has anyone ever got anywhere complaining to CAFCASS? NIGHTMARE :(

[lionessmama]

Very long story cut short but been in court over access issues for nearly 2 years. I have a 3 1/2 year old DD. Ex currently has supervised access in contact centre BUT despite new information regarding him lying to court through the whole process about his drug and alcohol abuse and not showing for contact and being late CAFCASS have just recommended UNSUPERVISED access!

In addition to this my ex was violent, emotionally, sexually and financially abusive. they have paid very little attention to this and in the latest report the officer makes an outrageous allegation that apparently I am unable to put the needs of DD before myself. I have been the sole carer for DD since she was 9 months old , have lived in refuge, made sure that despite everything her needs have always been met and she has thrived. Even Women's Aid workers told social services I am a fantastic mother. They also wrote that ex has proved his commitment to contact?!

The entire report is an attack on me, I believe because I have made complaints about this officer before they are being completely biased. My ex who I am certain is a sociopath has wrapped this worker around his little finger and I am terrified of having to hand over my DD to this monster. Every time I have complained to CAFCASS they do a little investigation and take it no further - just suggest I go to my MP if I'm not happy. has anyone successfully taken it further?

Just a quick google of cafcass complaints brings up shocking anecdotes from people in similar positions where mothers are completely ignored and they affect of domestic violence not taken into account. how can they get away with this?? CAFCASS are not protecting children they are putting them through abuse!
I actually feel I'm on the verge of a breakdown over this. where is support for mothers ? who will believe me?

I've been through the same thing and am going to start a new post so that anyone new or with answers can pick it up......!

Cafcass is a shockingly incompetent organisation all the way through. I wish I could explain the extreme prejudice and dishonestly to you, but I am completely up against it with them and can't write in detail. My children and I have experienced domestic abuse too, however this isn't considered significant by them and it's their interpretation which is what the court relies on and this is my point, it's THEIR INTERPRETATION which has resulted in the support of false allegations against me which were raised by the unstable perpetrator of abuse and it has gathered pace to the point where they have made moves to contest where my children live. Their residence was never an issue as he wanted the children to stay with me because he is an unfit parent. Yet cafcass decided that they will pursue me for alienation and do not even submit reports that THEY have requested from the schools showing that they children are happy and progressing well. The reason they don't do this is because it conflicts with their viewpoint. They will use every opportunity to follow their perspective only, ignoring anything positive about the non abusive parent. The judge just goes along with it because everyone quotes cafcass as having the professional opinion.
It is beyond repulsive, I have acted in person in court, whilst he has the money to be represented. However he doesn't need representation any longer because Cafcass have taken on this task and he can now just sit back and watch.
All I can say is:
I. DO make your complaint, it won't be dealt with fairly but it's the only gateway to the next level of complaint with the ombudsmen who are independent. I am waiting for this currently but can't act due to delays with the general election which prevents the MP being able to sign off the referral to the ombudsmen.
ii. send a fitness to practice complaint to the regulatory body for social workers. It's now with Social work england. I don't know how effective this is as they are only just taking this process on, previously Hcpc.
iii. get representation in court. At the level I'm at, it's impossible to be heard, I managed up until cafcass submitted their latest report and only let me see it minutes before going into court, but now their false allegations have escalated so much, I will now probably have to go into debt to get a barrister.
If your complaints have got nowhere prior to the final hearing, or even if they have, you WILL need to get cafcass cross examined by a barrister and hope that their failings come to light.
This is all I can advise. I have never been through so much intense prolonged stress, yet if I declare that, it will add to their allegations about my parenting capacity, despite holding down a job, full custody of 3 children, one of whom has a disability and yet are all thriving now that we have been freed from the abuser. Whereas HE is a drinker, history of instability and abuser at all levels can claim victim status and gets it.
It's utterly corrupt and the failings are catastrophic.
I never normally post on forums, but I hope that my advice may help someone.
Take care.

Wow! It’s not just me then. I realise this is a very old thread. I realise I am just a dad, but maybe we should all look at ourselves as parents, not mums or dads?

Sad to report that I have had a similar experience, albeit from a rather different perspective. I won’t/can’t go into any details for fear of being in contempt of Court. It doesn’t seem like much has changed.

In respect of complaining, it seems from other research I have done that CAFCASS has it all tied-up. If the Family Court is involved, it seems like you can only complain about them to the judge. But obviously, this strategy is highly likely to piss off and make you seem to be the one with a problem to the judge, not the CAFCASS officer. In my own example, it doesn’t help if the CAFCASS officer tells one of the children they will definitely get an answer immediately after the scheduled Court dates. I think you learn pretty early on with children that you don’t make them promises that you cannot guarantee keeping. If nothing else, the judge may reserve judgement, so an outcome at the end of a scheduled Court hearing is not guaranteed.

The result of that in my case: what with tech issues, our hearing was rushed through to ensure said child got his answer when he’d been promised, so not much chance to fully explore with the judge...the CAFCASS officer’s behaviour. Now that, to me, seems like barn-door manipulation. That, to me, seems like CAFCASS are ‘untouchables’, so good luck to anyone who dares to complain!
My personal theory is that George Orwell and Joseph Heller put their heads together to decide how children’s social services and CAFCASS should operate!

I feel for you. My daughter is going through a residency case and cafcass have behaved disgracefully. Short version, my daughter was a young mum living with her abusive partner in his parent's home. The paternal grandmother (PG) was overbearing and overly involved from the get go. When my daughter ended the relationship the PG asked her if she'd let her son continue living with her (PG) after she got her own place. When told no, she started crying. So she tricked my daughter into having "a break" with a friend and rang social, told them a pack of lies and refused to give my grandson back to his mother, insisting on supervised access at her house. They would not let my family anywhere near my grandson, even refusing to allow my disabled father to have a short chat with my grandson at a funfair. When the case went to court they agreed, with huge reluctance, to allow my daughter 40% access. For the last 3 years the grandmother has bullied, manipulated and gaslighted my daughter. The case has now gone back to court, after the father got his own place, couldn't cope with looking after his son and ran away to Wales. The PG is applying for custody and we have just had the section 7. It's biased beyond belief in favour of the PG and demonizes my daughter, my family and her ex partner. Even the judge believed the report to be flawed. I fully intend to formally complain. This woman is guilty of misconduct and should not hold a position of such responsibility.

Hi, I'm knew to this thread albeit years later. Has anyone had any updates? I'm currently going through this myself and could do with a friend to talk to

Cafcass are so biased towards men,I had my kids with me for 5 years and doing very well at school, there mum has paid nothing towards maintenance,or anything else.
After she travelling around the country a few times she found an abedeiant man who would not question her, married him in lockdown and had an illegal party with my kids.
She then went back to court with cafcass on her side with complete lyes,being this completely change women who had counseling,even spoke posh.
One of the questions cafcass put to the kids was.who do you want in your castle,of course they said them and there mum(princesse lives in a castle)
If they had said who do you want in your boat, they would of said me…….
Cafcass are so corrupt, there mum is now is going to reck there lives for a second time.
I had a trainee cafcass under supervision,she didn’t even ask how well the kids were doing at the school ,which would of been top of the class.
It’s a tick box scenario,
I now have to watch my kids go down hill,before I can get social services involved again,but by the the damage will be done😢😢
From a broken Dad

WOW, it's awful reading all these stories. I thought I was on my own after dealing with CAFCASS!!

The woman who dealt with us, I sent a picture of my ex with a bad of cocaine next to his face posing and she said ' oh well as long as he makes a promise to the court he doesnt do it it's ok' .... are you for real!!!

My child was getting upset at the new arrangements and I asked for him to be spoke to and when she finally bothered, she said his reasons were not valid!!

The parent plan is a waste of time it was not even discussed.

I feel some of these people do not even have children.

How is my child's future dictated by a person he has met twice for 2 hours ( if that)!!

I think it's very hit and miss depending on who you get. I've been to court about 14 times. I found cafcass pretty poor.
Saying that in the last round of hearings my children had a cafcass 16.4 guardian. This is different from a normal caffcas officer. The guardians are reserved for the more complex cases. They also have a different role, they are move involved. On this occasion she was fanominal. I honestly could not prase her enough.
Social services, well that's a different story!
What I would say is you need to have firm evidence of abuse. Cafcass will always support contact with the none resident parent as long as it's safe. So if the father takes drugs, or drinks then it's not necessary deemed as an issue as long as it's not done with the children involved. Also the other thing to think about is its not seen as binary ( one parent is good and the other is bad) both your parenting will be looked at and there can be areas that are deemed that you both need to improve on.
Regarding complaining. How many times have you complained ? About what ? And to whom?

How many similar stories I read. I am in the boat with those whose mother’s instinct, love and true care for their children were dismissed. The reports from Cafcass was so badly biased that I would need to oppose every single bullet point. The father of the children, who put us all in so much trouble and pain is amazing from Cafcass perspectives. How it’s possible to ignore/dismiss everything the mother says? Completely! And take on board everything what the father says!!! The mother normally is the only person who truly cares about her children. It is called instinct. And she is not capable to represent her children needs from Cafcass view.
I won’t be able to battle anymore after almost 9 months of trying to prove what he has done to us. He will win unfortunately and , yes, this system needs more understanding and respect to the mothers. Every mother wants the best for her child but fathers instead of looking after their children, helping them, they play games, showing perfect facades just to prove themselves , their new loves, their families and of course the court how good they are.
so sad.

@Suffererfromkafcas I completely understand where you're coming from. In 2019 I went through the exact same thing, and the stress it caused was unbearable. My child was visited in school by carcass, and asked about the father etc, the report the case worker made was completely false. I had a member of the team from school, in with him during this interaction. I spoke with my solicitor about this being incorrect, and the courts dismissed it. They work alongside cafcass so they get away with a LOT. My child went to stay with his dad, as requested by the courts, I had to go along with it, as had no choice due to a court order. But as I suspected things fell apart. My child refused to go, didn't spend any time with dad, just dad's other children. Was told to lie to me about multiple things. And fast forward to now, it's almost been 3 years again since Dad has been around. I contacted cafcass to make them aware the court order was broken on multiple occasions and where do we go from here? I was told they were no longer involved and to go back to court. Thousands of pounds, was spent to get my child the relationship he deserved, and ultimately dad couldn't be bothered.
Mother's instinct is everything, I told my solicitor and the court, the moment they weren't in the picture that things would go this way again, as they did years before. But no one listened to me, and all it did was upset my child, 3 years on and my child is thriving.
As hard as it is, don't give up, keep advocating for your child and if you can afford a solicitor I highly recommend someone to represent you. It takes a lot of stress out of the situation.