Family assistance orders — short-term help from Cafcass after proceedings

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-30

A family assistance order (FAO) is a little-known order under section 16 of the Children Act 1989. It directs a Cafcass officer (or, in some cases, a local authority officer) to advise, assist and — in the legislation's own words — "befriend" the people named in the order for a short period after family court proceedings end. This guide explains when courts make them and what they actually involve. It is information, not legal advice.

What an FAO is

Made under s.16 Children Act 1989 in family proceedings
Names the people the officer should help — usually both parents, and sometimes the child — after a child arrangements order or other s.8 order is made
The officer's role is to advise, assist and befriend the named adults — helping the arrangements work, not policing them
Lasts a maximum of 12 months unless the court specifies a shorter period (s.16(5))

The key features

Consent is required. An FAO cannot be made requiring a person to be helped without that person's consent — it is a voluntary, supportive order, not a supervisory one
It can be made alongside a child arrangements order, and the court can direct the officer to report back to the court on how the s.8 order is working (including whether it should be varied or discharged)
A local authority can only be named with its agreement, or if the child lives in its area
In practice, FAOs are made rarely — they are for cases where both parents accept some short-term professional help would keep the arrangement on track

When a court might make one

Where parents have agreed or been ordered into arrangements but one or both are struggling to make them work
Where there has been a long gap in contact and a supported reintroduction would help
Where the family would benefit from short-term involvement with a clear, achievable goal — not open-ended supervision

What to do if you think an FAO would help

1. Raise it during proceedings — the judge can make one at the final hearing 2. Explain why short-term, agreed professional involvement would help the arrangement succeed (for example, a fixed-term goal like re-establishing contact) 3. Remember everyone named must consent — if the other parent refuses, the court cannot force an FAO on them

FAO vs other options

If supervision of the arrangement itself is needed (checking compliance with a child arrangements order), a family assistance order is not the right tool — consider whether an enforcement route or a monitoring provision in the order is more apt
If there are welfare concerns about the child, the court may instead direct a section 7 report (Cafcass) or a section 37 direction (local authority investigation)
If the family needs mediation to resolve a new dispute, a MIAM or mediation with an FMC-accredited mediator is the usual route

Official links

YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory — we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to HMCTS, Cafcass, 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.