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CAFCASS definition

What does CAFCASS mean? CAFCASS (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) represents children’s interests in family court cases in England. It provides independent welfare advice to the court, undertakes safeguarding checks, prepares reports, and, where required, acts as the child’s guardian. It is a statutory service established by the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000; its Family Court Advisers (children’s guardians) are officers of the court under the Family Procedure Rules. Typical functions include: in private law children proceedings, initial safeguarding enquiries and a safeguarding letter, Section 7 welfare reports, and risk assessment under PD12J and the Child Arrangements Programme; it may...

Cafcass non-attendance costs in private law children: procedure

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Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI 2010/2955, 28.1

Under Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI 2010/2955, 28.1, the court may issue whatever Costs order it considers just at any point. The authority for the Family Court and the High Court to impose a costs order on a non-party stems from section 51 of the Senior Courts Act 1981. Pursuant to FPR 2010, SI 2010/2955, 28.2, selected elements of the Civil Procedure Rules 1998 (CPR) on costs are adopted within the FPR 2010. See Practice Note: Costs in family proceedings. No formal application is needed; however, a judge should not make such an order without first joining the third party and giving them the opportunity to make submissions on whether the order is appropriate (per CPR 46.2). Where an adjourned hearing has been ineffective, the court may reserve the question of costs and direct CAFCASS to show cause why they should not meet the costs of that ineffective hearing. If an order made at an ineffective hearing is silent on costs, then, in line with CPR 44.10(1), no party is entitled to recover costs. Per Griffiths v Commissioner of...

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Web page updated on 11/06/2026

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