Yawn, yawn, and yawn, yet another 100 page document about professionals extolling the virtues of the new guidelines surrounding public family law cases and making snide underhand comments about the others’ sector….
So let’s cut to the chase and set down the key, stay awake now, findings:
- Social workers need more training
- The courts need to be better organised
- Delays are still a part of the system
- Parents aren’t being properly advised (the term the report uses is “focused legal guidance” – that just means there are still too many lawyers out there dishing out incorrect legal advice).
- Strict time limits are actually making a mess of things (the report tries to sugar coat this, but the data makes it clear – more haste, less speed).
- The system lacks logical follow through (case management mayhem is still a problem)
And of course, not one person who had actually used the system was asked whether it was efficient, responsive and dynamic.
Despite the fact that this report states the obvious, it’s worth reading and does offer some interesting links to further research and information on the Public Law Outline.
Bring biscuits. Chocolate ones.
Researching Reform 
The real exciting news for the adoption racketeers is that now they can rush forced adoptions through in 26 weeks before all possible relatives have been assessed as alternative carers.The good news WOULD be if they simply abolished forced adoption !
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I don’t understand why the system doesn’t understand that it’s all about competence. It doesn’t matter what a system looks like – it’s what’s inside that counts.
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Reblogged this on World4Justice : NOW! Lobby Forum..
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Crisis – Reform – Crisis – Reform – Crisis – Same old, same old. They just don’t get it!.
It firstly requires a fundamental reform of the ideology underpinning the whole child welfare system. i.e. that children’s best interests are served by remaining with their real family, wherever this is possible through help and support. And that current resources must be redirected to restoring children to their real families as soon as possible, and with continuing help and support bring change.
But of course, such changes would result in considerable loss of incomes for those who currently feed off a system which rushes children into phoney families and denies children their genetic, ethnic, cultural, and familial heritage.
Children’s ;lives and happiness versus a multi-billion pound industry. There will always be only one winner.
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R, Absolutely! It is my opinion the system in inherently flawed. Family courts will never be fair as “justice” is based on the balance of probabilities (not truth), which boils down to someones opinion. That someone is Cafcass, the LA social worker and whatever expert they can buy!
Cafcass social worker Suzy Smith, in a fit of pique over his condemnation of her earlier handling of his custody battle, lied that a father had abused his 6 year old daughter. He hadn’t! The false allegations were dropped a little down the line but not until damage was done. Cafcass only dismissed her 6 months after making her allegations!
How many other social workers have lied? Or held on to an early belief but failed to amend their paperwork along with their revised thinking? How many have ever retracted their statements? Maybe once started the momentum continues and they find they can’t backtrack without losing face and their credibility. How many Judges have known they lied but dismissed those lies and removed children regardless? Do Judges turn a blind eye because they become familiar with the same social workers working in the same area? Is it because its all too close? Is it because Judges are simply lazy and it’s easier to accept what the social workers say, after all social workers are on the ground, who are they to go against them?
It is well known that Judges do accept what social workers say. Only twice in the past year have high court judges made headlines by going against the status quo and berated sloppy social worker practices! But what of other practice’s that are not sloppy but well rehearsed and appear competent? Suzy Smith continued to work for 6 months after making her allegations before Cafcass sacked her! Why was she not stopped immediately, especially after Cafcass is now connected officially with the Family Courts? Judges have become social worker puppets, or in the common vernacular, Judges are now social worker bitches!
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