Cafcass Understanding the Needs of a Case
In section 2.24 on page 13 of the current Cafcass Operating Framework document published on their website they say:
“A ‘toolkit’ is available on the intranet to support practitioners in their direct work with adults and children; the toolkit matrix provides a guide on how to match the appropriate tool to the identified needs in the case.”
A FOI request was made as follows:
1. Please provide a copy of this toolkit matrix showing how the appropriate tool is matched to the identified needs.
The Operating Framework refers to a ‘toolkits’ of tools and resources available to support practitioners in their direct work with adults and children, these can be found on our website in the toolkit matrix under ‘Tools for evidence Informed Practice’.
2. If you also have a tool that “identifies the needs in the case” please could you provide a copy of that tool too.
Cafcass does not have a specific tool that identifies the needs in the case. The toolkit matrix itself provides a guide to which tool could be selected in which circumstance and for what purpose, which will be identified by the practitioner when planning a case.
A follow up request to Cafcass was made as follows:
In your response you say that you do not have a “specific tool” for use in identifying the needs of a case. Could you provide details of *any* tools that you have, specific or otherwise, that allow you to identify the needs of a case?
In light of your reply about the lack of a specific tool, could you confirm whether you have any specific training and/or elearning available on identifying the needs of a case and provide details of that training?
Likewise for the tools identified within your tools matrix, please would you provide details of any specific training and/or elearning that you make available for each of the named tools within your matrix?
Cafcass responded:
Cafcass does not have any tools for use in identifying the needs of a
case.
Cafcass does not any specific training or eLearning on identifying the
needs of a case.
Cafcass has an eLearning module ’Private Law Assessment Tools’ which broadly outlines how the tools can be used.
The toolkit matrix itself also provides a guide to which tool could be selected in which circumstance and for what purpose, which will be identified by the practitioner when planning a case.
Here is a PDF of the storyboard of that elearning module
Story Board Private Law Assessment Tools
In a Family Law system designed for combative parents there is no real allowance for the views of children and any understanding of how Family Law ultimately impacts on children most of all.
We speak for the children in Family Law so that, finally, the children have a voice.