Written evidence submitted by Mary Wilder,
children's guardian (CAF 13)
CAFCASS
I write as a Children's Guardian (previously
Guardian ad litem) since 1991. I am self-employed and work in
inner London.
Prior to CAFCASS, 80-85% of my working week
was taken up with Guardian work. I have now reduced this to 25-30%
as a direct result of dissatisfaction with the organisation and
the inefficiency and the way that children's interests have been
adversely affected. Most of my time is now given to independent
social work assessments for the courts as an expert witness, where
time is not wasted on bureaucracy. Prior to working as a Guardian,
I had 14 years experience as a social worker in local authorities,
primarily engaged in child protection and childcare planning work.
My concerns regarding CAFCASS are as follows:
1. Standards of professional competence
have been lowered, eg new practitioners need have only three years
post-qualifying experience. This is insufficient for the performance
of the task which requires autonomy and the ability to critically
assess the actions of local authorities.
2. Experienced Guardians used to feel valued
by the service and no longer do so, thus many have left or have
reduced the amount of work they do for CAFCASS.
3. The waiting list for a child to have
a Guardian was always small. For the last year it has been quadrupled,
eg 165 cases (some involving more than one child) at the moment.
4. A great deal of public money is being
wasted on the fragmented use of consultants and on a top-heavy
management structure.
5. There has been a severe diminution of
service to the individual children, and those are the most vulnerable
children in our society, who have been subject to emotional, physical
and sexual abuse. Without enough experienced Guardians, the voice
of the child is much weaker now. This at a time when the government
is beginning to recognise and to support the need for advocacy
for children.
6. Industrial relations are at a very low
point. All sections of the workforce have been alienated. We need
more direct input by practitioners, who know what the job involves,
into decision-making, and to revert to less form-filling and time-wasting.
Some of us are still waiting to see the result
of reviewing the service, with the intention of opting back in
if things can be put right.
Mary Wilder
Children's Guardian
10 March 2003
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