Dear Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service,

In a recent FOIA CAFCASS take the position that they do not gather witness statements and outline the position that CAFCASS FCA’s do not gather witness statements and this is the role of a Judge.

I have provided CAFCASS with information which will be evident on their ECMS that their Leeds FCA Ms Jodie Rees in October 2018 worked outside her remit recklessly gathering a series of witness statements where no order had been made by a judge.

In CAFCASS FOIA you refer me to your complaints procedure, however, CAFCASS have written saying they will not accept complaints therefore your FOIA response is inaccurate. This is because CAFCASS say their complaints procedure is only one step and it ‘closed’ before I found out that only a judge could order witness statements. Ms Rees has operated as if she has powers only afforded to a judge; procedural unfairness.

CAFCASS have now been informed by letter and by FOIA of Ms Rees not following the rules of family law elevating herself operating with powers only a judge has. CAFCASS currently has no mechanism to accept this fresh complaint, however, CAFCASS need to devise a mechanism to accept this complaint Ms Rees’ breaking family law rules. This FOIA forms a public record and I await CAFCASS investigating matters. Regardless of your unfit complaints procedure CAFCASS have to act lawfully and cannot hide behind a closed complaints procedure to avoid dealing with Ms Rees gathering witness statements.

CAFCASS now has this complaint and must deal with this and I await CAFCASS finding a mechanism to do so.

Yours faithfully,

[Name Removed]

Dear Governance,

I note one calendar month has passed since you have passed my ‘complaint’ to the chief executive and Deputy director for operational service delivery. I would have expected reasonably some kind of response, assessment or investigation to this of course this has not happened.

HMCTC have as I have informed you several times that this is a matter for CAFCASS. What action does your chief executive and director for operational service delivery plan on taking.

CAFCASS historically have had a catastrophic reputation but gathering witness statement s and the FCA adopting powers only afforded to the judiciary should require a serious response, particularly where Ms Rees has admitted to it.

She has in permitted audio revealed the name of one of the witness however there are two family members with the same name. Whilst your CEO has been ‘passed’ this it has infringed article 6 EHR Act and continues each day to infringe article 8. I should reasonably be supplied with the identity and witness statements.

Whilst your CEO is sitting with this information can you provide information as to why CAFCASS on FOIA responded to say FCA’s do not gather witness statements when an FCA Jodie Rees has made an admission and Wakefield family court provided me with the information this had happened and that only a judge could do this. I have had to go through the process formally just to clarify that it is a matter HMCTS say is for CAFCASS therefore it is reasonable to expect you will deal with it.

If an FCA takes it upon themselves to undertake the process of gathering witness statements then what action does CAFCASS CEO take.

Yours sincerely,

[Name Removed]

Dear Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service's handling of my FOI request 'CAFCASS FCA Jodie Rees gathering witness statements'.

Your response is inaccurate and it is indeed a very pertinent FOIA request in that CAFCASS governance are issuing inaccurate information to say CAFCASS FCA does not gather witness statements however it is accurate that the FCA does gather witness statements and not only that conducts inquiries based upon them.

CAFCASS therefore should provide accurate information I request in matters of witness statements and it impact. I have been subject to this process then it is fair and reasonable to be provided on FOIA with accurate responses therefore please supply the requested information.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c...

Yours faithfully,

[Name Removed]

Dear Governance,

An open letter to the president of the family division, then circulated around UK is perhaps the most expedient route to consider as CAFCASS and their CEO have had more than fair opportunity to respond to Jodie Rees supported by the Leeds Manager and CAFCASS to operate with powers only afforded to the Judiciary.

CAFCASS have a remit but the levels of acting outside it and over and above the law is wholly unacceptable and the family division, MOJ and Parliament need to be informed clearly of how this is impacting breaching Human Rights and other legislation.

Unless the Judiciary and family division are aware of a non transparent ‘trialling’ process that allows CAFCASS to undertake the role of the Judiciary.

Yours sincerely,

[Name Removed]