- This topic has 5 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 2 years, 5 months ago by
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Please, if anyone is involved with Cafcass, record everything. Take a witness to any meeting, record phone conversations, and NEVER allow a child to be alone with a Cafcass officer. Cafcass officers prefer to be alone with a child or protective parent and they won’t tell you that at this point you can have a witness. I found out the hard way.
You can always say that you are recording the call for training purposes.
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Cafcass will not tell you that you’re allowed to be accompanied. A good Family Court officer will allow you to bring support, and a bad one may dissuade you. Otherwise, you or your child may well be seen alone. Given that you really don’t know what they’ll write about you, and there’s been so much said about the way the Family Courts treat abused women and children, it is simply not safe just to trust that they’ll believe you. The Cafcass officer is the voice of the Family Courts. It is the person the judge will listen to and make their judgements by.
The Cafcass officer may well behave very differently when under observation. It’s not worth the risk of being alone with them or allowing any child to be alone with them.
The Family Courts are in the news quite a lot these days, and having a witness to support these preliminary meetings is something we can do, and it may change the outcome.
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I second this caution.
When Cafcass officer visited here they hadn’t even read my DD’s file and didn’t even know which school she went to.
They also took my ex husband’s word for everything.
I ended up responding to their report having to go through it with a fine tooth comb and correct inaccuracies and make a complaint. It wasn’t easy.
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Gosh, this sends chills down me. I’ve got a Cafcass investigator coming to see me imminently. I filed a C1A with my court bundle before my hearing several months ago. Also my child started saying things about dad to school, so they called SS. I am terrified of not us being believed. My ex can charm and put on a successful front. He’s a successful man and has the confidence and stature to do so because of where he works and what he does.
Can my mum be present when the officer attends, or does it have to be someone else? -
I’ve just read this. Just my opinion but if you feel your mum is supportive of you and your child going forward into the future then I should think so, and Cafcass would read this as a good sign as it signals extended family support.
Yes, it is not a nice process and personally I feel the process is biased.
However, try to be proud that you are doing the best to move forward into the future.
Check the documents. Ask questions. Good luck
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