A constituent recently attended my surgery in Bishop Auckland to disclose her serious concerns about poor communications from both the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service and the family court-appointed children’s guardian in her case. This is an extremely distressing time for her and her family, so good communication is surely key. How can the Minister ensure that my constituents will receive the support and advice they need in a timely fashion?

The Ministry of Justice has been working closely with Cafcass on mitigating the additional pressures on its services from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Decisions on Cafcass funding are made at a national level. Following discussions with Cafcass, the Ministry of Justice agreed £3.4m in additional funding this year to enable it to increase staff capacity at pace to help meet the challenge of a rising open caseload. It is for Cafcass to make operational decisions about how best to deploy resources across its Service Areas, including allocating work between them to alleviate pressures and reduce the risk of triggering the prioritisation protocol.

Since the protocol was triggered in South Yorkshire and Humberside, significant joint agency work has been undertaken by Cafcass, the judiciary, Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and other partners such as local authorities. This work has reviewed the root causes for triggering prioritisation in South Yorkshire and Humberside and has included data analysis and reviews of individual case files. The triggering of the protocol in South Yorkshire and Humberside remains under review.

Cafcass has taken measures to manage the impact on children and families of prioritising cases in this Service Area. Cases with a delayed allocation for further Cafcass work will be those where another safeguarding agency is involved or where no safeguarding risks have been identified. The parties will be sent a letter to let them know if Cafcass has been unable to allocate their case and to explain that they will be notified when it has been allocated to a Family Court Adviser. Children will be sent a letter that is age appropriate and explains why their case has been delayed and signposts them to alternative services they can use. The telephone number of a Cafcass Service Manager is given, and they can speak to parents or children if they have concerns about their unallocated case. Delays will be kept to a minimum where possible. All unallocated work will remain under review by a Cafcass Service Manager and reviewed regularly by the Assistant Director in the area and on a weekly basis by a multi-agency group which includes members of the judiciary and HMCTS. A material change to the circumstance of the family could, if appropriate, prompt a change to the priority of the case.

Cafcass continues to work to attract, recruit and retain social workers into the posts created by the additional £3.4m resource. It is continually reviewing and developing options to help retain its highly trained workforce during this challenging time. In South Yorkshire and Humberside Cafcass has recruited a number of agency and permanent Family Court Advisers which has addressed some of the issues present at the point the protocol was triggered.

Ministry of Justice officials hold regular meetings with Cafcass for assurance that its resources are being used as effectively as possible. We are aware of the pressures that Cafcass staff are facing due to unprecedented levels of demand. The importance of being able to recruit and retain appropriately qualified staff is being considered during the approval of Cafcass’ pay remit for this financial year.

The Ministry of Justice has been working closely with Cafcass on mitigating the additional pressures on its services from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Decisions on Cafcass funding are made at a national level. Following discussions with Cafcass, the Ministry of Justice agreed £3.4m in additional funding this year to enable it to increase staff capacity at pace to help meet the challenge of a rising open caseload. It is for Cafcass to make operational decisions about how best to deploy resources across its Service Areas, including allocating work between them to alleviate pressures and reduce the risk of triggering the prioritisation protocol.

Since the protocol was triggered in South Yorkshire and Humberside, significant joint agency work has been undertaken by Cafcass, the judiciary, Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and other partners such as local authorities. This work has reviewed the root causes for triggering prioritisation in South Yorkshire and Humberside and has included data analysis and reviews of individual case files. The triggering of the protocol in South Yorkshire and Humberside remains under review.

Cafcass has taken measures to manage the impact on children and families of prioritising cases in this Service Area. Cases with a delayed allocation for further Cafcass work will be those where another safeguarding agency is involved or where no safeguarding risks have been identified. The parties will be sent a letter to let them know if Cafcass has been unable to allocate their case and to explain that they will be notified when it has been allocated to a Family Court Adviser. Children will be sent a letter that is age appropriate and explains why their case has been delayed and signposts them to alternative services they can use. The telephone number of a Cafcass Service Manager is given, and they can speak to parents or children if they have concerns about their unallocated case. Delays will be kept to a minimum where possible. All unallocated work will remain under review by a Cafcass Service Manager and reviewed regularly by the Assistant Director in the area and on a weekly basis by a multi-agency group which includes members of the judiciary and HMCTS. A material change to the circumstance of the family could, if appropriate, prompt a change to the priority of the case.

Cafcass continues to work to attract, recruit and retain social workers into the posts created by the additional £3.4m resource. It is continually reviewing and developing options to help retain its highly trained workforce during this challenging time. In South Yorkshire and Humberside Cafcass has recruited a number of agency and permanent Family Court Advisers which has addressed some of the issues present at the point the protocol was triggered.

Ministry of Justice officials hold regular meetings with Cafcass for assurance that its resources are being used as effectively as possible. We are aware of the pressures that Cafcass staff are facing due to unprecedented levels of demand. The importance of being able to recruit and retain appropriately qualified staff is being considered during the approval of Cafcass’ pay remit for this financial year.

The Ministry of Justice has been working closely with Cafcass on mitigating the additional pressures on its services from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Decisions on Cafcass funding are made at a national level. Following discussions with Cafcass, the Ministry of Justice agreed £3.4m in additional funding this year to enable it to increase staff capacity at pace to help meet the challenge of a rising open caseload. It is for Cafcass to make operational decisions about how best to deploy resources across its Service Areas, including allocating work between them to alleviate pressures and reduce the risk of triggering the prioritisation protocol.

Since the protocol was triggered in South Yorkshire and Humberside, significant joint agency work has been undertaken by Cafcass, the judiciary, Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and other partners such as local authorities. This work has reviewed the root causes for triggering prioritisation in South Yorkshire and Humberside and has included data analysis and reviews of individual case files. The triggering of the protocol in South Yorkshire and Humberside remains under review.

Cafcass has taken measures to manage the impact on children and families of prioritising cases in this Service Area. Cases with a delayed allocation for further Cafcass work will be those where another safeguarding agency is involved or where no safeguarding risks have been identified. The parties will be sent a letter to let them know if Cafcass has been unable to allocate their case and to explain that they will be notified when it has been allocated to a Family Court Adviser. Children will be sent a letter that is age appropriate and explains why their case has been delayed and signposts them to alternative services they can use. The telephone number of a Cafcass Service Manager is given, and they can speak to parents or children if they have concerns about their unallocated case. Delays will be kept to a minimum where possible. All unallocated work will remain under review by a Cafcass Service Manager and reviewed regularly by the Assistant Director in the area and on a weekly basis by a multi-agency group which includes members of the judiciary and HMCTS. A material change to the circumstance of the family could, if appropriate, prompt a change to the priority of the case.

Cafcass continues to work to attract, recruit and retain social workers into the posts created by the additional £3.4m resource. It is continually reviewing and developing options to help retain its highly trained workforce during this challenging time. In South Yorkshire and Humberside Cafcass has recruited a number of agency and permanent Family Court Advisers which has addressed some of the issues present at the point the protocol was triggered.

Ministry of Justice officials hold regular meetings with Cafcass for assurance that its resources are being used as effectively as possible. We are aware of the pressures that Cafcass staff are facing due to unprecedented levels of demand. The importance of being able to recruit and retain appropriately qualified staff is being considered during the approval of Cafcass’ pay remit for this financial year.

The Ministry of Justice has been working closely with Cafcass on mitigating the additional pressures on its services from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Decisions on Cafcass funding are made at a national level. Following discussions with Cafcass, the Ministry of Justice agreed £3.4m in additional funding this year to enable it to increase staff capacity at pace to help meet the challenge of a rising open caseload. It is for Cafcass to make operational decisions about how best to deploy resources across its Service Areas, including allocating work between them to alleviate pressures and reduce the risk of triggering the prioritisation protocol.

Since the protocol was triggered in South Yorkshire and Humberside, significant joint agency work has been undertaken by Cafcass, the judiciary, Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and other partners such as local authorities. This work has reviewed the root causes for triggering prioritisation in South Yorkshire and Humberside and has included data analysis and reviews of individual case files. The triggering of the protocol in South Yorkshire and Humberside remains under review.

Cafcass has taken measures to manage the impact on children and families of prioritising cases in this Service Area. Cases with a delayed allocation for further Cafcass work will be those where another safeguarding agency is involved or where no safeguarding risks have been identified. The parties will be sent a letter to let them know if Cafcass has been unable to allocate their case and to explain that they will be notified when it has been allocated to a Family Court Adviser. Children will be sent a letter that is age appropriate and explains why their case has been delayed and signposts them to alternative services they can use. The telephone number of a Cafcass Service Manager is given, and they can speak to parents or children if they have concerns about their unallocated case. Delays will be kept to a minimum where possible. All unallocated work will remain under review by a Cafcass Service Manager and reviewed regularly by the Assistant Director in the area and on a weekly basis by a multi-agency group which includes members of the judiciary and HMCTS. A material change to the circumstance of the family could, if appropriate, prompt a change to the priority of the case.

Cafcass continues to work to attract, recruit and retain social workers into the posts created by the additional £3.4m resource. It is continually reviewing and developing options to help retain its highly trained workforce during this challenging time. In South Yorkshire and Humberside Cafcass has recruited a number of agency and permanent Family Court Advisers which has addressed some of the issues present at the point the protocol was triggered.

Ministry of Justice officials hold regular meetings with Cafcass for assurance that its resources are being used as effectively as possible. We are aware of the pressures that Cafcass staff are facing due to unprecedented levels of demand. The importance of being able to recruit and retain appropriately qualified staff is being considered during the approval of Cafcass’ pay remit for this financial year.

We acknowledge that Cafcass continues to experience high levels of demand while managing a rise in the number of open cases.

The Ministry of Justice has allocated an additional £3.4m this year to help Cafcass meet these challenges.

Cafcass has in place a protocol to, where necessary, prioritise cases in local service areas so it can continue to meet the needs of the most vulnerable children and families.

As an essential public service, Cafcass continues to work hard to maintain its service to children and families during very challenging circumstances. This is a tribute to its leadership and staff at all levels.

At the beginning of the first national lockdown, Cafcass closed all its offices to the public and conducted its work with children, families and the family courts remotely and continued as far as possible to file welfare reports, attend remote hearings and progress cases accordingly. In the summer, Cafcass published protocols setting out how and when its staff attend court in person and on the use of remote video technology and in-person visits to speak with children in their home, in outside spaces such as parks, or at a re-opened Cafcass office from late July.

On 17 November Cafcass published new guidance setting out its approach to working with children and families during the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic. It is Cafcass’ priority to see children and families in person when it is in their best interest to do so, and this will depend on the particular circumstances in each case. From the end of November all Cafcass offices and touchdown locations will be open to provide Covid-secure places to work and to meet children and families while keeping safe. Cafcass will continue to review and ensure that all these measures are in accordance with government and public health guidance.

In terms of the impact of remote hearings on Cafcass, research by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory published in October shows that most professionals, including Cafcass staff, feel that overall the courts are now working more effectively and that there are even some benefits from remote working. However, the report also highlights some areas of concern that need to be addressed. There are clearly circumstances where more support is required to enable parents and young people to take part in remote hearings effectively, and this is under consideration by the senior family judiciary.

Cafcass continues to experience high levels of demand for its services while managing a rise in the number of open cases due to a reduction in case disposals. The Ministry of Justice has allocated an additional £3.4m this year to help Cafcass meet these challenges. Cafcass has put in place a protocol to enable it, where necessary, to prioritise cases in local service areas so that it can continue to meet the needs of the most vulnerable children and families.

As an essential public service, Cafcass continues to work hard to maintain its service to children and families during very challenging circumstances. This is a tribute to its leadership and staff at all levels.

At the beginning of the first national lockdown, Cafcass closed all its offices to the public and conducted its work with children, families and the family courts remotely and continued as far as possible to file welfare reports, attend remote hearings and progress cases accordingly. In the summer, Cafcass published protocols setting out how and when its staff attend court in person and on the use of remote video technology and in-person visits to speak with children in their home, in outside spaces such as parks, or at a re-opened Cafcass office from late July.

On 17 November Cafcass published new guidance setting out its approach to working with children and families during the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic. It is Cafcass’ priority to see children and families in person when it is in their best interest to do so, and this will depend on the particular circumstances in each case. From the end of November all Cafcass offices and touchdown locations will be open to provide Covid-secure places to work and to meet children and families while keeping safe. Cafcass will continue to review and ensure that all these measures are in accordance with government and public health guidance.

In terms of the impact of remote hearings on Cafcass, research by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory published in October shows that most professionals, including Cafcass staff, feel that overall the courts are now working more effectively and that there are even some benefits from remote working. However, the report also highlights some areas of concern that need to be addressed. There are clearly circumstances where more support is required to enable parents and young people to take part in remote hearings effectively, and this is under consideration by the senior family judiciary.

Cafcass continues to experience high levels of demand for its services while managing a rise in the number of open cases due to a reduction in case disposals. The Ministry of Justice has allocated an additional £3.4m this year to help Cafcass meet these challenges. Cafcass has put in place a protocol to enable it, where necessary, to prioritise cases in local service areas so that it can continue to meet the needs of the most vulnerable children and families.

The Ministry of Justice is in discussion with the Treasury about the department’s overall settlement, including funding for Cafcass in 2021/22. No decisions have yet been made.

Cafcass when established in 2001 was the responsibility of the Lord Chancellor’s Department. That responsibility transferred to the former Department for Education and Science in 2004 before transferring in 2014 to the Ministry of Justice. The Government’s assessment in 2014 was that the work Cafcass does in supporting vulnerable children, and ensuring their voice is heard in court proceedings, is essential and that bringing Cafcass into the Ministry of Justice would be of great benefit to the family justice system.

There is no evidence that a further transfer of responsibility for Cafcass is necessary, nor that it would have any benefits. Indeed, it would likely be an unhelpful distraction. The Ministry of Justice works closely with the Department for Education in relation to Cafcass and the role of local authority children’s services in public law children proceedings. Ministers in both departments have oversight of the performance of the wider family justice system and agree key priorities through the national Family Justice Board.

The Ministry of Justice monitors the effectiveness of Cafcass thorough a partnership relationship which includes regular contact between Departmental officials and senior Cafcass executives. The Ministry of Justice is represented on a weekly Programme Board held by Cafcass to monitor the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on its performance, staff and users. The Permanent Secretary, as Principal Accounting Officer, has also been in regular communication with the Chief Executive and Chair of Cafcass to discuss how services to users can be effectively maintained, and how Cafcass staff are being supported, during current restrictions. Ministers have oversight of the performance of the wider family justice system and agree key priorities through the national Family Justice Board which includes Cafcass and relevant stakeholders in the family justice area.

Cafcass, as an Arms’ Length Body (ALB) of the MoJ, employs and regulates relations with its staff independently of the Ministry of Justice. As an ALB, discussions with trade union representatives are a matter for Cafcass only.

The Ministry of Justice is in discussion with the Treasury about the department’s overall settlement, including funding for Cafcass in 2021/22. No decisions have yet been made.

Cafcass when established in 2001 was the responsibility of the Lord Chancellor’s Department. That responsibility transferred to the former Department for Education and Science in 2004 before transferring in 2014 to the Ministry of Justice. The Government’s assessment in 2014 was that the work Cafcass does in supporting vulnerable children, and ensuring their voice is heard in court proceedings, is essential and that bringing Cafcass into the Ministry of Justice would be of great benefit to the family justice system.

There is no evidence that a further transfer of responsibility for Cafcass is necessary, nor that it would have any benefits. Indeed, it would likely be an unhelpful distraction. The Ministry of Justice works closely with the Department for Education in relation to Cafcass and the role of local authority children’s services in public law children proceedings. Ministers in both departments have oversight of the performance of the wider family justice system and agree key priorities through the national Family Justice Board.