Last year Oftsed rated Cafcass ‘outstanding’, and praised its ‘culture of continuous learning’.
Photograph: Stocksy United
When you’re a family court adviser (FCA) for Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service), there’s no such thing as a typical day. “One day you might be visiting a child in their home, the next day you’re in court,” says David Faulkner, FCA for Cafcass in Staffordshire, and a qualified social worker with 18 years’ experience. “Or you might be working from home, writing reports, or dropping into the office. We have a lot of responsibility, but a lot of flexibility, too. It’s really refreshing to have the opportunity to work like that.”
FCAs are on the frontline at Cafcass, an independent non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. The organisation’s job is to make sure that children’s voices are heard in the family court, and to put their needs, wishes and feelings first. When parents are separating and can’t agree on arrangements for their children, when a local authority wants to take a child into care, or when a child is being adopted, Cafcass’s family court advisers will be in court, advising on what’s best for that child.
“We’re like the eyes and ears of the court,” says Daniel Rankin, FCA for Cafcass in Essex, who worked with care leavers during his career as a social worker with a local authority. “We do the legwork so judges can make their decisions – we advise them on what’s best for a child.” That could involve anything from meeting with parents or working with a parent’s solicitor to liaising with relevant professionals, such as staff at a child’s school – and, of course, talking to the children themselves.
“I always use direct quotes from the kids [in my reports] – sometimes even little pictures I’ve drawn,” says Daniel McGhee, FCA for Cafcass in Berkshire, whose social work background is in child protection and mental health. “The judges are very reliant on our views about the best way forward for children, and the best way to support them. We have a lot of influence, and therefore a lot of responsibility to get things right, but we are very much treated as independent expert professionals.”
All FCAs are qualified and experienced social workers, and the majority have experience in local authorities. However, working for Cafcass is very different, McGhee points out. “You get much more independence in how you plan your work and manage your own time. You’re not so hamstrung by processes. If you’re doing your job well, you are left to do your job well.”
Rankin has also found having this degree of autonomy very satisfying – but, he emphasises, support is still there if he needs it. “You have to be an independent worker, but that’s not to say we are mavericks! We still have a very clear structure in place. If I’ve got any concerns, I can either talk to my service manager, who I meet with periodically, or to one of several practice supervisors, who we can go to on an ad hoc basis. But, on the whole, you make your recommendations yourself. You have responsibility for your own cases – and for me that’s been brilliant. It’s something I absolutely love about the job.”
That expectation of independence starts early on, but Cafcass also ensures that new hires are given everything they need to be effective in their roles as soon as possible. The organisation puts each FCA through a comprehensive induction process, and provides both online and face-to-face training in the specifics of the family court adviser role. New recruits are also provided with a mentor. “I found that very useful,” says McGhee. “They are very experienced, so they’ve seen all the twists and turns a court case might take. If something comes up that you’ve never even considered, they have most likely dealt with it.”
Now is a great time to join Cafcass: it’s going from strength to strength as an employer. In March 2018, Ofsted rated the organisation “outstanding” – an improvement on its 2014 “good” rating. Inspectors praised its long-term view and steady progress towards excellence, pointing out that its leaders “have worked diligently to develop and support a culture of continuous learning and improvement”.
The role of family court adviser has enabled Faulkner to do more of what he finds the most satisfying: representing children. He now does more direct work with them than he ever did as a local authority social worker. “Of course, it’s a very serious part of the job,” he says, “but it’s also a very fun part. I’d encourage any social worker to think about joining Cafcass. I can work flexibly. I have autonomy. I’ve found it incredibly liberating.”
