Background and Purpose

Background

Cafcass was set up on 1st April 2001 under the provisions of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act which brought together the family court services previously provided by the Family Court Welfare Service, the Guardian ad Litem Service and the Children’s Division of the Official Solicitor’s Office.

We are a non-departmental public body accountable to Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education in the Department for Education.

We work within the strategic objectives agreed by our sponsor department and contribute to wider government objectives relating to children.

Cafcass is independent of the courts, social services, education and health authorities and all similar agencies.

Our purpose

Cafcass has a statutory responsibility in England to ensure that children and young people are put first in family proceedings, their voices are properly heard, the decisions made about them by courts are in their best interests and that they and their families are supported throughout the process, no matter what form their family takes in the modern world.

We have a role in relation to measures outlined in Every Child Matters, which sets out five key outcomes for children, young people and families:

• be healthy
• stay safe
• enjoy and achieve
• make a positive contribution
• experience economic well being.