Caroline Fisher, child care lawyer, led this WISE session. It was part role-play, part explanation and part discussion. Caroline’s aim was to show the part played by two organisations – Citizens Advice (CA) and the Child and Family Court Advisory Support Services (CAFCASS) – in resolving family disputes around children. It was the first time that a WISE session had used role-play.

In the first role-play two WISE members (well briefed by Caroline beforehand) played the roles of a mother and a Citizens Advice adviser. In the second role-play Caroline played the role of a CAFCASS officer and the two WISE members played the roles of the respective parents.

The first role-play was set in the Citizen’s Advice office, where a mother was seeking help over an issue involving her ex partner’s contact with their children. The mother told the Citizens Advice adviser that her eight year old son had shown a worrying change in behaviour after seeing his dad and his new partner. The mother wanted to refuse the father contact with their children. At this stage the CA adviser persuaded her to try and solve the problem through mediation rather than go straight to court.

Caroline explained that despite an attempt at mediation, there had followed a period of three months with no apparent change in the situation.

The second role-play took place at the first court hearing following the father’s application for contact with his children. It was set in the office of the CAFCASS officer (played by Caroline) interviewing the father and the mother. The CAFCASS officer encouraged the parents to reach an agreement, which in the role-play scenario they did. It was now necessary for a court order to be made so that the new plan for the father’s contact with the children was incorporated into a legally binding agreement.

Caroline emphasised that in all such disputes the well being of the children is always paramount; the role of CAFCASS is to represent the children’s best interests in court.

The use of role-play turned out to be an unusual and effective method of conveying, in a simple way, the complex circumstances around family breakdown and the workings of the Child and Family Court system.

The session generated a lot of interest and many questions. We all enjoyed the session and went away much better informed. (Summary: Jila Peacock)