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Cafcass publishes its year two strategic plan priorities

Published:

Cafcass is now in the second year of its strategic plan and has published its delivery priorities for this year.

Our strategic plan 2019-23 sets out our vision and values, and how our strategic objectives will help us work towards this vision and meet the needs of children and families, through our work to improve our Practice; support our People; and work collaboratively with our Partners.

The nine strategic delivery priorities implement the Cafcass strategic plan providing a more detailed view of the work Cafcass is currently prioritising to develop and improve its service.

Our work this year focuses on the following key themes:

  • Connected and inclusive relationships in our work with children and families, and in all our wider work including through our new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy and enhancements to the way we encourage and learn from feedback.
  • Renewal through Covid-19 so that we restore workloads and productivity to at least pre-pandemic levels and take the opportunity to rebuild services drawing our learning from new ways of working.
  • Improving outcomes for children by reviewing our practice model and working with our partners to deliver reforms and better evidence the difference they make.
  • Developing and sustaining our workforce and building a working environment that takes forward positive ways of working developed through the pandemic and supports wellbeing.

To support these key themes, we have identified four priority areas of work which will together set us on the path to the transformed service we want to see for children and families. These four priority areas are:

  • The launch of Cafcass’ Together with children and families practice framework.
  • Updating Cafcass’ operating model for private law so that it is more child focused.
  • The launch of our workforce matters project which will ensure we attract and retain brilliant people at Cafcass
  • Developing a new digital strategy which will improve the way we work with children and families, with our partners and with our staff.

These priority projects complement and connect the other projects already set out in our delivery priorities which are being taken forward in year two.

Cafcass’ Director of Strategy, Teresa Williams said:

“The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in our social work practitioners working with around 20% more children and families now, than we were in March 2020.  Our strategic delivery priorities remain relevant and the need to progress them is essential to our continued recovery and renewal.

“I would like to pay tribute to the commitment and hard work of Cafcass staff across all part of our service who have worked tirelessly on our change programme alongside a very challenging day job. Thanks are also due to our partners, and especially the Family Justice Young People’s Board, who have provided challenge, support and creativity to help us make progress.”