My family can't agree what's best for me
Sometimes families can find it hard
to agree on what is best for their children, especially when
parents split up or live apart. They may not be able to agree on
who you live with or the people you see. To help make things
better, they may ask a family court to try to help. A family
court is very different to a criminal court where people go when
they might have done something wrong.
Sometimes the judge may ask a
Cafcass worker to meet with children to talk about their feelings
are and to make sure the family court hears what they have to
say.
But Cafcass workers don’t meet all
children because sometimes families can agree themselves on
what is best for their children.
Read on to find out more...
What do Cafcass workers
do?
Cafcass workers help to make sure that children are kept
safe. They also provide information to the court to help it make
the best decision about children.
Sometimes the court might ask a
Cafcass worker to talk to children about their wishes and feelings.
But Cafcass workers do not meet all children because sometimes
families can agree themselves what is best for children.
If you meet a Cafcass
worker they will:
listen carefully to what you think
and how you feel about everything.
- tell the judge what your
needs, wishes and feelings are and what they think will be best for
you.
They may also:
- talk to other people like
your parents, family and teachers and try to help your family reach
an agreement which is best for you.
- write a report to explain
what you, and the people who care about you, have said. It will
include everything about you – your needs, wishes and
feelings, who you live with and who else you see, and what they
think is best for you. The report will be sent to the family court
so that the judge can read it before making a decision about what
is best for you.
What will the Cafcass Worker ask
me?
The Cafcass Worker will talk about
your family and listen to you about how you feel and what is
important to you. But they will not ask you to decide what happens
next or to make a decision about your family.
Is what
I tell the Cafcass worker private?
Anything you talk about with the
Cafcass worker can go into the report and your family will see it
as well. If you are worried about this, make sure you
tell your Cafcass worker so they can help.
Do I have to go to the
family court?
No. Children and young people do not
usually go to court because it is the job of the Cafcass worker to
tell the court about what you think and how you feel, nd what they
think is best for you. But if you do want to go to court yourself,
or write a letter to the judge, please tell the Cafcass worker.
What will happen in court?
The judge will listen carefully to
what everyone has to say and will read the Cafcass worker's
report. They will try to help everyone reach an agreement which is
best for you. If this still isn’t possible, the judge will
decide what they think is best for you.
Will
the court do what I want?
The court has to do what it thinks
is best for you, which may not be the same as what you want.
However, the court will read the Cafcass worker's report, including
your wishes and feelings before it makes a decision about
what is best for you. Your family will usually tell you what the
judge has decided.