Mr J complained that a Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) officer interviewed his ex–partner at her home but did not visit him.
What happened
Ms C, Mr J's ex–partner, lived in the south east of England (where the Cafcass officer in this case was based), while Mr J lived over two hundred miles away. Mr J told the Cafcass officer he could not travel to meet her. Despite this, the officer arranged an interview with him at her office in the south east of England which Mr J could not attend, and so the meeting eventually took place by telephone. Mr J felt that the officer should have visited him at his home, as she did when interviewing his ex–partner.
What we found
We partly upheld this case. The Cafcass officer was not customer–focused and did not deal with Mr J helpfully.
Putting it right
Cafcass apologised to Mr J.
Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass)
UK
Came to an unsound decision
Apology