to ask if anyone has any experience of CAFCASS?

[holikaholika]

And

A) if you were impress d?
B) they took any domestic abuse into consideration?
C) what is included in finding of fact?
D) any advice?

My ex was abusive and I'm due to be in court to discuss our child. He ha severe anger management issues and my son isn't safe around him.

I've heard some real horror stories...

My experience is that you need to be very honest, to try to keep emotion (such as anger) out of your conversation, to absolutely come across as putting your children's welfare first (incuding to promote/ maintain a relationship with their father if this is possible/safe). You also need documentation and outside agency involvement (police ref numbers etc or doctor appointments).

To be honest I've found them to be fair and balanced. Never forget they don't know either of you, and without concrete proof of your concerns they can have little idea of who is telling the truth.

Always always always write yourself notes before you speak to them, and have dates and times to hand (eg "I spoke to x person in the police on y date and z happened). For every "accusation" it's best to say what you did next (called police/spoke to school etc). It's difficult for example if you list things that happened but have no proof whatsoever that it is true. If this is the case make it clear why you never acted (you were scared for eg).

Try to be clear about your concerns and what you want to happen next.

I think a finding of fact (I never had one) is an order in which outside agencies would be consulted and everything possible to investigate which could uncover facts would be looked into by order of the court. Basically it's all collated as evidence, in order to make a decision about what happens next.

As above making sure everything is child focussed. If you have police reports &/or CAD numbers provide them with a copy. If ypu have time, compile a simple chronomogy of the relationship.

A relative dealing with them at the moment has found them absolutely rubbish. They don't do anything they say they will and never call back. The reports bear no resemblance to the conversations.

I had a relative deal with them and they were completely biased towards one parent, even contacting the favoured parent in a friendly manner afterwards. Totally unprofessional and included information in their report that was completely inaccurate as one parent had told them it was correct. I would never trust them to have a child's best interests at heart after that.

Senior officer admitted on the stand he had based his report (4 years worth) on 'facts' received from my exh......

Yes and they were horrific. They absolutely loved my salesman, narcissist, abusive, violent ex-husband who charmed them and turned them against me, despite his multiple offences and the history of domestic abuse.

So not too promising then

Same thing happened to my relative *DontVisitMe the cafcass officer thought that my relatives dh was a caring, doting Dad, instead of an abusive, drug-addicted narcissist. My relative hasn't seen her children for nearly 3 years now.

Very much on dads side he left me for other woman who was known to be dangerous and violent they took their side even tho it put my son in danger and didn’t listen to a word I said (even tho I had other people as witnesses and her criminal record) it all worked out in the end but no thanks to them

Yes and they were horrific. They absolutely loved my salesman, narcissist, abusive, violent ex-husband who charmed them and turned them against me, despite his multiple offences and the history of domestic abuse.

This

My mum is an experienced children's social worker and says cafcass are generally ok but depends who you get! Weird that they could be someone who's done the job for a year yet my mum has serious concerns and has done the job for 20+!

I'm really concerned now. I'm hoping that the fact that my case was heard at MARAC will help them listen to my very genuine concerns, but I'm not convinced.

I can't believe how bad they seem!

Fingers crossed your experience will be better, OP. They can't all be horrific, but the general consensus is that most are.

It's frightening really, how many people have similar experiences.

I'm really scared about the whole thing. My concerns are very real. I don't understand how they can all be so bad!

Ive messaged you OP

Was once threatened with losing my dc to exh if I didn't comply with a voluntary process. I asked her to leave and reported her.
Not the one who admitted his lies though, a woman. Had 4 different ones over the 4 years. All a disaster tbh.

@lotsofdogshere just had a look but can't see you message

just sent it. Only brief but sending you best.

I agree it largely depends on who you get, but I went through a very long (2.5 years) court case with my ex. CAFCASS were absolutely amazing. They saw straight through my ex’s bullshit, and the end result was a zero contact order for him. My CAFCASS officer was also my daughter’s guardian throughout the court process due to the severity of the case. I couldn’t fault her (or the student working under her) at all, they were the first ones to give me any hope that it would all be ok in the end.

Of course they can’t be completely one sided and I too was challenged by them on certain things in court, but that’s only fair enough.

My advice is comply fully with them, be completely honest and try to get them on side. The judge will nearly always go with their recommendations.

I have had good experiences. The first face to face meeting I found stressful and was highly emotional and didn't think the officer really helped at some parts but then they have come back and was a lot better and has offered some good support. Hope all goes ok for you. I'm back for the final hearing in 3 weeks

My experience with CAFCASS was fairly positive. She had spoken to my ex before she called me for the phone interview, and before I had even said anything she told me that she had the measure of him and that the questions she would ask me were a matter of formality. To be fair she had a whole heap of police reports and Children's Services files confirming everything anyway, but she said her conversation with him just backed up my case even more, which makes me lucky (or massively unlucky I guess!).

They seem to be fairly influential in my experience, the magistrates didn't argue their recommendations...

I wish you luck.

Completely useless, they were so obviously biased towards my physically and verbally abusive, drug addict ex.

I went in armed with dates, times, police ref numbers, videos of when he hit my son and they just didn’t care.

They wrote reports that were completely false and absolutely savaged me, one of them even said at the end ‘she simply didn’t turn up to the session’ when I went to every session.

I absolutely hate them, they ruined my life. And so many women have had the same experience!

Oh and others have said, I had notes ready for the conversation, dates/times/CAD numbers etc.

Just be prepared, and stay calm.

Op will gladly advise you who to avoid if you live in CD...

@Beachbodynowayready CD?