{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?hansardHeading=CAFCASS", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?hansardHeading=CAFCASS", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?_metadata=all&hansardHeading=CAFCASS", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?_page=0&hansardHeading=CAFCASS", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?hansardHeading=CAFCASS", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?hansardHeading=CAFCASS", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1567580", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1567580/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>Cafcass\u2019 domestic abuse practice guidance consists of a practice pathway and a guidance document that provides social work practitioners with a structured approach to risk assessment of domestic abuse in the family court. This was updated in May 2021 alongside a programme of training in its use for all practice staff. The materials can be accessed here: <a href=\"https://www.cafcass.gov.uk/grown-ups/professionals/ciaf/resources-for-assessing-domestic-abuse/\" target=\"_blank\">Resources for assessing domestic abuse - Cafcass - Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service<\/a>.<\/p><p>The practice pathway guidance provides practitioners with a range of assessment tools to use when domestic abuse is part of a family\u2019s circumstances. The aim of this guidance is to ensure that the safety and wellbeing of the child at the centre of proceedings; to promote the best interests of the child and offer a safe recommendation to the court; to work in a trauma focused, respectful and responsive manner; to assess the impact on the child of their lived experience of domestic abuse and to look for strengths in the family and community to promote safety.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4004", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mike Freer"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Finchley and Golders Green"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mike Freer"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-01-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-01-24T10:20:13.493Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-01-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "CAFCASS"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what safeguarding guidance the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service follows when it assists victims of domestic abuse.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/234", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Gary Streeter"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Devon"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sir Gary Streeter"}
      ], "uin" : "125228"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1523394", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1523394/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>The Government recognises the important services provided by child contact centres.<\/p><p>Until April this year, the Ministry of Justice provided small value grants, via Cafcass, to support the running of child contact centres. The Ministry of Justice is in the final stages of agreeing the funding arrangements for this year\u2019s grants and information will be made publicly available once this process is complete.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3970", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Johnson"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dartford"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Gareth Johnson"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-10-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-10-24T11:55:01.83Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-10-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "CAFCASS"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the (a) adequacy of funding for and (b) effectiveness in the disbursement of that funding for contact centres as a result of the withdrawal of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Services from the disbursement process.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4641", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Norris"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Nottingham North"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Norris"}
      ], "uin" : "65979"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1357435", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1357435/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>The protection of children, particularly those who are most vulnerable, is a priority for this government. We recognise the additional pressures that the family justice system has faced since the Covid-19 pandemic, and the impact this has had on children and families who use the family courts. Since the start of the pandemic the number of new cases issued to Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) has exceeded the number of cases closed for Cafcass. As at 1 September, Cafcass caseload is 20% higher than March 2020.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>The Ministry of Justice has worked closely with Cafcass to manage these pressures and mitigate the impact on its services. Earlier this year £6million in additional funding was agreed to enable Cafcass to increase staff capacity to meet the increased open caseload.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Cafcass has also put in place a protocol to, where necessary, prioritise cases in local service areas so it can continue to meet the needs of the most vulnerable children and families. The approach involves courts working with Cafcass to triage and allocate cases in private law proceedings on the basis of risk and capacity. The Ministry of Justice has agreed an additional £491k to support this work until the end of this financial year.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Cafcass\u2019 prioritisation protocol only applies to private law applications. All public law work continues to be allocated in the normal way and within established timescales. Urgent public law\u202fchildren\u202fcases are still being prioritised by the courts, to help safeguard the welfare of the most vulnerable children.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4519", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cartlidge"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Suffolk"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Cartlidge"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "53317"}
        , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-10-21T19:47:27.353Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-09-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "CAFCASS"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the level of the backlog of cases in the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service as at 22 September 2021; and what steps he is taking to tackle that backlog.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4620", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ellie Reeves"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewisham West and Penge"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ellie Reeves"}
      ], "uin" : "53316"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1357436", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1357436/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>The protection of children, particularly those who are most vulnerable, is a priority for this government. We recognise the additional pressures that the family justice system has faced since the Covid-19 pandemic, and the impact this has had on children and families who use the family courts. Since the start of the pandemic the number of new cases issued to Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) has exceeded the number of cases closed for Cafcass. As at 1 September, Cafcass caseload is 20% higher than March 2020.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>The Ministry of Justice has worked closely with Cafcass to manage these pressures and mitigate the impact on its services. Earlier this year £6million in additional funding was agreed to enable Cafcass to increase staff capacity to meet the increased open caseload.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Cafcass has also put in place a protocol to, where necessary, prioritise cases in local service areas so it can continue to meet the needs of the most vulnerable children and families. The approach involves courts working with Cafcass to triage and allocate cases in private law proceedings on the basis of risk and capacity. The Ministry of Justice has agreed an additional £491k to support this work until the end of this financial year.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Cafcass\u2019 prioritisation protocol only applies to private law applications. All public law work continues to be allocated in the normal way and within established timescales. Urgent public law\u202fchildren\u202fcases are still being prioritised by the courts, to help safeguard the welfare of the most vulnerable children.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4519", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cartlidge"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Suffolk"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Cartlidge"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "53316"}
        , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-10-21T19:47:27.4Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-09-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "CAFCASS"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the impact of the backlog of cases in the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service on vulnerable children and families.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4620", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ellie Reeves"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewisham West and Penge"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ellie Reeves"}
      ], "uin" : "53317"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1271420", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1271420/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>The Ministry of Justice has been working closely with Cafcass on mitigating the additional pressures on its services from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Decisions on Cafcass funding are made at a national level. Following discussions with Cafcass, the Ministry of Justice agreed £3.4m in additional funding this year to enable it to increase staff capacity at pace to help meet the challenge of a rising open caseload. It is for Cafcass to make operational decisions about how best to deploy resources across its Service Areas, including allocating work between them to alleviate pressures and reduce the risk of triggering the prioritisation protocol.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Since the protocol was triggered in South Yorkshire and Humberside, significant joint agency work has been undertaken by Cafcass, the judiciary, Her Majesty\u2019s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and other partners such as local authorities. This work has reviewed the root causes for triggering prioritisation in South Yorkshire and Humberside and has included data analysis and reviews of individual case files. The triggering of the protocol in South Yorkshire and Humberside remains under review.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Cafcass has taken measures to manage the impact on children and families of prioritising cases in this Service Area. Cases with a delayed allocation for further Cafcass work will be those where another safeguarding agency is involved or where no safeguarding risks have been identified. The parties will be sent a letter to let them know if Cafcass has been unable to allocate their case and to explain that they will be notified when it has been allocated to a Family Court Adviser. Children will be sent a letter that is age appropriate and explains why their case has been delayed and signposts them to alternative services they can use. The telephone number of a Cafcass Service Manager is given, and they can speak to parents or children if they have concerns about their unallocated case. Delays will be kept to a minimum where possible. All unallocated work will remain under review by a Cafcass Service Manager and reviewed regularly by the Assistant Director in the area and on a weekly basis by a multi-agency group which includes members of the judiciary and HMCTS. A material change to the circumstance of the family could, if appropriate, prompt a change to the priority of the case.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Cafcass continues to work to attract, recruit and retain social workers into the posts created by the additional £3.4m resource. It is continually reviewing and developing options to help retain its highly trained workforce during this challenging time. In South Yorkshire and Humberside Cafcass has recruited a number of agency and permanent Family Court Advisers which has addressed some of the issues present at the point the protocol was triggered.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Ministry of Justice officials hold regular meetings with Cafcass for assurance that its resources are being used as effectively as possible. We are aware of the pressures that Cafcass staff are facing due to unprecedented levels of demand. The importance of being able to recruit and retain appropriately qualified staff is being considered during the approval of Cafcass\u2019 pay remit for this financial year.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4481", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Chalk"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cheltenham"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alex Chalk"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-01-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "130170"}
        , {"_value" : "130171"}
        , {"_value" : "130172"}
        ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-01-11T16:15:38.313Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-12-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "CAFCASS"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the decision by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) of 23 November 2020 to allocate only the highest priority work in South Yorkshire and the Humber, what steps he is taking to help avoid the necessity for Cafcass to trigger that prioritisation protocol elsewhere.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4521", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dwyfor Meirionnydd"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Liz Saville Roberts"}
      ], "uin" : "130169"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1271421", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1271421/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>The Ministry of Justice has been working closely with Cafcass on mitigating the additional pressures on its services from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Decisions on Cafcass funding are made at a national level. Following discussions with Cafcass, the Ministry of Justice agreed £3.4m in additional funding this year to enable it to increase staff capacity at pace to help meet the challenge of a rising open caseload. It is for Cafcass to make operational decisions about how best to deploy resources across its Service Areas, including allocating work between them to alleviate pressures and reduce the risk of triggering the prioritisation protocol.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Since the protocol was triggered in South Yorkshire and Humberside, significant joint agency work has been undertaken by Cafcass, the judiciary, Her Majesty\u2019s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and other partners such as local authorities. This work has reviewed the root causes for triggering prioritisation in South Yorkshire and Humberside and has included data analysis and reviews of individual case files. The triggering of the protocol in South Yorkshire and Humberside remains under review.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Cafcass has taken measures to manage the impact on children and families of prioritising cases in this Service Area. Cases with a delayed allocation for further Cafcass work will be those where another safeguarding agency is involved or where no safeguarding risks have been identified. The parties will be sent a letter to let them know if Cafcass has been unable to allocate their case and to explain that they will be notified when it has been allocated to a Family Court Adviser. Children will be sent a letter that is age appropriate and explains why their case has been delayed and signposts them to alternative services they can use. The telephone number of a Cafcass Service Manager is given, and they can speak to parents or children if they have concerns about their unallocated case. Delays will be kept to a minimum where possible. All unallocated work will remain under review by a Cafcass Service Manager and reviewed regularly by the Assistant Director in the area and on a weekly basis by a multi-agency group which includes members of the judiciary and HMCTS. A material change to the circumstance of the family could, if appropriate, prompt a change to the priority of the case.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Cafcass continues to work to attract, recruit and retain social workers into the posts created by the additional £3.4m resource. It is continually reviewing and developing options to help retain its highly trained workforce during this challenging time. In South Yorkshire and Humberside Cafcass has recruited a number of agency and permanent Family Court Advisers which has addressed some of the issues present at the point the protocol was triggered.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Ministry of Justice officials hold regular meetings with Cafcass for assurance that its resources are being used as effectively as possible. We are aware of the pressures that Cafcass staff are facing due to unprecedented levels of demand. The importance of being able to recruit and retain appropriately qualified staff is being considered during the approval of Cafcass\u2019 pay remit for this financial year.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4481", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Chalk"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cheltenham"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alex Chalk"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-01-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "130169"}
        , {"_value" : "130171"}
        , {"_value" : "130172"}
        ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-01-11T16:15:38.387Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-12-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "CAFCASS"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the decision by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) of 23 November 2020 to allocate only the highest priority work in South Yorkshire and the Humber, what estimate he has made of the additional financial resources necessary to (a) stabilise Cafcass in South Yorkshire and the Humber and (b) avoid the necessity for Cafcass to trigger that prioritisation protocol elsewhere.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4521", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dwyfor Meirionnydd"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Liz Saville Roberts"}
      ], "uin" : "130170"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1271423", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1271423/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>The Ministry of Justice has been working closely with Cafcass on mitigating the additional pressures on its services from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Decisions on Cafcass funding are made at a national level. Following discussions with Cafcass, the Ministry of Justice agreed £3.4m in additional funding this year to enable it to increase staff capacity at pace to help meet the challenge of a rising open caseload. It is for Cafcass to make operational decisions about how best to deploy resources across its Service Areas, including allocating work between them to alleviate pressures and reduce the risk of triggering the prioritisation protocol.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Since the protocol was triggered in South Yorkshire and Humberside, significant joint agency work has been undertaken by Cafcass, the judiciary, Her Majesty\u2019s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and other partners such as local authorities. This work has reviewed the root causes for triggering prioritisation in South Yorkshire and Humberside and has included data analysis and reviews of individual case files. The triggering of the protocol in South Yorkshire and Humberside remains under review.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Cafcass has taken measures to manage the impact on children and families of prioritising cases in this Service Area. Cases with a delayed allocation for further Cafcass work will be those where another safeguarding agency is involved or where no safeguarding risks have been identified. The parties will be sent a letter to let them know if Cafcass has been unable to allocate their case and to explain that they will be notified when it has been allocated to a Family Court Adviser. Children will be sent a letter that is age appropriate and explains why their case has been delayed and signposts them to alternative services they can use. The telephone number of a Cafcass Service Manager is given, and they can speak to parents or children if they have concerns about their unallocated case. Delays will be kept to a minimum where possible. All unallocated work will remain under review by a Cafcass Service Manager and reviewed regularly by the Assistant Director in the area and on a weekly basis by a multi-agency group which includes members of the judiciary and HMCTS. A material change to the circumstance of the family could, if appropriate, prompt a change to the priority of the case.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Cafcass continues to work to attract, recruit and retain social workers into the posts created by the additional £3.4m resource. It is continually reviewing and developing options to help retain its highly trained workforce during this challenging time. In South Yorkshire and Humberside Cafcass has recruited a number of agency and permanent Family Court Advisers which has addressed some of the issues present at the point the protocol was triggered.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Ministry of Justice officials hold regular meetings with Cafcass for assurance that its resources are being used as effectively as possible. We are aware of the pressures that Cafcass staff are facing due to unprecedented levels of demand. The importance of being able to recruit and retain appropriately qualified staff is being considered during the approval of Cafcass\u2019 pay remit for this financial year.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4481", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Chalk"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cheltenham"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alex Chalk"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-01-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "130169"}
        , {"_value" : "130170"}
        , {"_value" : "130172"}
        ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-01-11T16:15:38.437Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-12-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "CAFCASS"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the decision by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) of 23 November 2020 to allocate only the highest priority work in South Yorkshire and Humber, what impact assessment his Department has carried out on the effect of the prioritisation protocol on children and families in (a) South Yorkshire and Humber and (b) other regions.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4521", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dwyfor Meirionnydd"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Liz Saville Roberts"}
      ], "uin" : "130171"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1271426", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1271426/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>The Ministry of Justice has been working closely with Cafcass on mitigating the additional pressures on its services from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Decisions on Cafcass funding are made at a national level. Following discussions with Cafcass, the Ministry of Justice agreed £3.4m in additional funding this year to enable it to increase staff capacity at pace to help meet the challenge of a rising open caseload. It is for Cafcass to make operational decisions about how best to deploy resources across its Service Areas, including allocating work between them to alleviate pressures and reduce the risk of triggering the prioritisation protocol.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Since the protocol was triggered in South Yorkshire and Humberside, significant joint agency work has been undertaken by Cafcass, the judiciary, Her Majesty\u2019s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and other partners such as local authorities. This work has reviewed the root causes for triggering prioritisation in South Yorkshire and Humberside and has included data analysis and reviews of individual case files. The triggering of the protocol in South Yorkshire and Humberside remains under review.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Cafcass has taken measures to manage the impact on children and families of prioritising cases in this Service Area. Cases with a delayed allocation for further Cafcass work will be those where another safeguarding agency is involved or where no safeguarding risks have been identified. The parties will be sent a letter to let them know if Cafcass has been unable to allocate their case and to explain that they will be notified when it has been allocated to a Family Court Adviser. Children will be sent a letter that is age appropriate and explains why their case has been delayed and signposts them to alternative services they can use. The telephone number of a Cafcass Service Manager is given, and they can speak to parents or children if they have concerns about their unallocated case. Delays will be kept to a minimum where possible. All unallocated work will remain under review by a Cafcass Service Manager and reviewed regularly by the Assistant Director in the area and on a weekly basis by a multi-agency group which includes members of the judiciary and HMCTS. A material change to the circumstance of the family could, if appropriate, prompt a change to the priority of the case.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Cafcass continues to work to attract, recruit and retain social workers into the posts created by the additional £3.4m resource. It is continually reviewing and developing options to help retain its highly trained workforce during this challenging time. In South Yorkshire and Humberside Cafcass has recruited a number of agency and permanent Family Court Advisers which has addressed some of the issues present at the point the protocol was triggered.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Ministry of Justice officials hold regular meetings with Cafcass for assurance that its resources are being used as effectively as possible. We are aware of the pressures that Cafcass staff are facing due to unprecedented levels of demand. The importance of being able to recruit and retain appropriately qualified staff is being considered during the approval of Cafcass\u2019 pay remit for this financial year.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4481", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Chalk"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cheltenham"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alex Chalk"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-01-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "130169"}
        , {"_value" : "130170"}
        , {"_value" : "130171"}
        ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-01-11T16:15:38.483Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-12-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "CAFCASS"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the decision by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) of 23 November 2020 to allocate only the highest priority work in South Yorkshire and Humber, what steps his Department is taking to (a) improve the effectiveness of Cafcass and (b) increase Cafcass staff retention.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4521", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dwyfor Meirionnydd"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Liz Saville Roberts"}
      ], "uin" : "130172"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1253279", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1253279/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>The Ministry of Justice monitors the effectiveness of Cafcass thorough a partnership relationship which includes regular contact between Departmental officials and senior Cafcass executives. The Ministry of Justice is represented on a weekly Programme Board held by Cafcass to monitor the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on its performance, staff and users. The Permanent Secretary, as Principal Accounting Officer, has also been in regular communication with the Chief Executive and Chair of Cafcass to discuss how services to users can be effectively maintained, and how Cafcass staff are being supported, during current restrictions. Ministers have oversight of the performance of the wider family justice system and agree key priorities through the national Family Justice Board which includes Cafcass and relevant stakeholders in the family justice area.<\/p><p>Cafcass, as an Arms\u2019 Length Body (ALB) of the MoJ, employs and regulates relations with its staff independently of the Ministry of Justice. As an ALB, discussions with trade union representatives are a matter for Cafcass only.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4481", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Chalk"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cheltenham"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alex Chalk"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-11-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-11-23T15:43:21.57Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-11-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "CAFCASS"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent discussions he has had with the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (a) management, (b) staff, (c) trade union representatives, (d) users and (e) other stakeholders on maintaining the effectiveness of that service.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4521", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dwyfor Meirionnydd"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Liz Saville Roberts"}
      ], "uin" : "117326"}
    , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1253280", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
      ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1253280/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "<p>The Ministry of Justice is in discussion with the Treasury about the department\u2019s overall settlement, including funding for Cafcass in 2021/22. No decisions have yet been made.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>Cafcass when established in 2001 was the responsibility of the Lord Chancellor\u2019s Department. That responsibility transferred to the former Department for Education and Science in 2004 before transferring in 2014 to the Ministry of Justice. The Government\u2019s assessment in 2014 was that the work Cafcass does in supporting vulnerable children, and ensuring their voice is heard in court proceedings, is essential and that bringing Cafcass into the Ministry of Justice would be of great benefit to the family justice system.<\/p><p> <\/p><p>There is no evidence that a further transfer of responsibility for Cafcass is necessary, nor that it would have any benefits. Indeed, it would likely be an unhelpful distraction. The Ministry of Justice works closely with the Department for Education in relation to Cafcass and the role of local authority children\u2019s services in public law children proceedings. Ministers in both departments have oversight of the performance of the wider family justice system and agree key priorities through the national Family Justice Board.<\/p>"}
        , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4481", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Chalk"}
        }
        , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cheltenham"}
        , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alex Chalk"}
        , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-11-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "117325"}
        , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
        , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-11-23T15:39:11.093Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
        ]}
      , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
      , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
      , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-11-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
      , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "CAFCASS"}
      , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
      , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
      }
      ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of moving responsibility for the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service to the Department for Education on the effectiveness of that service.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
      , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4521", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts"}
      }
      , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dwyfor Meirionnydd"}
      , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Liz Saville Roberts"}
      ], "uin" : "117327"}
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