Care applications remain at very high levels

Cafcass release 2010- 11 Quarter 1 care demand statistics

Figures released by Cafcass show that care application demand has remained at a very high level. Between April and June 2010, Cafcass received 2,132 new applications. This figure is 1.7% higher than the same quarter last year. The April and May application numbers were the highest ever recorded by Cafcass for these individual months. These statistics cover care proceedings applications made by local authorities where Cafcass has been appointed by the court to represent the interests of children.

Alison Paddle, spokeswoman for Nagalro, told Children & Young People Now that Cafcass should not restrict the supply of family court guardians to the most urgent cases, even though care applications are still rising.

She criticised the "watching brief" system for non-urgent cases, by which a guardian would monitor proceedings via a child's solicitor, but would not be involved in court hearings.

She added: "It's clearly a big problem for organisations when extra cases are being referred, but it's very difficult to tell reliably which are the most and least urgent, because cases change dynamically. All children are entitled to have somebody who is available to be active on their behalf."

The statistics can be downloaded here. Alison Paddle's interview with Children & Young People Now can be read here.

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