Hi,
I've just been awarded joint residency with myself as PWC following a near 6 month battle. Basically, my ex-wife had set me up with an increadibly devious masterplan which involved her, having worked away for 18 months setting up home with a new man whilst coming back to me at weekends. They had even gone so far as to arranging a purchase of a new home, new schools etc - this was over 100 miles away from our
FMH. Basically, she had me arrested for "assault", took the children away, had them in a new school a day later, cleaned out our bank accounts etc, while I was stuck in a police cell!
In a nutshell, the children didn't want to live with her (2 girls 9 & 6), but to stay with me and continue at the same school etc. The courts made her return the children and we continued a shared residency where they could be with me during the week and for her to have them at weekends. I have to say that CAFCASS were excellent towards me and my family but at the end of the day it was really down to the children being adamant that they wanted to be with me - as far as parenting goes I did most of it anyway and the workload as a single parent isn't a lot different to what I was already doing.
Anyway, got this sorted out earlier this week in court, the ex not happy and hasn't paid me any maintenance, contributions to mortgage or school fees etc since August but that's a whole new fight. She was given access every other weekend plus 50% of school holidays plus I agreed to let her have one day of one of my weekends as well to get her to drop the fight.
So, in conclusion CAFCASS will try and support whatever is best for the children - it does help if you have strong family support as well. So men can "win", I may be an exception (but then again so is my ex-wife!).
Hope it works out for you.