CAFCASS attempts fathers’ group conciliation
The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) has issued an open letter recognising the “distress” fathers undergo in trying to maintain contact with their children.
Radical fathers’ rights group Fathers 4 Justice has repeatedly targeted CAFCASS in its actions, claiming that the organisation is biased against the needs of fathers.
The letter to fathers’ groups will be seen as an attempt to end the antagonism between the groups.
The letter comes after six months of talks resulted with Fathers 4 Justice agreeing to suspend direct action against CAFCASS.
But, some members of the campaign group are known to be unhappy with the decision, and there is talk of a new, more radical, splinter group forming.
On Tuesday, CAFCASS chief executive Anthony Douglas said: “We do not want to be seen by fathers or mothers who come to us for help as biased against them. The evidence we have from research shows that our involvement results in more children having more time with their fathers. In our view, long-term dialogue is more likely to promote positive change and a stronger joint understanding than conflict.”
He added: “Our role is to look after the interests of children when cases are referred to us by the courts and we acknowledge that in the vast majority of private law cases this will be best served by preserving children’s relationships with both parents. That is one of our core values.”
Fathers 4 Justice founder Matt O’Connor said the statement was a real breakthrough as it recognised for the first time the importance of a child’s relationship with their father.
Mr O’Connor said: “This statement marks a significant leap in the mindset of an organisation that only six months ago we were waging a national campaign against.”
A spokesperson for Families Need Fathers warmly welcomed the statement but it was time to see “CAFCASS not just talk the talk, but walk the walk.”
He added: “Bias is endemic in CAFCASS and it will be for a while before Anthony Douglas, however good a pilot, turns this super-tanker round.”
