Consultation outcome

Future inspection of Cafcass from 2021

From:
Ofsted
Published
14 October 2020
Last updated
17 March 2021 — See all updates

Applies to England

This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Inspection of Cafcass: report on the responses to the consultation

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Equality, diversity and inclusion statement: Cafcass inspection framework

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Detail of outcome

This is a report on the outcomes of the consultation on the proposals for the future inspection of Cafcass from 2021.

In summary we will:

  • introduce a whole system approach which will involve more frequent contact and more regular scrutiny
  • carry out inspections at short notice and increase our overall contact with Cafcass over a 3-year period
  • make a single national judgement about the impact of leaders
  • carry out focused visits between judgement inspections
  • scrutinise the accuracy of Cafcass’s self-evaluation through inspections, focused visits and annual engagement meetings.

Original consultation

Summary

Ofsted seeks your views on proposed changes to its inspections of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass).

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

We have revised the planned publication date of our response to this consultation and the publication of the new framework for the inspection of Cafcass from February 2021 to March 2021. The delay is due to the Ofsted resources that were originally allocated to this consultation being diverted to respond to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The new framework will apply to inspections of Cafcass taking place after 1 April 2021.

About this consultation

This consultation seeks your views on our proposals for changes to the way Ofsted inspects Cafcass from April 2021.

We propose:

  • to introduce a whole-system approach that includes not only inspections, but also additional visits and activities outside inspection
  • to introduce a new, shortened judgement inspection of Cafcass as a national organisation
  • to make a single judgement about the impact of leaders rather than judging local and national leadership separately
  • to complete a focused visit at least once between judgement inspections
  • that Cafcass should share a self-evaluation with us annually to help inform our inspection planning

We will consider all responses carefully before finalising and publishing the framework in March 2021.

Documents

Consultation on the future inspection of Cafcass

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Equality, diversity and inclusion statement: Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service inspection framework

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Updates to this page

Published 14 October 2020
Last updated 17 March 2021 + show all updates

  1. Response to consultation published together with an equality, diversity and inclusion statement.

  2. The publication date of the consultation outcome and the new inspection framework has been revised from February 2021 to March 2021.

  3. First published.

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