Welcome to the DAD.Info forum: We are not open to new posts at this time
Our forum aims to provide support and guidance where it can, however we may not always have the answer. The forum is not moderated 24 hours a day, so If you – or someone you know – are being harmed or in immediate danger of being harmed, call the police on 999.
Alternatively, if you are in crisis, please call Samaritans on 116 123.
If you are worried about you or someone you know is at risk of harm, please click here: How we can help
Just wanted to say thanks for anyone who has given me advice on here over last few months. Here is what happened after I got back to court after re-applying to make changes to my existing contact order (known as "Varying the court order") ...In hind sight after what I've been through in the last few months I should have just applied to enforce the order!
I have since been through the section 7 report process after bulls**t allegations my ex was making on me which resulted in the initial cafcass report to court in July recommending that I do not have any contact with my daughter for the duration of the S7 report!! I luckily requested a contesting hearing to review this report and had contact started again, although I couldn't get my weekends back I did get to see my daughter on Saturdays until the next court hearing. The crazy thing is both the court magistrates and the cafcass officer who did the section 7 report did not understand why contact had been stopped in from the 1st Cafcass report (something I will make a complaint about yet).
How long did it take for Cafcass to do the report?
From July 27th 2013 to Oct 10th (11 weeks) ...and what did they do... an hours interview on the 11th week with each parent and background checks that had already been made in the initial cafcass report in July. The Cafcass officer was very good in the end and I truly believe she could see the situation for what it was...bitter ex, using our child etc.
Note: I did ask why it had taken so long and why it was not investigated more thoroughly i.e: home visit to me etc.. she said they were very busy and they know when a case needs more "attention" than one like mine. Understandable that cafcass are over stretched and need more resources/people.
The report:
The end report was put together very well in my case and high-lighted from an independent source the truth and made me feel like I could start to sleep at night again! It felt a bit like having the ammunition I needed in court without having to argue "he said" she said".
In Court with said S7 report:
The Ex still argued the case and even accused the cafcass officer of lying! Still the magistrates got frustrated with her bulls**t in court and at one point said "do you actually want your child to she her father" ... I think at one point i even said "see what I have to deal with" Still... to put an end to a long story I got what I went to court for and put right what should have been in the original order from the start. My ex was not happy and I still feel this won't be the end of it with her but, eventually I hope she'll grow up!
Happy to help anyone else whose going through this process and answer any Q.
James
Good stuff,
I think we need to produce a case series of poor examples of CAFCASS demonstrating distinct bias to women and request an overhaul of the system.
Good result - though I think you are wildly optimistic about your ex growing up.
Boycie, I think the biggest problem with cafcass is they simply don't have the manpower necessary to deal with all of the cases , not even close, so it's down to government finances, and I think it's unlikely that the government will ever see this as a priority.
I think so too... she'll be out on her broom stick tonight!!
The initial Cafcass report in July I felt was extremely bias! If you read it without knowing me you'd think I was a criminal going out fighting and getting drunk all the time... I'm not exaggerating either!! It may as well have been written by my ex!
Happy to contribute if it can help someone else!
- Samaritans – call 116 123
- Shout – text the word ‘Shout’ to 85258
