What Is CAFCASS? The CAFCASS Officer Role, Safeguarding and Section 7 Reports Explained

If you are asking what is CAFCASS, you have probably just applied to court about your children, or you have received a letter saying CAFCASS will be in touch. Either way, it is natural to feel uneasy about a stranger asking questions about your family. The good news is that the process follows a clear set of steps, and knowing what each one involves makes it far less daunting.

CAFCASS involvement starts the moment the court issues your C100. In this guide we explain who CAFCASS are, what a CAFCASS officer actually does, how safeguarding checks and the safeguarding letter work, what a Section 7 report involves, and how much weight the judge gives to their recommendations.

What Is CAFCASS?

CAFCASS stands for the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service. It is a non-departmental public body, independent of the courts, social services and both parents. Its job is to make sure the child’s welfare and voice stay at the centre of family court decisions.

CAFCASS covers England. In Wales, the same work is carried out by Cafcass Cymru, which is part of the Welsh Government. The process is very similar in both countries.

CAFCASS does not take sides and is not there to judge which parent is “better”. It works to the same rule the court follows under Section 1 of the Children Act 1989: the child’s welfare is the paramount consideration.

CAFCASS is not social services

Many parents worry that CAFCASS involvement means their family is under investigation. It does not. CAFCASS is involved in almost every private child arrangements case simply because a court application has been made. Local authority children’s services have separate child protection powers. CAFCASS will contact them as part of its checks, but the two are different organisations with different roles.

The CAFCASS Officer Role: What a Family Court Adviser Does

The person you will deal with is formally called a Family Court Adviser, though most people say CAFCASS officer. They are qualified and experienced social workers who specialise in family court work.

The CAFCASS officer role usually includes:

• Safeguarding: checking whether there are any risks to the child or either parent
• Speaking to parents: hearing each person’s concerns and proposals
• Advising the court: telling the judge what the next steps should be
• Representing the child: making sure the child’s wishes and feelings are heard where a fuller assessment is ordered
• Encouraging agreement: helping parents see where they might be able to reach a safe arrangement themselves

What Is CAFCASS’s Role Once Your C100 Is Issued?

Once you have paid the court fee (£270 as of July 2026, per the Ministry of Justice fee update) and the court issues your application, a copy goes to CAFCASS. From that point the early stages usually run like this. Our guide to what happens after you submit a C100 form covers the court side of the timeline in more detail.

1. Court issues the application: the court sets a date for the first hearing and sends the papers to CAFCASS.
2. Safeguarding checks: CAFCASS checks with the police and with the local authorities where the family has lived.
3. Screening calls: a CAFCASS officer offers each parent a separate conversation, usually by phone or video.
4. Safeguarding letter: the officer writes to the court with their findings and advice.
5. First hearing: the judge uses the letter at the FHDRA to decide what happens next.

The first hearing typically takes place 4 to 6 weeks after you submit your C100, though busy courts can take 8 to 10 weeks. At this early stage the CAFCASS officer only speaks to the adults named in the application, not the children.

CAFCASS Safeguarding Checks and the Safeguarding Letter

CAFCASS safeguarding is the first and most important part of their work. The aim is simple: to make sure the court knows about any risk of harm before it makes any decision about where a child lives or who they spend time with.

The safeguarding phone call

During the call, the officer will ask about your current arrangements, what you are hoping for, and whether you have any worries about your child’s safety or your own. This includes questions about domestic abuse, drugs or alcohol, and mental health. Each parent is spoken to separately, so you can speak openly.

If you have raised safety concerns, you may have completed a C1A form alongside your application. Our guide to Form C100 vs Form C1A explains how the two fit together.

What goes in the safeguarding letter?

The safeguarding letter summarises the results of the police and local authority checks, what each parent said, any risks identified, and the officer’s advice on next steps. That advice might be that the parents are close to agreement, that mediation or a parenting programme could help, that a fact-finding hearing is needed, or that a Section 7 report should be ordered.

The letter is sent to the court before the FHDRA, and in most cases both parents will see it. Our FHDRA guide explains how the judge uses it at that hearing.

What Is a Section 7 Report?

If the dispute is not resolved at the first hearing, the judge may order a Section 7 report. It takes its name from Section 7 of the Children Act 1989, which allows the court to ask CAFCASS (or sometimes the local authority) for a welfare report on the child.

A Section 7 report is a much deeper assessment than the safeguarding letter. According to CAFCASS guidance on Section 7 reports, the officer will usually:

• Write to your child to introduce themselves
• Speak to your child alone, sometimes at a neutral place such as school
• Meet each parent to hear their concerns in more depth
• Speak to others such as teachers, health workers or family members
• Share their thinking with you before the report is filed

Children are never asked to choose between their parents. The officer listens to their wishes and feelings and weighs them against their age, understanding and the other factors in the welfare checklist. The court will set a deadline for the report, and it commonly takes several months depending on local demand.

Where there are concerns that a child is at risk of harm, CAFCASS may also carry out a risk assessment under Section 16A of the Children Act 1989 and share it with the court.

Child Focused Courts and the Child Impact Report

In some areas the process looks different. Courts that follow the Child Focused Courts model (previously called the Pathfinder pilot) replace the standard safeguarding letter with a Child Impact Report, prepared early in the case and usually involving speaking to the child. The judiciary announced in March 2026 that the model is expanding to further court areas during 2026 and 2027, so check with your local court if you are unsure which approach applies.

How CAFCASS Recommendations Influence the Court’s Decision

Judges give CAFCASS recommendations significant weight. The officer is an independent professional who has spoken to everyone involved, often including the child, so their view carries authority. In practice, many cases end with orders that closely follow the recommendation.

However, the judge is not bound by it. The court makes its own decision using the welfare checklist, and if a judge departs from a CAFCASS recommendation they will need to explain why. If you disagree with a report, you can say so in writing or at the hearing, and you can ask for the CAFCASS officer to attend so their reasoning can be questioned. Factual errors should be raised with the officer as early as possible.

How to Prepare for Contact With CAFCASS

• Keep your child at the centre: talk about their routine, needs and wellbeing rather than past disagreements
• Be honest and specific: if you have safety concerns, give dates and examples
• Show willingness: officers notice when a parent is open to a workable arrangement
• Do not coach your child: officers are trained to recognise it, and it can count against you
• Have a proposal ready: a clear, realistic plan for arrangements helps the officer and the court

It also helps to remember that agreement is possible at any stage. Many parents reach a settlement through mediation while proceedings are under way, which is usually quicker, less stressful and less expensive than a contested final hearing. If you have not yet attended one, our guide on whether you need a MIAM for a C100 explains the rules.

Frequently Asked Questions