Cafcass Cymru — Wales: what they do in your family court case
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-27
What Cafcass Cymru is
In Wales the equivalent service is Cafcass Cymru — unlike Cafcass in England (a non-departmental public body), Cafcass Cymru is a division of the Welsh Government. It safeguards children's interests in family court proceedings in Wales, performing the same core functions: safeguarding checks and the safeguarding report after a C100, the Family Court Adviser in private law, and the Children's Guardian in public law (care) proceedings.
What Cafcass Cymru does in your case
- Safeguarding report for the first hearing after a private-law application.
- Family Court Adviser (FCA) speaks to you, the other party and often your child; may be asked by the court to prepare a report on the child's welfare.
- Children's Guardian represents your child's independent interests in public-law cases.
- Bilingual service — you can deal with Cafcass Cymru in Welsh or English.
How to contact Cafcass Cymru
Cafcass Cymru's contact routes are published on GOV.WALES. Use:
- GOV.WALES contact page: https://www.gov.wales/cafcass-cymru (general enquiries and office contact details)
- The court where your case is listed can also pass correspondence to the Family Court Adviser or Guardian for your case.
For cases in England, contact Cafcass (0300 456 4000) instead.
How to work with Cafcass Cymru well
Be honest and consistent (checks will verify what you say); stay child-focused; respond promptly; never use your child to deliver messages; keep records of contact and agreed steps.
Official links
- https://www.gov.wales/cafcass-cymru
- https://www.gov.uk/looking-after-children-divorce (child arrangements overview)
- https://www.cafcass.gov.uk (England cases)
This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with Cafcass Cymru, the Welsh Government, HMCTS or gov.uk.
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.
What happens next with Cafcass Cymru
In most applications about children, Cafcass Cymru carries out safeguarding checks before the first hearing and sends the court a short safeguarding letter. The court may later ask for a fuller welfare report, often called a section 7 report. You can read the report carefully and respond in writing to the points you disagree with, one by one.
EvidenceCanvas, an online tool for people who represent themselves, has a plain-English explainer: Cafcass section 7 reports explained. It is not legal advice.
YourFamilyCase and EvidenceCanvas are both owned by Noverquis Ltd.