Jersey Family Court Advisory Service Overview
The Jersey Family Court Advisory Service (JFCAS) helps protect the interests of children involved in family court cases. We work with children and their families and give advice to the Court on what's best for each child.
Our staff, known as Court Welfare Officers (CWO), are registered social workers who are independent from other organisations. They have experience working with families during difficult times.
The main roles of a JFCAS worker is to:
-
keep children safe
-
provide information, advice and support to children and their families
-
help the Family Court make the best decisions for children
JFCAS gets involved when:
-
parents who are separated can't agree on arrangements for their children, and one parent asks the Court for help
-
Children’s Service asks the Court to take a child into care
-
a child is being placed for adoption
Arrangements for children after parents separate
When parents split and can't agree on living and contact arrangements for their children, the Court may step in to decide.
At the first Court hearing, the Court might ask a JFCAS worker to talk to the family, meet the children and prepare a report. This report will recommend what is best for the children, based on the JFCAS worker’s assessment.
Children's welfare and care proceedings
If Children's Services are worried about a child’s wellbeing, they might ask the Court to place the child in care. JFCAS looks closely at Children’s Service’s work and their care plan for the child. We then give our own advice to the Court on what should happen.
The JFCAS worker will talk to the parents and, depending on their age, the children too. They may also speak with other family members, teachers and health workers. The JFCAS worker will then write a report for the Court, explaining what they believe is best for the child. The Court will read this report before making a decision.
Adoption cases
JFCAS is involved in different types of adoption cases, including:
-
when parents choose to have their child adopted
-
when Children’s Service believe adoption is the best plan for a child
-
when a step-parent wants to adopt their partner’s child
If both parents agree to the adoption, JFCAS ensures they fully understand what adoption means and confirms they truly agree. If one or both parents do not agree to the adoption, JFCAS represents the child and advises the Court on whether the adoption is in the child's best interests.
Jersey Family Court Advisory Service Team
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Team Manager | Eleanor Green |
| Social Workers | Elsa Fernandes |
| Laura Cardinal | |
| Amaya Arana |
Make a complaint or give positive feedback
Make a complaint or give positive feedback about the Jersey Family Court Advisory Service team.