Court reporters - CAFCASS - Sellout - 9 Principles
back to CAFCASS sellout
CAFCASSI SECI Contact Principles and Practice Guidance I Draft 1 Draft issued16..08.04
. Many children can be at risk of harm from family members and this can be sexual, physical or emotional in nature.
Nine CAFCASS principles relating to contact are explained and a number of key messages for practitioners are given at the beginning of each practice section. In section 6 a number of practice procedures are set out that practitioners must follow in making contact assessments, when applicable. The principles and the key practitioner messages are listed below:
The principles:
1. Encourage family resolution 2. Accept each child as unique 3. Inform and listen to children
4. Children's needs take priority
5. Accept and work with diversity 6. Always address risk
7. Value all forms of contact 8. Promote fairness
9. Minimise delay and its effects
The key practitioner messages:
. Encourage cooperative parenting and possibilities for agreement.
. Be aware of the significance of each relationship and what it offers children. . Do not allow emotional pressure to obscure a clear child-focus.
. Be aware of the concerns and perceptions of lobby groups and individual parents and
respond with informed understanding.
. Always question your own practice and assumptions and update them with research
and through consultation, supervision and training opportunities. Contact that works:
. Recognise that each child's needs may differ from those of brothers and sisters.
. Identify the genuine wishes of children and their parents. Where they differ, seek to encourage thought, discussion and resolution.
. Consider the quality of the child-parent relationship and the child's need for stability and continuity.
. Be realistic about the respect each parent has for the other as a carer and their ability to develop and maintain a workable, parenting relationship.
~'"' . Take account of previous childcare arrangements in the family when working with parents on how they might best continue to parent their children. Proximity, finance,
Page 7 of 68