CAFCASS RISK ASSESSMENT

[MrsDan]

hello

I am due to have an interview with CAFCASS in 2 weeks time. Without going into too much detail, I had to stop contact between my son and his father as my son had witnessed DV while staying over. He is only 5 and this obviously caused him to be very upset. At the time I did try to set up other arrangements but my x refused them all.
Before the first court hearing we had a report from CAFCASS to the court recommending a risk assessment and domestic violence tool kit to be carried out on my ex due to the DV and his violent criminal record.

Does anyone have any experience of this? I do not know what to expect or what CAFCASS reporter will ask, or if I will just have to explain what happened again?

Thanks

they will ask routine quesitons, what the issues and concerns are, what you want to see happeneing in future eg supervised contact ?

get a file together with copies of any evidence you have eg police reports, crime ref numbers etc and explain why you acting in your child's best interest by stopping contact and what proposals you have for contact eg supervised in a contact centre

any otehr reprots eg GP, teacher, social worker get before hand - also names of teacher school social worker etc to hand on a paper

evidence of your ex refusing other arangements eg email print outs.

At the moment contact takes place in a centre, ex doesn't always turn up - which quite frankly baffles me as he is the one who applied for the defined contact order!

Will they speak to my sons school? As his teacher said some things to me at parents evening recently that I think should be taken into account.

I have got evidence and the CAFCASS officer who did the telephone interview said he had been "very economical with the truth". Apparently he didn't deny it when he had been asked about the other arrangements I offered, yet hadn't openly told them about it until he was directly asked. His solicitor told my solicitor she didn't know the half of it as he hadn't been honest with her.

He lied about his criminal records too, which I think has prompted the enhanced checks. The other reason was to see how many times police had been called to his address during arguments with his partner!

Thanks

Police check is standard.
If teacher useful in supporting make sure you give name and number

What do you want to happen ? Contact centre too continue indefinitely ?

I have had to use a contact centre with my ex. In my experience and also that of some mums in a similar position I have spoken to, although he has been the one to push for contact he may not always come. My ex was emotionally and sometimes physically abusive toward me. It is as if he is using this not turning up to get at me, to control me in one of the very few ways he has left. Horrendous and confusing for the children.
Don't worry too much about CAFCASS. Just do what the above poster said and get prepared. We have had 4 reports. My ex complained about three of them. Now the children have a guardian (also a cafcass worker) who is appointed by court to look after childrens interests and got them a solicitor.
I have finally come to the realisation that although my children love their dad he is hurting them emotionally by not turning up and his attitude. Ex is in a bad way (in rehab at the moment!) and I should remain switched off to him emotionally instead of feeling sorry, like its my fault etc etc. My solicitor is going to try and get the case dismissed until such a time as he had sorted himself/ wishes to reapply to court.

These police checks aren't standard. The standard one's were done for the first hearing, the one's now are enhanced to show up times he's been involved with the police but where charges have later been dropped. They said it should show up how many times the police have been called to his address during an argument.
If I am totally honest, don't know what I want next ... all I want is for my son to be safe and protected. I do think maybe some education is needed as I don't think ex genuinely realises just how bad an impact this has had!

i meant a police check is routine to do... but maybe yes they looking in more detail now?

what does your son want?
does he want to see him in the contact centre?
what do you envisage happening longer term with contact?
what does ex want to happen (given he not runing up to the contact centre...) ?

i think you do need to consider what you actually want /what would be best for DS longer term - and in short term and medium term. what will happen at xmas for example?

• no contact except indirect contact via letter/emai/phone/skype? continued contact centre (but for how long? review in three or six months?)

Yes, they did the more routine check at the beginning. But because of the situation and the violent nature of his offences they're digging a bit deeper! They have also asked for enhanced checks on his partner. I don't know why though!
I really don't know, I have found a different contact centre where hours are more flexible and not volunteer run and the staff seem to do more in the way of educating parents. This may be a way forward in the short term, I'm going to ask CAFCASS about it.
He rings him whenever he asks to, I wouldn't stop that. I HAVE to let DS ring wed at 6pm, however he's not always in the mood to speak and I have changed my mobile number cos I just kept getting abusive texts and calls. I just withhold it when DS rings. I was going to suggest he could buy a cheap £10 phone for DS and then he can ring whenever. DS is only 5 so emails and letters is probably a bit too advanced for him.

He won't see him at christmas this year as the contact centre is a church and is being used for 'church activities' due to time of year.

It's hard to say what my son wants, he's happy to see his Dad but does not want to go to the house or see his partner. He just says 'she hurt my Daddy' he's obviously very biased, which of course is natural.

He was having contact in the community with him (which in my opinion worked really well and seemed to be better quality) but he just did not turn up one week and had me served with papers. After this we went to court where CAFCASS recommended contact centre until they had done the extra checks, risk assessments and checks on his partner. So, this is his doing to be fair. He wanted to go through court, and they have been even more restrictive than I have!

WOW! What a long post sorry!

angrywoman

It's frustrating isn't it! The court order states I have to take him. It doesn't state that he has to turn up!

CAFCASS so far have been good, but that was a different person from the early intervention team. He is the one that stated all the other things should be done and mentioned anger management for my ex.
I find it really scary, that I have to put my trust in people I do not know and hope they make the right decisions for my DS!
I've read and heard some really horrible stories about CAFCASS, and I don't know what to expect from the new person. I hope she is as straight up and the first bloke, I don't want them to say one thing to me and then put something else in the report.
Do they regularly review the report, or will they just make some recommendations and leave it at that?
Thanks

well in my case there were about four or five hearings over 18 mnths before a final contact order was finalised.

so court could decide to order continued contact centre for now and come back in three months or four months or six months.

maybe you should look at asking for order which says to continue with contact centre visits and phone calls for next few months and say you happy to review in three or four months - gives your ex and his P time to sort stuff out sand see where they are at?

Yeah I think that's a good idea, as I want as much stability for DS as possible. I wonder if he would continue to go to a contact centre for that long though!
I feel a lot of this is about control, his way or the highway! Although my sol said he would be very very foolish to refuse the contact that is offered to him at the min.

I wonder what they will make of him 'forgetting' to go!

Having said all that, I think he will be sent to prison soon for loads of trouble with the CSA. He doesn't own property or anything like that and is self employed so they can't take straight out of wage. Although the 2 issues are separate, I am wondering if the whole thing would be started again if he does go away?

Be very carefull what you say to the cafcass officer. Ive just had one do a report for court they liar threw there teeth, every thing that comes out your mouth will be twisted, All i done was give her a bigger picture of what had happened with him now ive got social services coming in to do a s.37 report saying my daughter is in danger of emotional abusive from me. I havent been with him for 4 years and telling her about my past with him was seen as living in the past. I cried telling her about my mothers recent death and the death of my 19 years boyfriend a few months ago. Dont show any emotion or give them any background about your self or him. I was told by the judge they are looking at taking my daughter into care, my nerves are in shreds at the moment because of what this cafcass officer has stated when i spoke to her about what she said i was told that is what she interrupted i said i clearly said to her that wasnt what i said, you are wasting your time the judges only listen to what they say. My daughter was born at 24 weeks due to dv. she is thriving now no thanks to him.

I have seen this first hand and have helped many people through this process. CAFCASS are there to do an assessment. I would try and keep the tones neutral. Keep the interview child focussed and don't slag off the ex. If he has a violent record then mention that in respect of your concerns for your children.
The judge will 9/10 go with what CAFCASS recommends. Other obvious stuff is that don't show you're anti-Dad. Show that you're promoting a relationship but you have grave concerns. Be prepared for the fact that the CAFCASS officer will ask pressing and pertinent questions. Each and every officer works in different ways. Some tend to be the ex's voice piece to see how you react. Keep calm and child focussed.

On a practical note make sure your house is child-friendly.
One thing that does work very well is if you have lots of photos including one of their dad (it's a nice touch that shows you're not anti-dad)

You will receive a copy of the report and you and your solcitor will have time to comment on it in time for the hearing.

Best of luck.