Preparing for Your Cafcass Cymru Safeguarding Call

After you file a C100 application in Wales, one of the first things that happens is a call from a Cafcass Cymru officer. In the Welsh Pathfinder system, this isn't a brief administrative check — it's the beginning of a comprehensive investigation that directly shapes the Child Impact Report the judge reads before your first hearing.

Many parents treat this call casually, thinking of it as a formality. It isn't. What you say during this call, and how you say it, influences the officer's assessment of your family from the outset.

Who Is the Cafcass Cymru Officer?

In Wales, the officer who contacts you is a Welsh Family Proceedings Officer (WFPO) — the Welsh equivalent of a Cafcass family court adviser in England. They're employed by Cafcass Cymru, which is an agency of the Welsh Government (unlike Cafcass in England, which is a separate non-departmental body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice).

The officer's role is to:

• Conduct safeguarding enquiries (criminal record checks, children's services checks, police checks)
• Interview both parents by telephone
• Meet directly with the children (in the Pathfinder model, this happens early)
• Compile a Safeguarding Enquiries Report and, in Pathfinder courts, a Child Impact Report
• Attend court and assist in negotiations at hearings

The officer is not on either parent's side. Their obligation is to the child's welfare.

What the Safeguarding Call Covers

The call typically lasts 30-60 minutes. The officer works through a structured set of topics:

Domestic abuse history. Have there been incidents of domestic abuse in the relationship? This includes physical violence, emotional abuse, coercive control, and financial abuse. The officer will ask about police involvement, restraining orders, and whether the children witnessed any incidents.

Substance misuse. Drug or alcohol use by either parent that could affect their ability to care for the children.

Mental health. Any mental health conditions affecting either parent's parenting capacity. The officer isn't looking to penalise parents with mental health issues — they're assessing whether adequate support is in place.

The children's current situation. Where the children are living, their school, their daily routine, and how they've responded to the separation.

Your proposed arrangements. What contact schedule you want and why you believe it serves the children's interests.

The other parent's capability. The officer will ask for your perspective on the other parent's parenting — both strengths and concerns. This is where parents often stumble.

How to Prepare

Be honest and specific. If there are genuine safety concerns, state them clearly with dates, details, and any evidence you have. If there aren't safety concerns, don't manufacture them — officers are trained to distinguish between genuine welfare issues and tactical allegations, and making unfounded claims damages your credibility.

Stay child-focused. Frame everything around the children's needs, not your grievances. "I'm worried the children aren't getting enough sleep during school nights at their father's house" is a welfare concern. "He doesn't follow my bedtime rules" is a control issue. The officer will hear the difference.

Acknowledge the other parent's strengths. This counterintuitive step is one of the most important. Officers assess "parental capability" partly by looking at which parent facilitates a healthy relationship with the other. A parent who says "He's a good dad, I just think the schedule needs adjusting" presents very differently from a parent who says "He's useless and the children hate going there."

Prepare a concise summary of your proposed arrangement. Before the call, write down the schedule you're proposing and the reasons behind it — linked to the welfare checklist factors (the child's wishes, their school and routine, continuity of care, risk of harm). Having this ready prevents you from rambling or getting sidetracked by emotions during the call.

Don't coach your children. Cafcass Cymru officers meet with children directly during the Pathfinder investigation. If a child's expressed wishes sound rehearsed or closely mirror one parent's position, the officer will note this. Let your children speak for themselves.

From Safeguarding Call to Child Impact Report

In the Welsh Pathfinder system, the safeguarding call is one input into the wider Child Impact Report. The officer also:

• Runs criminal record checks via police
• Contacts local authority children's services for any historic involvement
• Checks with schools and health providers
• Meets with the children directly

The Child Impact Report is filed with the court within six weeks — much faster than the 14-16 weeks a traditional Section 7 report takes in England. This report goes to the judge before the first hearing, which means the narrative established during the investigation phase carries significant weight.

If you disagree with anything in the report, you'll have the opportunity to respond at the hearing. But challenging a report is harder than shaping the officer's understanding from the outset. The safeguarding call is your first — and often most influential — opportunity to present your perspective.

The Wales Child Custody & Parenting Plan Guide includes a Cafcass Cymru preparation checklist with example responses to common safeguarding questions, welfare checklist mapping, and a guide to understanding the Child Impact Report process.

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