Cafcass Complaint

I am about to launch a complaint to CAFCASS regarding one of their officers. Can I bring this up in court?(i have a Directions hearing on monday)

I really dont like the idea of the cafcass officer being there when I have no faith in his abilities, and in my opinion is to blame for the zero contact I have had since september.

Can I bring this to the judges attention?

The best person to spk to you about this would be tom333. Send him a PM.

Am no expert but wanted to try and reply.

Am very sorry to read that you have no contact with your children, this must be a hellish time for you.

In respect to CAFCASS. If you want to challenge a report then at court you would need to identify where the report was defective; for example the investigation was flawed, the conclusions do not logically flow from the observations made, important information was not included, there were errors in law. I think it would detract from your argument and be counter productive to personalise any criticism.

In short, I think you are free to be critical of CAFCASS interventions but are not in a position to ask that the officer not be present during your case. I may be wrong, just my opinion.

May I wish you the best of luck for Monday. Do you have a McKenzie Friend? If not may I suggest contacting families need fathers.

It is not the report I want to make a complaint about, although the report itself says nothing other than the fact that I have had no contact, therefore I need to go to a contact centre to start up contact...which takes me onto my complaint.

The CAFCASS officer was supposed to make a referal to the contact centre before christmas. Never happened. My solicitor then chased it up after christmas, again nothing happened, so chased up again, and again, and again. I just cannot afford the £70 an hour they charge, and the cafcass officer said they would fund 2 sessions. I no longer have a solicitor, but she chased it up again for just before she ceased working for me. Now here I am 5 months down the line, and STILL no contact. He has royally fucked up my case, and any chances I have of even resolving this matter this year. (proceedings started dec 08).

This guy seems a real disaster and it is a crime that his incompetence has done so much damage.

I think one reservation I have with raising the matter with the Judge or asking the officer to leave is that it might divert or distract you from the main business of your application. Also any display of anger or emotion can be painted negatively and has the potential to backfire.

It might be an idea to write out a chronology in very neutral terms and attach it to a position statement. That way your viewpoint gets put across with less risk of a slanging match.

I don't know your circumstances. If supervised contact costs £70...could you make use of contact centres which are free? I used one at a church hall for my daughter. Or could you use a registered childminder to act as supervisor outside of a center?

I am withdrawing my application pending a DNA test. My ex will not allow me to have unsupervised contact, although I had unsupervised contact for a few months after my daughter was born before the proceedings started. My aunt is a social worker, and has been for many years, previous to that she was an emergency foster carer. Couldnt think of a better person, but of course, thats a big fat no from my ex. I asked CAFCASS if it could be done at my house, with her toys, they said no. So its £70 per hour for fully supervised contact, or nothing.

Sorry, just to clarify my situation:

I am withdrawing my application for contact until a DNA test has been ordered, and then depending on the results.

I was wanting to bring the complaint up with the judge because if the dna test proves I am the father then the CAFCASS officer would most likely be the officr assigned to my case, which obviously I will not be happy about.

I am asking for a DNA test because my ex has told various peoplew that she is not 100% sure i am the father etc etc, and has also told the other guy who it might be - which on top of the whole nightmare I was currently in, just adds to the stress.