Guardians reveal splits with councils

Nearly half of children’s guardians report significant differences
of opinion between themselves and local authorities, research has
shown.

The research from the Department of Social Policy and Social Work
at Oxford University looked into the work of the guardians ad litem
service before it merged with other bodies to become the Children
and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass).

The study – funded by the Nuffield Foundation – found that 73 per
cent of guardians described their relationship with social services
as satisfactory. But in 46 per cent of cases they reported
significant differences of opinion between themselves and the local
authority at some stage in a care case, usually over placement
plans.

Just over a quarter described the quality of the social work as
patchy or poor and more than half said deficiencies in local
authority management of a case before proceedings began had added
to the time they spent on a case. A further quarter claimed they
may have over-stepped their role by undertaking activities which
should have been carried out by a social worker. 

– Capturing Guardian Practice Prior to Cafcass at www.apsoc.ox.ac.uk/Docs/PUBLHUNTCAPTURING2003.pdf