If you are involved in court proceedings about the care of your children, a section 7 report is a term you may hear.
In our last blog we explained a section 7 report:
In your case, the Judge or Magistrates may consider making an order for a section 7 report. If they do, one of the issues they have to consider is which organisation will prepare the report.
One option is a social worker from social services, also called children’s services. The social worker will be from the Council where the children are living.
Another option is a Cafcass officer from the area where the children are living.
Generally speaking, where social services are already involved with the family they will prepare the report.
Where there has been no recent social services involvement Cafcass will prepare the report.
Usually each local area will have an agreement between social services and Cafcass setting out when it is each organisation’s responsibility to prepare the report. The court should have a copy of the agreement.
If you are involved in court proceedings about the care of your child, and are looking for expert and affordable legal advice contact us at office@citmchambers.co.uk or 0117 214 1797.