Parents and carers

Here you can find information on the three main areas that we work with families in the family justice system. These include:

  • Parenting and child arrangements after divorce or separation;
  • Care proceedings;
  • Adoption proceedings.

Our focus is always on the welfare and safety of children and young people going through the family justice system and advising the court on the best interests of children and young people.

Adoption

There are two types of adoption where Cafcass may be involved.   Non-agency adoption The court may ask Cafcass to become involved in cases where […]

Improving Child and Family Arrangements

Improving Child and Family Arrangements (ICFA) is the service designed by Cafcass to help families agree safe, beneficial, and sustainable spending time with arrangements when […]

Cafcass DNA testing service

In some family court proceedings there is a disagreement about who is a child’s parent. If this disagreement means a current application for a child arrangements […]

Care proceedings

When will a local authority make an application to take children into care?   The types of concerns that may trigger a local authority to […]

Child Contact Interventions

Child Contact Interventions (CCIs) are short-term interventions of supervised contact. They are designed to help adults and children establish safe and beneficial contact when this […]

Divorce and separation

Parenting together If you’re splitting up, divorcing, or you’ve been separated for a while, you might find that sorting out the practicalities can feel overwhelming, […]

Domestic abuse

Our primary role, in every case we’re involved with, is to safeguard the child and ensure that their best interests are represented within the court […]

Surrogacy

When a child is born through surrogacy, the intended parents will need to apply to the court for a parental order. This transfers legal parenthood […]

Resources for parents and carers

On this page you will find information, resources and links to organisations that could help with a range of different topics. Click the titles to see […]

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