Cafcass new service called Enabling Family Time

Cafcass is seeking suppliers that are interested in delivering a service for families in Private Law family court proceedings. Cafcass requires suppliers to hold NACCC Enhanced accreditation and Cyber Essentials certification to be able to deliver this service.

Cafcass commissions the delivery of services for families in private family law proceedings in England on behalf of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). One of these services, the Improving Child and Family Arrangements (ICFA) service, is coming to an end in 2026 and being replaced with a new service which is called Enabling Family Time.

For every child in private law family court proceedings, whose current and future living arrangements are decided by the family courts, a Cafcass Family Court Adviser (FCA) or Guardian advises the family courts about what is safe for children and in their best interests. The FCA/Guardian focuses on the children's needs, wishes and feelings, making sure that children's voices are heard and are at the heart of the family court's thinking and decision making.

FCAs/Guardians may refer to the Enabling Family Time service, following their suitability assessment. Enabling Family Time has been designed to focus on establishing/re-establishing family time between children and their parents/carers by offering up to three (3) family time sessions, following an FCA's suitability assessment. The service is aligned to the Pathfinder project and will be guided by the Cafcass Child Impact Assessment Framework (CIAF) and the needs of children and families.