The Cafcass safeguarding letter — what it means and how to respond
After a C100 is issued, Cafcass runs police and local-authority checks and sends the court a short safeguarding letter before the first hearing. It is not a report on you; it is a summary of what records say and what each parent said at telephone intake. It frames the FHDRA — so read it precisely.
What it contains
| Section | What it says | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Checks summary | Police + LA records for each party, children | Records exist ≠ findings against you. Know what they'd see: arrests without charge, historical calls, none? |
| Interview notes | One-line summaries of each parent's phone intake | This is her narrative on record — and YOURS. If you gave facts calmly, they're in here; if you ranted, that's in here too |
| Risk screening | "No risk identified" / "concerns raised by X" / "further enquiries needed" | Drives the FHDRA shape: conciliation vs separate rooms vs fuller enquiry |
| Recommendation | Usually whether the case needs anything beyond standard directions | Most letters recommend nothing dramatic — the panic they cause is worse than their content |
If the letter is wrong or one-sided
- Do not panic-write a essay Corrections go into your position statement — one factual line per error, exhibit-cited. "The letter records 'police attended June 2024': the call was made BY me for a welfare check (C15, log 2231)."
- Correct facts, not feelings Cafcass officers are snowed under. A calm, sourced correction gets noted; an angry one gets remembered.
- Bring the letter annotated To the FHDRA, with your exhibits tabbed against its paragraphs. Officers appreciate precision — it saves them time.
- If safety allegations appear for the first time Read the defence guide and Scott Schedule discipline before responding; first-allegation-shock responses are where respondents do their worst damage.
Perspective: the safeguarding letter exists to protect children, not to judge parents. A letter that records her allegations and your calm, evidenced position is actually your first neutral arena — the document where facts start counting more than volume. (Cafcass' own parent guide.)
Before your hearing
Turning scattered messages, notes and dates into evidence takes structure. apply this guide to your own documents — EvidenceCanvas is a guided toolkit that helps you draft a child-focused witness statement, answer a Scott Schedule point by point, and assemble a paginated court bundle. It is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.