Assumption: "Cafcass will speak to your child before making recommendations about them."

Court Reality

Many parents report that Cafcass officers formed recommendations without direct conversation with their child — particularly older children who could express views. The welfare checklist requires officers to consider the child's wishes and feelings (ascertained in light of their age and understanding), but how those are gathered varies widely between officers. Some parents report their child was never spoken to; others say the conversation was brief or filtered through the other parent. If your child's voice is not being directly heard, you can raise this with the court — the judge decides what weight to give the report, and can direct that the child's views be properly ascertained.