What Cafcass is (and isn't)
Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) safeguards children in family proceedings: it runs police and local-authority checks at the start of every C100 case, advises the court at hearings, and — where directed — investigates under section 7. It is not the police, not social services, and not your ex's advocate — though it can feel like all three when allegations are flying. Official parent information: cafcass.gov.uk — parents & carers.
The Cafcass timeline in your case
- Safeguarding checks (issue → ~2-6 weeks) Police and council record checks on both parties, plus short phone interviews with each parent. Summarised in the safeguarding letter to the court. How to read and correct yours.
- FHDRA advice A named officer usually attends the first hearing, speaks to both parents, and helps frame interim proposals — including centre-based contact.
- Section 7 report (if ordered) A deeper welfare investigation — interviews, school, sometimes home visits — with recommendations. 12–20 weeks. Working with a s.7.
- Ongoing checks Cafcass can update checks if new allegations emerge mid-case — one more reason allegations must be answered factually the first time (Scott Schedule discipline).
The one behavioural rule that outperforms everything: same calm, factual, child-led register in EVERY Cafcass contact — phone intake, FHDRA corridor, s.7 interview. Officers compare what they hear across months; consistency reads as safe, volatility reads as risk. Everything here starts from s.1 Children Act 1989: your child's welfare is the court's paramount consideration — and the most persuasive frame for your case.
Questions people ask at Bolton
The safeguarding letter quotes her allegations. Isn't that prejudice?
No — it records that allegations were made, not that they're true. Your counter is factual, exhibit-cited and calm, in your position statement: allegation noted, here is the document that contradicts it. Officers and judges see untested allegations every day; your response is what differentiates you.
Can I speak to the Cafcass officer directly?
Yes — you'll have intake calls, FHDRA discussions, and if a s.7 is ordered, scheduled interviews. Bring your chronology, answer in the child's terms (routines, school, health), and never argue the other parent's character unprompted.
What if the officer seems to believe her?
Say what the documents show, not what you feel. Findings are for judges, not officers — and a well-documented position survives both the s.7 and any later findings hearing.
Before your hearing
Turning scattered messages, notes and dates into evidence takes structure. keep the factual, dated record Cafcass and judges both respect — EvidenceCanvas is a guided toolkit that helps you draft a child-focused witness statement, answer a Scott Schedule point by point, and assemble a paginated court bundle. It is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.