Care applications continue to rise, according to Cafcass

Care applications between April and August 2010 have increased by 3.7 % compared to the same period last year, according to new statistics published by Cafcass.

Cafcass received 3,744 new applications between April and August 2010, the highest ever recorded by Cafcass for the period. In total public care application in 2009-10 increased by 35.9% compared to 2008/09.

In July Family Law Newswatch wrote to Cafcass asking for greater clarity in their statistics following a report published by the National Audit Office which criticised its performance. Cafcass were unable to provide Newswatch with like-for-like figures for many of its caseload statistics when it was highlighting the progress it had made in allocating cases. The advisory service has now announced that its care demand statistics will be published on a monthly basis on the fifth working day following month end.