Looking for help in your family court proceedings?Bridge The Gap is a free, community-built guide to UK family court, written by litigants and McKenzie Friends, for litigants. Real observations, plain English, and people who can help.
Assumption: "A Cafcass recommendation means they spent proper time understanding your family."
1 min readThis content reflects observational insights and lived community experiences. It does not constitute legal advice — always consult a qualified professional for your specific circumstances.
What People Expect
Parents assume a written recommendation to the court reflects thorough, balanced contact with both parents and the children over a meaningful period.
Court Reality
Parents report recommendations built on a single 40-minute phone call or a 20-minute interview, with one parent receiving multiple face-to-face meetings and the other a brief call. There is no fixed minimum contact time before an officer can recommend, and heavy caseloads mean some officers have limited time per family. The length of contact does not determine the weight the court gives the report, but you can ask the court to question how the recommendation was reached if the contact was minimal or one-sided. Keep a record of how long you were seen, what was discussed, and what was not.
This insight was contributed by someone who has been through the family court system. Bridge The Gap is deeply grateful to everyone who shares their experience — your honesty helps bridge the gap for the next person still in it.
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The Gap?
"A Cafcass recommendation means they spent proper time understanding your family."
Court Reality
Parents report recommendations built on a single 40-minute phone call or a 20-minute interview, with one parent receiving multiple face-to-face meetings and the other a brief call.
Seen a gap between what you thought and the reality? Share yours.
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