Four hundred children's guardians have said they will not join
the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service,
according to the guardians' professional association.
The National Association of Guardians Ad Litem and Reporting
Officers has received 400 letters from guardians, who are
self-employed, saying the salaried employment contract offered by
Cafcass is "unacceptable", following its decision to renege on
offering self-employed contracts.
The number represents more than half of the 750 guardians,
threatening to bring the service to the point of collapse from
August.
Cafcass's contingency plans include a recruitment campaign
launched this month for "family court advisers" in child care law
proceedings. A Cafcass spokesperson said it had already had 500
expressions of interest.