Ofsted lauds South Yorkshire and Humberside Cafcass

Ofsted inspectors have praised the South Yorkshire and Humberside operation of family court advisory service Cafcass.

Following their visit in August, inspectors gave the service, which covers areas including East Riding, Doncaster and Barnsley, four “good” ratings.

The service’s capacity to improve, ambition, value for money and responsiveness all gained this rating, which is the second highest inspectors can give.

The services received a satisfactory in the other 11 areas inspectors looked at.

Cafcass chief executive Anthony Douglas said: “This report and the others that we have recently received demonstrate the ways in which we have not only been able to provide a more timely service to many more children, but that we have also simultaneously improved our service despite the pressures.

“It is further evidence of our ability to improve and of the way in which our work is positively impacting on children. It has led to a better, more responsive and child-focused service.”

Improvements inspectors want to see before their next visit include better recording of information. They found “little evidence in case files of management oversight of the planning and review process or that case plans are shared with families”.
 
Douglas added that the inspectors visited at one of the busiest times for the organisation. Cafcass received 885 care applications in August, the second highest monthly figure in a decade.