Cafcass 'just as busy' despite falling care applications, says chief
Joanne Parkes
Thursday, October 10, 2019
The chief executive of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) Jacky Tiotto says the body has not seen a fall in work despite it dealing with fewer care applications over the past year.
Latest figures published by Cafcass, show the service received a total of 1,000 new applications in September 2019 - 5.8 per cent fewer than during the same month in 2018.
The figures reflect a long-term trend - there was a 4.6 per cent fall over the year ending March 2019 compared with the previous year.
Over the first six months of 2019, (April to September), Cafcass received 6,608 new applications - down 5.1 per cent on the same period last year.
However, rather than see a drop off in case work for Cafcass, Tiotto said the organisation is still operating at "peak capacity".
Tiotto said: "There are definitely less care applications for children to be removed from their parents.
"But that drop is replaced by other public law proceedings."
- End of an era at Cafcass: Anthony Douglas, outgoing chief executive
- Analysis: Duration of care proceedings off target
Tiotto said Cafcass is instead receiving more applications for the courts to impose orders including for deprivation of liberty, secure accommodation and emergency protection.
She added: "What's been understood from that drop in care applications is that the public law system is less busy - but it isn't.
"Behaviour is changing in terms of what [orders] people are going into court for and we need to understand why that is.
"We will be prioritising work to understand that.
"I think in enough authorities people are looking for different solutions for children that may not be public care.
"I'd be surprised if that's not what we find when we look at the data."
Tiotto said this may be a reflection of better awareness of the principles of the Children Act 1989, which aims to keep children with their parents or connected to family members, where their safety and wellbeing allows.
Lancashire County Council has recently committed £6m to a new early intervention scheme to tackle high numbers of children being taken into care.
The local authority was named as one of 18 councils in line to benefit from a £84m government initiative: Strengthening Families, Protecting Children.
To read the full interview with Jacky Tiotto, see the November edition of CYP Now
