S7 Cafcass - totally biased report, where do I go from here?

[Conan]

I have received the Cafcass report today and its devastating. Totally biased in favour of Mum.

Cafcass wasn't able to see me with the children due to being blocked by Mum since April 9th. Cafcass are recommending that supervised access continues on a 2 hour basis, 4 weeks and building up to weekend access 4/5hours supervised (where is the money coming from for this?) and eventually, if Mum is happy to then get unsupervised overnight every other weekend, if Mum agrees.

Cafcass recommends that children remain with Mum.

All fabricated allegations of emotional distress by Mum on the children, no evidence.

Not sure hat to do with such a biased s7 report - hearing is on 17th June. a

My daughters are 8 and it looks like I'm not going to have much future times with them as they grow up. They are so biased its unbelievable.

 

[mva]

I had the same sort of caffcass report it’s devastating. You could suggest at the next hearing that “contact” is supported by relatives or friends. That could save some money.

I hope you have representation at next hearing. Expecting your ex to suddenly allow overnights is ridiculous. Also 1 overnight a fortnight isn’t going to lead to a real relationship with your children.

You could do a quick “ therapy “ course that you could produce a report for next hearing if mum s allegation is angry management. That moved my contact on slightly.

Caffcass are a disgrace you either are safe to spend time with your kids or not. If safe then meaningful contact should be awarded.

Chin up . It’s not over yet

 

[Conan]

Thank you mva,
What is situation with contact with your children now?

I have never read such a one sided, biased report. I have done nothing wrong, wife just cut off access last June. ow this Was supervised by her friend (very biased feedback from her, unfair statements).I just cannot believe how and what has happened to me and our children. Cafcass also didn't see me with the children and wife is also being difficult with the contact centre.

It's unbelievable how unfair this all is.

I'm losing strength and becoming ill from it all.

 

[Fellowshipper]

Do you mind me asking what are they justifying these measures on? Is it to do with any things such as previous convictions or misdemeanors of yours, or is it manipulation of the children by the mother with them saying they don't want to see daddy etc?

 

[Conan]

Hi Felloshipper
There are no previous convictions or misdemeanours of me.

There is manipulation of the mother on the children, especially on one child (have got twin girls aged 8). But they have stated that they want to see me and spend time back home and overnights again but Cafcass has been totally biased in favour of Mum and her false allegations. It is such a biased report.

Cafcass have focused on historical narrative by Mother (got dismissed by Judge) and the court bundle with allegations sent by her solicitors to Cafcass, I objected to this action by them from legal advice by my solicitor and noted it to the Judge.

I wanted to get a shared care order but all Cafcass has done is focus on the old narrative, and false allegations to say children affected emotionally by me asking questions about Mum. This is untrue.

 

[Fellowshipper]

This shouldn't surprise you. I've been on this forum long enough to know what to have expected when the juncture with CAFCASS comes along, so when I got the report I was not at all surprised that it still is biased towards the other side simply because of bogus allegations of DA. You just have to take it on the chin and challenge it.

Just the other day I felt really down and depressed, but today I feel okay and focused even. The worst part is actually now when I'm feeling okay because the danger is I become complacent and forgetful of things I need to do, you eventually discover this as you get used to a familiar pattern of mood.

 

[Conan]

What stage are you at Fellowshipper? have you got any overnight with your children?

 

[mva]

Thank you mva,
What is situation with contact with your children now?

I have never read such a one sided, biased report. I have done nothing wrong, wife just cut off access last June. ow this Was supervised by her friend (very biased feedback from her, unfair statements).I just cannot believe how and what has happened to me and our children. Cafcass also didn't see me with the children and wife is also being difficult with the contact centre.

It's unbelievable how unfair this all is.

I'm losing strength and becoming ill from it all.

Yes my caffcass report had nothing positive from my side and was based on a 10 minute zoom call. She had no interest in anything I had to say , no interest in the 3 bed child centred home I had rented. She visited mum and kids at school. I went from 2hrs weekly supervised. Which didn’t happen for 5 months due to lockdown. By the time caffcass had spoke to kids they had gone from wanting to stay with me 50/50 to just seeing me every other weekend.

Had numerous hearings over 2 years and final order was 7hrs supported by parents every other weekend. This was a consent order as my barrister was convinced that I wouldn’t get anything else with 3 day final hearing and ex was pushing for costs of 110K.

If I want to change order I have to go back to court and start process again.

I wouldn’t want you to be in my situation and hope you get decent representation and fight.

 

[Conan]

Yes my caffcass report had nothing positive from my side and was based on a 10 minute zoom call. She had no interest in anything I had to say , no interest in the 3 bed child centred home I had rented. She visited mum and kids at school. I went from 2hrs weekly supervised. Which didn’t happen for 5 months due to lockdown. By the time caffcass had spoke to kids they had gone from wanting to stay with me 50/50 to just seeing me every other weekend.

Had numerous hearings over 2 years and final order was 7hrs supported by parents every other weekend. This was a consent order as my barrister was convinced that I wouldn’t get anything else with 3 day final hearing and ex was pushing for costs of 110K.

If I want to change order I have to go back to court and start process again.

I wouldn’t want you to be in my situation and hope you get decent representation and fight.

OMG, can she come after me for costs too? How much did you lose financially?

Yes, I have a Barrister representing me at the next hearing.

This is the final statement of the Cafcass report on children's wishes:

Both children told me that they wished to see their father and that when everything is sorted out that they would be happy without people there and for it to take place at Dad’s house.

Throughout the report it stated the children wanted to see me and spend overnights, but Cafcass is refusing the shared care order as its been so long June 23 when access had stopped (deliberately by Mum).

 

[mva]

My case was long winded and involved a fact finding. I spent about 40K my ex 150K.

I didn’t mean to worry you cost are rarely ordered it’s only because I lost the fact finding and she had a barrister and 2 solicitors during the three days which pushed up costs.

 

[Conan]

My case was long winded and involved a fact finding. I spent about 40K my ex 150K.

I didn’t mean to worry you cost are rarely ordered it’s only because I lost the fact finding and she had a barrister and 2 solicitors during the three days which pushed up costs.

I'm sorry to hear this. Did she get any cost awarded? I lost a recent C2 application and she was awarded £1k

There was no Fact Finding in my case.

However, It seems that Cafcass have come to the conclusion, Mum will have sole custody and I will (if demonstrated by constant supervision and reports) that I might have overnights, reinstated but every other weekend. This is so unfair as she hs deprived me in seeing my daughters and manipulated the situation. I can never forgive her or her parents for what they have done. its just evil.

 

[UkDad]

It's appalling and seems if there are any allegations by a hostile ex then one is screwed no matter what. There has to be an extreme feminist agenda at play. What hope do dads have?

 

[mva]

I'm sorry to hear this. Did she get any cost awarded? I lost a recent C2 application and she was awarded £1k

There was no Fact Finding in my case.

However, It seems that Cafcass have come to the conclusion, Mum will have sole custody and I will (if demonstrated by constant supervision and reports) that I might have overnights, reinstated but every other weekend. This is so unfair as she hs deprived me in seeing my daughters and manipulated the situation. I can never forgive her or her parents for what they have done. its just evil.

Yes the system is a disgrace. Time and delays are the killer. I ended up agreeing to pay her 20K.

 

[UkDad]

I have received the Cafcass report today and its devastating. Totally biased in favour of Mum.

Cafcass wasn't able to see me with the children due to being blocked by Mum since April 9th. Cafcass are recommending that supervised access continues on a 2 hour basis, 4 weeks and building up to weekend access 4/5hours supervised (where is the money coming from for this?) and eventually, if Mum is happy to then get unsupervised overnight every other weekend, if Mum agrees.

Cafcass recommends that children remain with Mum.

All fabricated allegations of emotional distress by Mum on the children, no evidence.

Not sure hat to do with such a biased s7 report - hearing is on 17th June. a

My daughters are 8 and it looks like I'm not going to have much future times with them as they grow up. They are so biased its unbelievable.

Did Cafcass mention anything about your contact centre reports or even read them?

 

[mva]

Did Cafcass mention anything about your contact centre reports or even read them?

The contact reports where brilliant. Caffcass had no interest and I had 30 character witnesses. No interest.

 

[UkDad]

The contact reports where brilliant. Caffcass had no interest and I had 30 character witnesses. No interest.

Shocking!

Did you have representation?

 

[mva]

I did in the original hearing and in subsequent hearings. Crucially I didn’t during the fact find. I was completely naive and had lost the plot trying to be LIP during FF. I went from interim of 3 overnights a week to 2hrs supervised.

 

[Conan]

Did Cafcass mention anything about your contact centre reports or even read them?

Not had the contact centre visit yet, as wife is not responding to their requests to establish a meeting and wife has also prevented any opportunity of Cafcass seeing me with the children.

 

[MagicJ]

I'm sorry to hear this. Did she get any cost awarded? I lost a recent C2 application and she was awarded £1k

There was no Fact Finding in my case.

However, It seems that Cafcass have come to the conclusion, Mum will have sole custody and I will (if demonstrated by constant supervision and reports) that I might have overnights, reinstated but every other weekend. This is so unfair as she hs deprived me in seeing my daughters and manipulated the situation. I can never forgive her or her parents for what they have done. its just evil.

Just on this, as @Ash has previously pointed out & I believe others members have done, you can put Cafcass on the stand & undermine the report.
There will be opportunities to do this successfully given the Judge dismissed the allegations already.

I assume the upcoming hearing is a Directions Hearing - I would suggest you come up with a summary list of what you feel needs answered & when you next get to speak to your Counsel, spend some of your time picking their brain on strategies & what they feel you could do between now & the FH.

I found this really useful as in every hearing with various delays on the time I spent a lot of time with my barrister, so in between hearing prep I went through a list of my concerns, desired outcomes, problems that I saw as large and it helped give me focus for the next steps.

Stay Strong @Conan

 

[Ash]

“I have received the Cafcass report today and it’s devastating. Totally biased in favour of Mum.”

@Conan - I have read this so many times in the last year or so. The attitude towards the value of a Dad is shocking. If you’re safe enough to have overnights via progression then why not a full order? It is indeed totally biased towards minimising Dads in children’s lives and the frankly sexist view that children do better with one main home and parent.

Cafcass did not see the child with you therefore the report is flawed and that’s why you get Cafcass cross examined at final hearing as @Magic says. To get that report undermined as flawed and get a better order than they recommend. Thats what cross examination is about - persuading a Judge to ignore someone’s evidence.

Do you know if you will have a Judge or magistrates.

So yes, you can address various aspects of the S7 report in a position statement before the next hearing, saying what you don’t agree with and why and what you do agree with - and anything else you want to say or ask for in the position statement (perhaps increased interim time with progression before final hearing).

If you can afford a barrister for the final hearing you could come out with a much better order than is recommended I am sure.