Cafcass complaints — the official route and what it can (and can't) fix

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-30

If you're unhappy with how Cafcass (the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) handled your case — your Family Court Adviser's conduct, delays, errors in a report — there is a formal complaints route. But it has clear limits: a complaint cannot change a court order or a report's recommendation. This guide explains what the complaints process does, what it doesn't, and the alternatives. It is general information, not legal advice.

What you can complain about

Cafcass's own complaints policy covers, for adults who received a service or were directly affected by its work:

Administrative failures — missed deadlines it promised, a no-show at a meeting or hearing, causing delay in proceedings
Factual errors in documents or reports — wrong names, dates of birth, misrecorded information
Unprofessional behaviour — rudeness, disrespect, failure to respond
Not following Cafcass policies in how it worked with your family

What you cannot complain about

Cafcass expressly excludes from the complaints process:

Challenges to assessments or recommendations — its reports are written for the court, and disagreement with a recommendation is an issue for the court, not the complaints team (including concerns about bias — those go to the judge)
Judicial decisions and court orders — if you think a judge got it wrong, the routes are appeal or, where appropriate, an application to vary
Other professionals — judges, local authority social workers, solicitors, court-appointed experts each have their own complaints routes

The process, step by step

1. Raise it locally first — speak with your Family Court Adviser or their manager; many issues are resolved at this level immediately 2. Submit a complaint — through the Cafcass website form, by email (customerfeedback@cafcass.gov.uk), by phone, or by post (Cafcass, PO Box 5076, Slough, SL1 0RX) 3. Acknowledgement within 2 working days; the case is allocated to the complaints team 4. Either early resolution (aim: within one week) or a full investigation (target: 20 working days) 5. Outcomes can include an explanation, an apology, amending records, clarifying matters with the court, or changes to practice

Children and young people have their own route, including the free "Hear to Listen" phone line (0808 175 3333) and a dedicated children's complaints policy, with a reply target of 10 working days.

Escalation: the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

If Cafcass's handling of your complaint is exhausted and you believe maladministration caused you injustice — poor record keeping, mishandled subject access requests, unfair investigation — you can ask your MP to refer your case to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). The PHSO has upheld complaints against Cafcass where record keeping and supervision fell below standard, and can recommend apologies and compensation.

If your real complaint is about a section 7 report

In proceedings: respond in a position statement, identify precisely what's wrong (facts missed, evidence not considered, recommendations unsupported), ask the court to deal with it at hearing, and give your evidence
Ask for the addendum report or for the judge to hear from the FCA about disputed points
Note that the judge decides the case, not Cafcass — a well-evidenced challenge at hearing achieves more than any complaints letter

Data and records

Subject Access Request (SAR) — you can request the records Cafcass holds about you; Cafcass must respond within one month (see our file retention/DSAR guide)
If the SAR response is incomplete, that failure itself is complaint material — for Cafcass and potentially the Information Commissioner's Office

Official links

YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory — we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Cafcass, the PHSO, or gov.uk. This page is general information and is not legal advice.

Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.