Encyclopedia > Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service
The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) is a national non-departmental public body for England and Wales 1 set up to safeguard and promote the welfare of children involved in family court proceedings. It was formed on 1 April 2001 under the provisions of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act and is accountable to Parliament through the Department for Education and Skills. CAFCASS is independent of the courts, social services, education and health authorities and all similar agencies. Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the British Isles Languages English (de facto) Capital London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001 Census) – Density Ranked 1st...
For an explanation of often confusing terms such as Great Britain, Britain, United Kingdom and England, see British Isles (terminology). ...
A family court is a court convened in the UK to make orders in respect of childrens residence. ...
April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ...
2001: A Space Odyssey. ...
Look up Act on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Act may refer to: in law, a written document that attests the legality of the transaction. ...
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The Department for Education and Skills is a department in the United Kingdom government created in 2001. ...
With effect from 1 April 2005, responsibility for the functions of the Children & Family Court Advisory and Support Service in Wales became the responsibility of the National Assembly for Wales.
CAFCASS looks after the interests of children involved in family proceedings. It works with children and their families, and then advises the courts on what it considers to be in the children's best interests. CAFCASS only works in the family courts. Examples of matters that may be taken to family courts are:
- when parents who are separating or divorcing can't agree on arrangements for their children;
- an adoption application or
- when children are subject to an application for care or supervision proceedings by Social Services
During 2003 CAFCASS was one of the targets of demonstrations by Fathers 4 Justice as part of the Fathers' rights campaign. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...
To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ...
In 2004 CAFCASS published a policy and procedure to do with domestic violence. Domestic violence, broadly defined, is violence within a home. ...
Baroness Pitkeathley OBE is the current Chair of the CAFCASS Board, which includes eleven other members.
Anthony Douglas is the current Chief Executive and Accounting Officer; he is supported by the Corporate Decisions Group, nine regional managers and the Director of CAFCASS Cymru.
Criticism of CAFCASS
CAFCASS has been repeatedly criticised by fathers' rights groups who claim that it is failing in its duty to promote the welfare of children through unfairly denying children contact with absent parents (usually fathers). CAFCASS are also accused of overstepping their legal powers and taking an ideological position in favour of women. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ...
In December 2003, CAFCASS's board was dismissed by Lord Falconer, the Lord Chancellor. 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Charles Leslie Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton, PC (born November 19, 1951), is a British lawyer and Labour Party politician. ...
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor and in former times the Chancellor of England and the Lord Chancellor of Scotland, is one of the most senior and important functionaries in the government of the United Kingdom, and its predecessor states. ...
Celebrity advocate of fathers rights Bob Geldof has described his contempt for CAFCASS as "the same contempt I have for the Nazi's." Bob Geldof Robert Frederick Xenon Bob Geldof, KBE (born October 5, 1951) is an Irish singer, songwriter, actor and political activist. ...
Cafcass have been investigated by the BBC and ITN and have been found guilty of child abduction by The European Courts of Human Rights.
Those working for Cafcass have been found to have been given unlawful legal rights, where Cafcass officers chose where a fathers child must live, thus violating fathers rights to Article 8 enshrined in the Human Rights Act - Right to family life.
Cafcass members have been found to have criminal records for child abuse, alcoholism, fraud, racism, and violent conduct.
A Cafcass officer is paid in the region of £100,000 a year, giving rise to the argument in The European Courts of Human Rights, that Cafcass are abducting UK children from loving fathers for cash.
Cafcass have been accused of not having regard for The Family Law Act 1989 which states the mental health of the child is paramount. Cafcass are also charged with causing children long term mental health injury by taking them from their fathers for no logical reason.
It is also being heard by The House of Lords, that the ruthless exploits of Cafcass have caused its members to resign for abducting children for money.
Other Cafcass members have been imprisoned for indirect child abduction and for falsely accusing fathers of criminal activity.
Fathers simply wanting the right to see their own children without oppressive sanctions have been dragged through the Court system, labelled insane (by Cafcass) and told they will never see their children again, and that if they make any formal complaint to the Department For Constitutional Affairs, they will be punished by brute force.
There is now a public inquiry secluded regarding the unlawful conduct of Cafcass and its abduction of children for cash, to he heard by The House of Lords and The European Court of Human Rights in 2006.
Notes Note 1: CAFCASS originally covered the whole of England and Wales, but on 1 April 2005, CAFCASS Cymru was created with responsibility transferred to the Welsh Assembly CAFCASS press release. April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ...
2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
The National Assembly for Wales (or NAW) (Welsh: Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru) was established in 1998, following a 1997 referendum in which a small majority of voters (but not the electorate) voted in favour of the Labour Governments plans for devolution. ...
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