Cafcass are looking for 2 social workers for the following roles.
Office location Stevenage - Covering Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire
No. of vacancies: 2
Team vacancies are in: Private Law
Suitable candidates must have a degree in social work and be on the SWE register..
What is CAFCASS?
Cafcass is Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service. Cafcass usually get involved in child proceedings once you or your former partner have submitted an application to the court.
The role of Cafcass is to safeguard and promote the welfare of children by considering their needs, wished and feeling in child cases. The court usually asks Cafcass advisors to work with families and advise the family court of the interests, needs, wishes and feelings of a child.
To provide advanced social work-level services to children, families and courts by assessing and analysing court applications for any child protection and serious welfare issues affecting a child or young person. Also, to influence those with parental responsibility to be more child-focused when needed, to advise the courts and Local Authorities about safeguarding concerns and about how a child's life can be improved, supporting judicial case management in the process.
To achieve this, you will need to keep the child at the centre of your work through high quality direct work with children and their families as well as high quality analysis and assessment. You will also need to be a skilled negotiator, working persuasively with family members and professionals on behalf of children. You will need to keep the child's timescale in the context of the child's journey through childhood and, where applicable, the care system, at the centre of everything you do and you must be prepared to advocate in the best interests of the child, ensuring their voice is not lost in the court arena. You will be required to be a resilient, reflective and accountable practitioner, possessing good IT and organisational skills, so that you can maintain a high throughput of outstanding casework.
FCA
What is a Section 7
A section 7 report is usually required when the court has requested for this to be commissioned either by Cafcass or the social services to assist them in reaching a decision on a child proceedings case concerning the welfare of a child. A report will assist the court in considering a family dispute between the parents and determining an outcome of the dispute.
A Cafcass section 7 report may be needed in one of the following matters:
- Child Arrangements Order - when deciding who the child is to live with and with who the child is to have contact if you are looking to obtain a contact order for your child please visit our page on contact orders which will explain everything you need to know regarding this area.
- Prohibited Steps Order - preventing either parent from doing certain things or making decisions without the permission of the other parent
- Specific Issue Order - an order to determine a specific question arising in relation to a child.
A report will contain background information, key facts and most importantly will set out the child's needs and wishes in accordance with the Welfare Checklist. When preparing a report the Cafcass officer or social services will need to see the child usually independently as well as interviewing both parents individually. You may be concerned about the report questions which you may be asked. Our team of family law specialists can be contacted by you at any time who could prepare you for your interview and the report questions.
Cafcass must have consideration for the following criteria of the Welfare Checklist.
A Cafcass section 7 report will also include the officer's findings following an interview with the parents individually and following an interview with the child. The report will include recommendations which will be provided to the family court for them to consider when making an order in respect of a child.
Section 37
What is a CAFCASS section 37 report?
A section 37 report is prepared when the courts become concerned surrounding the welfare of a child. The courts will order a section 27 report to address their concerns and essentially are asking the local authority to consider whether it should be taking further steps to protect a child. The court directs the local authority to undertake a thorough investigation into the child's circumstances and report its findings to the court. The reporting of these findings is known as a section 37 report. The report is usually ordered when the court seems that it may be appropriate for a care order or a supervision order to be made.
Who prepares a section 37 report?
The court will direct a social worker to compile a section 37 report. This can either be from the local authority in which the child is arising or a social worker from Cafcass. The author of the report will be a qualified professional social worker with experience in dealing with children and families.
To apply for this position, please send your CV in the first instance to Becky at or call
Don't forget...Eden Brown Synergy offers a £250 referral bonus for Social Workers. If this role isn't for you but you know someone suitable, ask them to get in touch. £250 could be on it's way to you! Your expert recruitment consultant is Becky Dewis, call today on or email Eden Brown Synergy is committed to equality in the workplace and is an equal opportunity employer. Eden Brown Synergy is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.
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