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Accessibility statement for Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass)

This accessibility statement applies to content published on the www.cafcass.gov.uk domain. It does not apply to websites run by our partners or associated organisations. 

Cafcass is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018. 

Please contact us if you would like to provide feedback or require information from our website in a different format. 

In your message, include: 

  • the web address (URL) of the content 
  • your email address and name 
  • the format you need - for example, plain text, braille, BSL, large print. PDF or audio CD 

How you should be able to use this website 

We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. This means you should be able to:

  • change colours, contrast levels and fonts using browser or device settings
  • zoom in up to 400% without the text spilling off the screen
  • navigate most of the website using a keyboard or speech recognition software
  • listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver)

We also make the website text as simple as possible to understand.

AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

How accessible this website is

We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible. For example: 

  • Some website content is not set up in a way that assistive technologies such as screen readers can properly understand. Examples include content items such as headings, bullet-point lists and grouped information.
  • Some website headings, labels and links are not clear or descriptive.
  • The visible text on some website buttons and links may not match how they are described to assistive technologies.
  • When using a keyboard or screen reader, the order you move through the webpage may not always be logical, and focus may not always be clearly visible.
  • Some images and other content on the website are not described in a way that works well for screen reader users.
  • Some decorative items are not hidden from assistive technologies, as they should be.
  • The search autocomplete feature on the website may be difficult to use with assistive technologies. 
  • Some elements of the website may be announced by assistive screen reader technologies as expandable when they are not.
  • Some of the labels on our website forms are visible, but are not properly linked and highlighted for screen readers. In addition, it’s not always clearly marked when part of a website form is required or optional.
  • The ‘show search’ button on the website may not clearly tell screen reader users that it opens additional content.
  • Some links on the website do not clearly explain where they go to.
  • Some website forms are not structured clearly, which can make them harder to understand.
  • Videos do not always have text alternatives or audio descriptions added to them.
  • Some PDF documents may not be fully accessible.
  • Some website text and interface elements do not have enough colour contrast, which can make them harder to read.
  • Some website content may be difficult to use or read when you zoom in. 

There may be other accessibility issues present that we have not identified yet. We are working to document and resolve issues within our control and will publish updates as improvements are made.

Compliance status 

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard due to the non-compliances listed below. (Note: WCAG is short for ‘Web Content Accessibility Guidelines’). 

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons. 

Website content and services

  • Some information, headings and page structures are not always correctly identified for screen reader users. This means screen readers may not communicate content in the correct way. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships).
  • Some buttons, links and form fields may not have labels that match the visible text shown on screen. This can make them harder to use with voice control software and screen readers. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.5.3 (Label in Name).
  • The order in which users move through a page using a keyboard is not always logical. This may make website navigation confusing for people who do not use a mouse. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.3 (Focus Order).
  • Some images, icons and other visual content do not have suitable text descriptions. This means screen reader users may miss information that is available visually. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 (Non-text Content).
  • Some decorative images and visual elements on the website may be announced unnecessarily by screen readers, making pages harder to navigate. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 (Non-text Content).
  • Some search and autocomplete features are not correctly coded for assistive technologies. This may prevent screen readers from accurately communicating available data entry options or page change options to website users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships), 2.5.3 (Label in Name), 3.2.2 (On Input), and 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value).
  • Some accessibility code used to support screen readers and other assistive technologies has not been implemented correctly. This may affect how content and controls are being announced to users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value).
  • Some website buttons do not clearly communicate their current status, such as whether they are expanded or collapsed. This may make them difficult for screen reader users to understand. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value).
  • Some linked content cards do not clearly explain their purpose or destination when read by screen readers. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.1.1 (Non-text Content) and 2.4.4 (Link Purpose).
  • Some groups of website form fields are not structured correctly, which may make forms harder for assistive technology users to understand and complete. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) and 2.4.6 (Headings and Labels).
  • Some audio and video content does not provide a text alternative that explains the information being presented. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.2.3 (Audio Description or Media Alternative (Pre-recorded).
  • Required website form fields are not always clearly identified. This may make it difficult for users to know what information they need to provide. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 3.3.2 (Labels or Instructions).
  • Some website links do not clearly explain their destination when read out of context by screen readers. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.4 (Link Purpose (In Context).
  • Some website form fields have visible labels that are not correctly linked to the field in the page’s HTML code. This may prevent assistive technologies from correctly identifying the purpose of the form field to website users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships), 2.5.3 (Label in Name), and 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value).
  • Some website headings and labels are not descriptive enough to help users understand and navigate content. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.6 (Headings and Labels).
  • Some website text does not have enough contrast against its background, making it difficult for some users to read. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.3 (Contrast (Minimum).
  • Some website interface elements, such as icons, buttons and form controls, do not have sufficient contrast, making them harder to see and use for users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.11 (Non-text Contrast).
  • Some website interactive elements do not have a visible keyboard focus indicator. This means keyboard users may not be able to tell which item is currently selected. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.7 (Focus Visible).
  • Some website content does not adapt correctly when pages are enlarged or viewed on smaller screens. This can result in information or functionality being lost. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.10 (Reflow).
  • Some videos do not include audio descriptions of important visual information. This means blind and partially sighted users may miss information that is only shown visually. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.2.5 (Audio Description - Pre-recorded).

PDF documents

Some PDF documents published on our website are not fully accessible. For example:

  • Some PDFs do not have meaningful document titles. This can make it difficult for assistive technology users to identify the document they have opened. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.2 (Page Titled).
  • PDF headings and document structures are not always correctly tagged. This may make documents harder to navigate using screen readers. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships).
  • Some website images and graphics do not have suitable text descriptions. This means important information may not be available to screen reader users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.1.1 (Non-text Content) and 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships).
  • Some content within PDFs has been structured as a data table when it is not information that should be presented within a table. This can make documents difficult to understand and navigate when users are browsing them using assistive technologies. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships).
  • Some PDFs are not structured correctly for assistive technologies. As a result, content may not be presented or interpreted by website users as intended. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) and 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value).
  • Some PDF content containing important information has not been tagged correctly. This means screen reader users may not be able to access all of the information within a document. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships).
  • Some PDF charts, graphs and other visual content do not provide accessible text alternatives. This means users who cannot see the visual content may not be able to access the information it contains. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.1.1 (Non-text Content) and 1.4.5 (Images of Text).

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 2 June 2026. 

This website was last tested on 26 May 2026 against the WCAG 2.2 AA standard.  

The test was carried out by The Digital Accessibility Centre on a selected sample of our frequently visited website pages. If you would like to request access to this list of tested webpages, you can do so by contacting us.

Reporting accessibility issues with this website

We are always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we are not meeting accessibility requirements, please contact us. 

Enforcement procedure

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). 

If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).