Hurt, confused and frustrated dad!
I was in court yesterday and I hardly got a look in before the legal clerk told me cafcass had issued a section 7 report and requested no contact between me and my daughter for 12 weeks while the report is made. The report is on the back of the telephone conversation Cafcass do with myself and my daughters mother prior to court. The problem is my ex has added lots of accusations of domestic violence, I'm a drunk and go out all the time and I've had 5 girlfriends in 18months, oh and my daughters seen me having [censored]!! ... all complete lies!!!!!!!
I feel like cafcass is a joke and had they spent a day with me, my daughter and family they would realize my daughter is in the best care she could be on my weekends!
Please can anyone give advise. The reason I went back to court because my ex was taking the Micheal with the existing contact order booking holidays that would result in periods of 4 weeks where I would not see my daughter or have any contact what so ever! Now I'm left waiting 12 weeks and technically more!!!
Alright mate, I'm in the same boat.
I actually applied for a contact order due to her being unreasonable, and when we went to court the clerk issued a section 7.
You have to realise that CAFCASS don;'t care about your feelings in all of this just the childs, I haven't seen my son since last October due to the witch's allegations of DV and drug use and alcoholism. I had to get hairstrand tests done and liver function tests done which have all come back fine.
I had my section 7 interview over the phone ( she actually went in and spent the day with them ) and they were very un helpful! I know it seems un fair but we have to pray the judge see's what she is doing and quashed the DV allegations.
I'm in court next Thursday so I will let you know how I get on, but when you speak with Cafcass just reiterate you will only do what is in the best interests of your children.
just remember... cafcass are overworked and overstretched.
The cafcass officer as they only have the interests of the children at heart are potentially your best friend.
send the case officer a letter... briefly bullet point the position your CHILDREN face with no contact and offer to meet the officer face to face. If refused continue your offer and give dates available.
good luck
Cafcass being overworked and overstreched should have no bearing on us at all, but unfortunatly it does, recieving poor service and communication.
Ultimately they are there to protect the child which can only be a good thing, but in my experience the lady I'm dealing with has a terrible grasp of English and grammer, which makes it hard to get my issues and feelings across.
Cafcass being overworked and overstreched should have no bearing on us at all, but unfortunatly it does, recieving poor service and communication.
Ultimately they are there to protect the child which can only be a good thing, but in my experience the lady I'm dealing with has a terrible grasp of English and grammer, which makes it hard to get my issues and feelings across.
Ditto, mine the same. I agree with you wholeheartedly here.
CAFCASS has also been found unfit for purpose by OFSTED and have been In the process of a few internal changes....all pretty ineffectual in my opinion.
It seems to me once they've made an evaluation they are not prepared to back track or admit they were wrong and take any complaint of their system and their reports personally....CAFCASS are social workers and they are trained within a framework that is old and no longer in keeping with the current family dynamic, in my opinion.
You can complain about anything that you feel is untrue, ask to speak to the manager in charge of the person who,wrote the report or you can complain thought the CAFCASS website.
In respect of my situation and being nice to cafcass etc, I will for sure be pointing our the inaccuracies in the report. I just cannot believe they do not investigate more thoroughly before making such reports to the court. I feel like I'm guilty until proven innocent when I could cast many shadows over the report and claims she made so easily, I just need them to take the time with me. Surely when it involves relationships and how critical they are in parenting 12 weeks is a joke to report!
Perfect way to descibe it Guilty until YOU can prove your own innocence. ;;)
I spoke to the cafcass officer last night, and even when I told her she had mis-interpreted the facts from her source of whom I had spoken to to clarify the details she stated I would have to wait for the section 7 report to be completed now and hardly gave me the time of day!
Has anyone made a complaint about cafcass as I'm extremely tempted!! If so how did you go about it and any luck?
I would contact the office and ask to speak to the manager, if that gets you nowhere then the next step would be to put in a complaint. This can be done from the CAFCASS website.
Apparently it is possible to cross examine the CAFCASS officer that made the report, in court .
I had the same, went to court as my wife refused overnight access and CAFCASS got involved and said no contact. I argued with them and she changed recommendation to 2hrs every 2 weeks. The Judge then said CAFCASS reports take a long time and he expects us to resolve this without the reports. So he says to my wife CAFCASS recommend 2hrs every 2 weeks and you mentioned that you want to promote access, so would you like to provide anymore access. She spoke to her solicitors and said NO. That's it, 2hrs every 2 weeks. Now the contact centre is closed till 7th Sept, so I don't get to see my 5 year old till then. It's [censored]. I wrote to my MP, who has written to CAFCASS on my behalf, yet to hear anything. Also asked him to write to the Judge. It's all biased to the woman. My wife has 3 kids from a previous marriage that don't see their father, I mentioned this to CAFCASS they said we don't know that, I said well I'm telling you, but your wife says differently so we don't believe you. She also said she doesn't drink, half the reason I left her because she was an uncontrollable drunk. Didn't believe me. I had personal references one was from a JP, the CAFCASS woman didn't even want to look at it.
They are the worst
Its incredible how accusations against the NRP are taken so seriously yet those against the RP are brushed off. What kind of a system is that!