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Hi All,
I had a fact finding hearing a few weeks ago, the conclusion is next month.
We had to squeeze out of the cafcass officer that the BBR course was the ONLY course that could recommend to move contact forward. CAFCASS can not recommend any other alternatives such as Bold Moves safer relations a 12 week course for instance.
Just two points:
1) Because the cafcass officer termed me controlling as this is how she perceived me, her recommendation was that I was to fix this and go onto a course... the course was the BBR course, Is this correct that just because I am controlling (as percieved by cafcass) to cafcass and NOT in my relationship then I go onto a course?
2) Ok, lets say I accept I am controlling, then the ONLY course cafcass can recommend is a 28 week course, surely this should be changed to a shorter for low risk candidates like myself?
Taking point 2 into account, I am thinking of trying to change or highlight this point as upon further reading I have obtained a Freedom of information request and seen that 23% of candidates referred to the BBR course was found unsuitable.
Your thoughts on trying to allow cafcass to recommend more course rather than BBR please and your comments on my point 1 which for me sounds ridiculous that the BBR is about people who were in a abusive relationship and you trying to fix that, but it is cafcass who I was perceived controlling to.
Is this the Building Bridges course?
My son was put forward for this and was told not suitable? No reason why from CAFCASS. Actually said there on NO Courses suitable for him.
Yes this is the problem, to progress contact, BBR (Building better relationships) is the only course they have (except for the one day parenting course) to progress contact and satisfy the court... the way I see it, it is a failure to a) recommend it in the first place because there are no other courses they can recommend AND b) CAFCASS do not recognise any other course i.e. a much shorter and simpler one.
I was wondering what we could do collectively about these failures to the system?
Yes this is the problem, to progress contact, BBR (Building better relationships) is the only course they have (except for the one day parenting course) to progress contact and satisfy the court... the way I see it, it is a failure to a) recommend it in the first place because there are no other courses they can recommend AND b) CAFCASS do not recognise any other course i.e. a much shorter and simpler one.
I was wondering what we could do collectively about these failures to the system?
Have you had a final hearing in respect of the Cafcass recommendations?
If not, you can challenge each of their recommendations in the final hearing. I would say focus on challenging the report and the best interests of the child(ren). You won't do yourself any favours in court if you go in with why the system doesn't work as opposed to why you challenge the recommendations. Judges aren't stupid and you can give your opinion or explain you have looked at the course and state why you don't agree.
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