MS JUDITH TIMMS OBE, MS VICKY LEACH AND MS CHRIS OSBORNE

TUESDAY 29 APRIL 2003

  117. Welcome to the Committee. You probably heard the brief explanation I gave at the beginning about our current inquiry, and we very much look forward to hearing what you can tell us from your experiences of voluntary organisations. I do not know if I have to declare an interest as a Methodist because a link between Methodists and the National Children's Homes was originally called "longstanding" and my local church is deeply involved in fundraising for NCH.

  (Ms Leach) We are grateful.

  118. We recognise the importance of the work of voluntary organisations of the kind represented here in this field, and we are particularly interested in your view, and this is a general question that we put to the previous witnesses, about CAFCASS' service, and whether it is improving or whether it is not as good as the situation before CAFCASS, whether problems are being resolved. Just in general terms, would you give us your perception of it?
  (Ms Timms) From our point of view we remain profoundly concerned about the situation. It is certainly worse in public law proceedings—substantially worse—

  119. Worse than before?
  (Ms Timms) Worse than before. We are concerned about the individual children involved in this and we appear to have waiting lists involving nationally around 600 cases, and that is cases. I am not aware how many children are involved but if you think of two per case you are looking on average at probably 1200 children waiting at the moment. Previously guardians were appointed in public law in almost 95% of the cases within 24 hours; now we are looking at an eight week wait being in common. We have then something between 1200 and 1500 children nationally who are waiting for guardians to come to do the investigation which is needed so that their future can be decided.