14/10/2024
Statement from Cafcass Chief Executive Jacky Tiotto on the New Domestic Abuse Practice Policy.
Today, we’re sharing the powerful statement from Cafcass Chief Executive Jacky Tiotto on Cafcass’s new Domestic Abuse Practice Policy, published on 9th October 2024. In this statement, she addresses the ongoing challenges in protecting children and adult victims of domestic abuse within family court proceedings and reaffirms Cafcass’s commitment to further improving their practices.
This is a vital step forward in safeguarding those at risk, and we encourage everyone to read and reflect on these important words.
Dare we have hope that change is coming?
The Shropshire Against DNA Team.
Cafcass Chief Executive, Jacky Tiotto said:
"No child or adult should have to live with or worry about the prospect of spending time with another adult who threatens, controls, abuses, and harms them. Sadly, many abusive adults apply to the family court to spend time or to live with their children despite causing them harm and being a risk of further harm to them in the future.
“Family Court Advisers and Children’s Guardians are independently appointed by the family court. Cafcass is their employer and sets policy and standards. Together, we have a statutory responsibility and duty to safeguard children in proceedings and in so doing, to advise the family court on arrangements that protect them and the adult parent or family member with whom they live. Everyone at Cafcass wants to do this and to do it well.
“When the advice put to the court, doesn’t get the balance right between the right of a child to have both parents in their lives and the risk of harm from that contact, when it doesn’t protect a child, when it isn’t in their best interests and when it puts their protective adult and carers in harms way, the consequences can be devastating.
“This is why we continue to prioritise further improvement in working with child and adult victims of domestic abuse. It is why we have an internal improvement programme, why we are listening so hard to child and adult victims and public concerns. We are intent on eliminating practice that isn’t good enough.
“I am sorry that some four years on from the Harm Panel report, there are still children and adults in family court proceedings who do not receive the protection they deserve and require. Family Court Advisers and Children’s Guardians work hard through their assessment and advice to court to protect many children and adults from harm every day. But for those for whom this isn’t so, it is not acceptable and we are determined to continue to improve and to strive to protect every child and adult in family proceedings. The new policy that we are publishing today is a very significant step to further improve the way, together as a system, we protect child and adult victims of domestic abuse.”
