The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service has defended its board members as pressure mounts for them to resign after last week's damning parliamentary report into the service.

In a statement e-mailed to staff immediately after the release of the report by the select committee of the Department for Constitutional Affairs, formerly the Lord Chancellor's Department, Cafcass chief executive Jonathan Tross said he "personally regretted" the way the board had been criticised.

"As the report highlights, [they] were given a difficult remit and have steered Cafcass through a difficult period, demonstrating dedication and commitment to the interests of children and the service," he said.

But organisations from the legal and children's guardians fields are calling for some board members to be replaced. Alison Paddle, chairperson of guardians' organisation Nagalro, said it would be "extremely worrying" if there were no changes.

"We want to see some high profile appointments of people who know the family court business inside out," she said.

One of the report's central recommendations is for board membership to be reviewed after the committee found it had not been scrutinising the work of management effectively (news, page 6, 24 July).

The Association of Lawyers for Children welcomed the recommendation to reconstitute the board.

Committee chairperson Alan Beith described the board's lack of relevant experience as "striking". Only one member has previously represented children in care proceedings.

Tross's comments will anger the select committee, which referred in its report to the chairperson and other board members being "determined to bury their heads in the sand and pretend there is nothing wrong".

Beith said changes to the board might help to win back confidence in the organisation and called for the Department for Constitutional Affairs and ministers to clarify the relationship between the board and the department.

The government will respond to the report in the autumn.