Cafcass Domestic Abuse Practice Policy

On 9^th October 2024 Cafcass published a new Domestic Abuse Practice Policy. An updated version, the Amended Domestic Abuse Practice Policy, was implemented on 28^th January 2025.

In this presentation, Justine Ramsden and Ben Woolstencroft, family barristers at Harcourt Chambers, delve into the rationale for the new policy and the key areas within it, including:

1. Evidence of domestic abuse
2. How domestic abuse and the effect on victims should be written about in reports
3. Recommendations for ‘spends time with / lives with’ orders
4. Fact finding hearings
5. Parental alienation
6. Assessing perpetrators
7. S91(14) orders
8. Safeguarding

Justine and Ben draw on their own understanding, knowledge and experience of private law children proceedings to analyse the strengths and weaknesses in the different areas of the new policy.

The presentation goes on to provide practical advice on how the policy may be implemented and how best practitioners should prepare their clients in cases involving alleged domestic abuse.

This presentation is aimed particularly at those with clients facing allegations of domestic abuse within private law children proceedings.

Learning Objectives:

• The rationale behind the new Cafcass Domestic Abuse Practice Policy
• The key areas of the Cafcass Domestic Abuse Practice Policy
• How the new policy may be applied in private law children cases in practice
• How best to prepare for cases involving alleged domestic abuse following the new policy