The Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) and the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) published a joint protocol in February 2017 advising court guardians and social workers to work more collaboratively to speed up cases, and where possible divert them from court.

The agreement was criticised by the guardians’ association Nagalro, the National Association of Independent Reviewing Officers (NAIRO) and the National IRO Managers Partnership (NIROMP). Concern was that it could undermine the scrutiny of cases by Guardians and IROs and dilute IROs challenge function. Read more of the background here.

No doubt much discussion took place between the ADCS and Cafcass about how to work more collaboratively from a shared perspective, but conversations needed to be extended – to include wider perspectives such as those provided by IROs and others.

Read about the decision to axe the joint protocol: ‘Unlawful’ family court agreement axed | Children & Young People Now