Future inspection of Cafcass from 2021
Ofsted seeks your views on proposed changes to its inspections of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass).
We have revised the planned publication date of our response to this consultation and the publication of the new framework for the inspection of Cafcass from February 2021 to March 2021. The delay is due to the Ofsted resources that were originally allocated to this consultation being diverted to respond to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The new framework will apply to inspections of Cafcass taking place after 1 April 2021.
About this consultationThis consultation seeks your views on our proposals for changes to the way Ofsted inspects Cafcass from April 2021.
We propose:
- to introduce a whole-system approach that includes not only inspections, but also additional visits and activities outside inspection
- to introduce a new, shortened judgement inspection of Cafcass as a national organisation
- to make a single judgement about the impact of leaders rather than judging local and national leadership separately
- to complete a focused visit at least once between judgement inspections
- that Cafcass should share a self-evaluation with us annually to help inform our inspection planning
We will consider all responses carefully before finalising and publishing the framework in March 2021.