CAFCASS & THE FAMILY COURTS

The Family courts & Cafcass

Public confidence in the just operation of the Family Courts has evaporated following the four year campaign by Fathers 4 Justice exposing injustice in the handling of private law cases ­ parents fighting each other. Increasingly the press has taken up the challenge and widened the debate to include public law cases parents fighting the social services ­ which include children taken away from their parents, and forced adoption.

All courts of law must base their judgments on the available evidence yet increasingly supposition, conjecture, and anecdotal evidence are masquerading as hard fact. At the heart of the matter lie two wicked deceits, that the courts are acting in the "child's best interests" and that open courts will "damage" children.

Are courts acting in the child's best interests?
Neither the courts nor the government have kept any records on the outcomes for the hundreds of thousands of children whose futures have been determined by court judgments. They do not even monitor whether ordered contact is taking place. Orders are made in ignorance in a knowledge vacuum and are a muddle of supposition, bigotry and habit in which every child effectively becomes the subject of an experiment.
 

There is thus no evidence or longitudinal research to prove that positive outcomes have resulted. In fact the evidence suggests the opposite: there appears to be a direct correlation between the explosion in young offending and the epidemic of fatherlessness. Further, the adversarial nature of the courts engenders maximum parental conflict which is emotionally destructive to children and economically devastating for families, forcing many onto benefits. Again, there is a woeful lack of research to demonstrate how protracted family court proceedings impact on children.
 

Will open courts damage children?
There is not a shred of empirical evidence to support this claim. Instead it is based on supposition and speculation. Are we to believe that children in other jurisdictions, where open justice operates, are being "damaged" (In Florida, for example, where a transparent, accountable and open justice system operates)? Closed courts were introduced in the 60's not to protect children's interests but to protect adults' privacy.

10th April 2010

Cafcass Cheshire and Merseyside service area provides services to children and families in Cheshire, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, Warrington and Wirral.

Cafcass Cheshire and Merseyside service area (PDF)

summary : INADEQUATE

 

summary : INADEQUATE

 

 

22 May 2008

Cafcass South East. An inspection of service provision by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) to children and families in the South-East.

Cafcass South-East.pdf

 

summary : INADEQUATE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Fathers 4 Justice © 2010