Cafcass consults on a new framework to safeguard children
4 May 2006
Consultation begins today on a new
Cafcass framework to safeguard and promote the welfare of
children.
The consultation period will run until 7
August, with the new framework coming into effect in autumn 2006.
The safeguarding framework will apply to all Cafcass staff
(including self-employed children’s guardians) working with
children.
It covers:
- Cafcass’ role as an agency responsible for
safeguarding children and promoting their welfare;
- working with children and families – child
protection and risk assessment;
- working together with other agencies;
and
- safeguarding our staff.
Launching the consultation, Anthony Douglas,
Chief Executive, said:
“This framework renews our commitment to put
children’s safety at the centre of all our work. For us,
safeguarding encompasses a wide range of issues facing children,
including safety from abuse and safeguarding of their family
attachments. We work with children at a time of distress and
uncertainty in their lives and we need to ensure that they are
secure and safe. A national framework will enable us to be
confident that our own systems and our work with other safeguarding
agencies are robust and comprehensive”.
New elements in the framework include a
rigorous and consistent approach to risk assessment and safety
planning when a case is first referred to Cafcass. In private law
cases, where parents cannot resolve their differences out of court,
information on important adults in the child’s life will be
gathered from the police and other agencies working with the family
so any risk to the child can be properly assessed. These
might include criminal records, domestic violence incidents, child
protection or children in need concerns.
Where there are concerns, Cafcass will advise
the court on the need to implement a more detailed risk and safety
assessment before decisions can be made safely. In public law
(care) cases, local authorities will usually have already requested
this information so Cafcass will only do it if it has not yet been
done or it is out-of-date (more than 6 months old).
CAFCASS consults on a new framework to
safeguard children/2
In private law cases, where there is a concern
that if the recommendation of the Child & Family Reporter is
not followed a child could be at risk of suffering significant
harm, a request will be made to the court to consider the
practitioner’s views in person before reaching any decision which
is counter to the Cafcass recommendation. This will also apply
where the parents may come to an agreement and it is believed that
the agreement could put the child at risk. If concerns remain after
the end of the court process, about contact arrangements posing a
risk, for example, the Cafcass practitioner will make a child
protection referral to the local authority.
This new framework complements Cafcass’
Domestic Violence toolkit, which was implemented in October
2004.
The framework brings together the
implementation of the guidance contained in the Government’s
Every Child Matters strategy; the Children Act
2004; Working Together to Safeguard Children and
the guidance on Information Sharing (April 2006), into one
comprehensive resource for Cafcass.