Ofsted praises Cafcass for continuing improvements
despite record demand
An Ofsted inspection report has praised Cafcass for the
quality of its service to children in South Yorkshire and
Humberside despite record demand.
Ofsted praised the team for its "effective advocacy for children
and young people", and the strength of its risk assessments and
recommendations to court which are "effective in ensuring that
children are safeguarded". Inspectors reported that, "Family court
advisers commence work on new cases immediately and efficiently,"
that backlogs had been eradicated and that direct work with
children and families was "well-planned and sensitive."
The report is one of a series of recent positive Ofsted
inspection results including those in Tyneside, Derbyshire and
Nottinghamshire, and Cheshire and Merseyside and coincides with the
latest care application statistics which show that demand for our
services remains at record levels. Cafcass received 885 care
applications in August, the second highest figure ever recorded in
a single month in our ten year history, and just shy of the record
figure of 894 applications recorded in March. The number of care
applications Cafcass has received each calendar month this year has
been the highest ever recorded for that month, bar April.
Anthony Douglas, Chief Executive said, "This report, and the
others which we have recently received demonstrate the ways in
which we have not only been able to provide a more timely service
to many more children, but that we have also simultaneously
improved our service despite the pressures. It is further evidence
of our ability to improve and of the way in which our work is
positively impacting on children. It has led to a better, more
responsive and child-focused service."
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