Working as a family court adviser, Jennie Dawe has witnessed the flaws in the family justice system first hand - from cases that could easily have been diverted from reaching court in the first place to the lengthy, frustrating delays in finding permanent placements for children removed from their parents at birth.
The statutory role of family court advisers – also known as children’s guardians – is to advocate on behalf of children during court proceedings. So professionals like Dawe are seldom involved in cases before they go to court.
But now a pilot scheme in Coventry and Warwickshire run by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) is looking to transform the traditional role of guardians. The idea is to bring family court advisers into the picture earlier to stop cases from going to court and reduce delays wherever possible.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
