn't right? i was in court in November 2022 and within the second s7 they ordered that i had to do the course (DAPP) to proceed the application and move to unsupervised contact, to which i have done and now i need another s7

Iv never seen such a disjointed system in my life

 

[wassaw123]

HI all, So my order came through, seems like my Position statement made no difference (if it was even read)
They have ordered a section 7 report (third one now in 24 months)

is there any way of cafcass coming to see me when i actually have my daughter?

First section 7 was a telephone call for 15 minutes, second one was a home visit that took 30 mins and not once was there any talk about my daughter, was all about mom

 

[Peanut 21]

If they have never seen you with your daughter you should push for cafcass to see you with her.
It's not fair to base anything against you if no one has seen how your child interacts with you.

 

[Ash]

And if they don't see you with your daughter you can get their report undermined at the final hearing (if there are issues with it for you).

 

[wassaw123]

when cafcass contact me I am going to suggest my daughter be here when they come to see me
If they say it’s not needed I’ll ask them to explain why

 

[wassaw123]

Hi All just an update as to whats happened, Section 7 Report came, Very glowing in respect to myself, Cafcass came on a Sunday to watch me spend time with my daughter, Cafcass recommended Un-Supervised but to be progress to over night
They say this should be over 9 month period which is too long
Got court next week and im under no illusion that this will most likely go to a contested hearing as the Other side will not like this one bit.
Nice to finally get some good news considering iv been in court now for 40 months
Ex is still claiming all the usual within the report, i find it strange though when caffcass interviews my daughter, my daughter says i never shout at her or get angry, yet daughter says mom and boyfriends always shout and get angry with her (Slightly Worrying)

 

[MagicJ]

That's positive news, the cafcass S7 is always a tricky part of the process - from your previous posts how easy was it to get Cafcass to see you both together?

Good luck next week, you've worked hard for your daughter, 40 weeks is tough let alone 40 months - it sounds like you've developed an approach that has given you great inner strength - it can't have been easy at all.

If its contested then your Barrister should hopefully be able to argue to push that progression to a more substantial and quicker path

 

[Ash]

That's great news! You have really come a long way from where you were at before. Progression over 9 months isn't as bad as it sounds. I would suggest you set out the progression you would like in a position statemement before the hearign. It's unlikely to get ordered at this next hearing unless your ex agrees to everything, but it might help with some progression during the interim period.

The reason they do slow progression is because child hasn't seen you for so long., but I don't think it's necessary - kids tend to adapt straight away.

I'd suggest something like half a day a week at week-ends for three weeks, then a full day a week for a month. Then 10am Sat to 10am Sunday for 6 weeks. Then introducing a midweek night for another month, then going to a full every other week-end and midweek overnight. That's about 18 weeks (or 4.5 months).

 

[wassaw123]

HI Ash
Thats pretty much what my solicitor has suggested and its what i have put within my position statement
Im not expecting it to be agreed within a month of Sundays, But the beauty is, The same cafcass offer did a section 7 in November 22 to which the other side agreed to, Yet now as she has most likely seen through the lies, they wont agree which i do find a little funny, Surly judges can see through this ?
so im 99.99% sure this will be going to a contested hearing, Im guessing they will still proceed with some sort of progression in the interim?

 

[Peanut 21]

Go for the progression cafcass recommend just to get the ball rolling.
My partner has done it for 6 months and that time flies by.

 

[wassaw123]

Well Position Statement from the other side received last night prior to hearing today.
I was in agreement with cafcass that finally some progression has been suggested after 39 months in court (Supervised to Supported then to Un-supervised to over night)

As Suspected not in agreement with anything Cafcass has recommended (Although they were in agreement with the Same officers report Previously)

Very Confusing statement they have put in, on one hand they say daughter hates me and doesn't like spending time with me so mum doesn't want contact to progress as cafcass suggested, Yet in closing statement say dad (me) can have daughter as much as i want and for any length of time As long as supervised

Also other side are saying im controlling for taking the matter back to court after last hearing in Nov 22, Although previous order said dad needs to do Parenting course and Dapp Course for the case to proceed and bring back to court once complete, To which i followed the order and did

Other side insisting it goes to a final hearing and want the Cafcass officer there to interview / Question, Quite embarrassing reading to be honest as its quite critical of cafcass

Surly judges see this kind of behavior all the time right? And im guessing its not a good look Slating cafcass (Fair Enough in Private) but not direct to the court?

 

[Ash]

You'll just have to see how it goes.

 

[wassaw123]

Well something Extremely bizarre occurred at the hearing.
I agree with Cafcass, Other side doesn't so will go to a contested hearing, Judge stated position statements to be issued for the hearing, But these are to only be about the section 7 report, nothing with regards to previous hearings must be brought up - Which is great as other side normally like to right 40 page statements

Now for the strange bit, Prior to the hearing discussions were going on, Contact is to remain supervised, Will increase from 10-4pm every other week to 9-6pm every other week from 7th Jan,.

Next contacts will be 10th Dec, 23rd Dec and then 7th, So on the 23rd of December i requested that this date be changed to 24th Due to my Supervisors (Dad or Brother) been unavailable, other side came back and said sorry this can not be changed but they are happy for this to be Unsupervised
It was a moment where mine and my solicitors mouth dropped, They are arguing in court that i should not have unsupervised contract yet you have just offered it me.... Needless to say this was accepted very quickly and the judge included this within the order, Surly this is a massive clanger they have dropped there

 

[Peanut 21]

The things these odd bods do is just insane.
Allegations of abuse and fear....then total contradictions. That's why these people are impossible to deal with.