Cacfass Section 7 last minute arrangements.

[cinammonbunsandcoffee]

Hi can anyone help with this? Cafcass have under a month to write their Section 7 report and even though this was court ordered in the autumn they have only just contacted me about it. They want to me to change contact days with ex which means children will miss some stuff that they both love doing after school. One child has a diagnosis of ADHD with autism and any change to routine is the end of the world for them and very hard to manage and bounce back from. It also means I will have to miss work as they're expecting me to swap the contact days and I don't have childcare to cover work on the day they want.

In that they've had FIVE months to arrange this am I expected to make the changes to accommodate their disorganisation and lack of planning? Is it going to go against me that I've said it would be good if she could see them in their usual contact time with ex and its really hard for me to change plans with little notice?
Any ideas?

Why do you need to change contact days? Whats their reasoning?

Cafcass is suggestions, its the judge that will decide. So perhaps you can respond in the court the impact on DC and judge won't order it? I would not rearrange anything till you see the written report by them.

Sorry maybe I didn’t explain clearly - it’s just for the section 7, they haven’t met him and the children yet, they’re arranging it last minute and wanting to meet on a day that isn’t a usual contact day because they have other things in their diary.. they’ve had 5 months to arrange it. And there is very regular contact for them to choose from

CAFCAS is a law unto themselves unfortunately. Nothing to add but my sympathies

Can’t you just explain it’s not your contact day and reorganise it? They tried to come to me when it was ex’s contact day but I explained and they rearranged it.

I tried, she’s emailed me 4 times over the weekend telling me I’m misunderstanding what she’s saying. It’s really weird. Just wondering if this is how they usually operate, seems massively unprofessional.

Are they asking you to go into their office or are they coming to your home? Would it work to suggest they see the kids at school and then you can attend for your interview alone? They were willing to do this for me.