Section 7 CAFCASS

[Summerkoala]

Hi Everyone

I have an interview with CAFCASS coming up after I requested a Section 7 report at the last Child Arrangement hearing. I raised some allegations of coercive control by my ex where he repeatedly uses the children to punish me. The court ordered CAFCASS to carry out the report in preparation for the next DRA.

The CAFCASS officer is seeing me for the interview 1:1 first, then my ex the day after, then they are coming back to my house to see the children (aged 2 and 6).

Has anyone had experience of this and could give me any idea what they may ask the children? Obviously they're much younger than they usually would be to be questioned by CAFCASS, and I really don't want to lead or influence them at all.

Any advice would be appreciated ❤️.

Mine were very similar ages. I wouldn’t focus too much on it, it was more like a gentle chat about their favourite things, what games they liked to play, who do they live with, did they have any special toys etc. It’s also an opportunity to checkout their home environment. Just be aware that the reports are rarely worth the paper they’re written on!

Thank you, that's really helpful. Yes, I'm learning that through this whole process. I'm not feeling listened to at all and the judge didn't even read my position statement last time.

i found my carcass interview very hard and it damaged all the good work i'd done through counselling. i had to evidence so much yet ex has made laughable counter allegations with zero evidence whatsoever.
interview with the children - they were a bit older. it was very focussed on dad and what they thought of him and contact with him. this was reflected in the report which seemed to forget there is a maternal family.
the report has many factual errors and even got the children's ages wrong. cafcass not interested so i've raised it with the court.
the only good to come out of it is a couple of recommendations make clear reference to the children's wishes and caracas won't entertain ex trying to manipulate them as they aren't what he thinks he's 'entitled' to.
be honest but have your wits about you is my best advice.