Message from the Chief Executive
As we launch our Strategic Plan for 2026 to 2031, it is important to reflect on what Cafcass Cymru achieved over the past five years and how this has shaped our ambitions for children and young people. Our previous Strategic Plan was delivered during a period of significant change for the family justice system. Throughout this time, our unwavering commitment to children and young people guided every decision we made. We maintained high‑quality services through the Covid‑19 pandemic, adapted rapidly to new ways of working, and played a central role in major system reform. The rollout of the Pathfinder model (Child Focused Court) across Wales, the publication of our Practice Framework: Putting Children First, and the development of our Domestic Abuse Practice Guidance represent some of the most significant and lasting changes to our practice in a decade — all designed to ensure children’s voices, safety and lived experiences are central to decision‑making. Our achievements during this period are captured in our Strategic Plan 2020 to 2025 Closure Report.
As we look forward to the next phase in our development, Cafcass Cymru remains ambitious for children and committed to putting them at the heart of all we do. Demand for our services continues to grow, cases are increasingly complex, and pressures across the wider family justice system remain significant. Alongside these challenges sit important opportunities: to strengthen participation, to improve consistency and accessibility, to use insight and digital tools more effectively, and to continue supporting our workforce to provide the best possible service to children and families.
Our new Strategic Plan builds directly on the strong foundations of the last five years. It reflects what we have learned, what children and young people have told us matters most, and where we must continue to adapt and develop. It sets a clear focus on delivering safe, high‑quality, child‑centred services; supporting and developing our staff; and working collaboratively with partners to improve outcomes for children, young people and families across Wales.
I am proud of what our staff achieved in the last five years and am confident our new Strategic Plan provides a clear, realistic and ambitious programme of work for the next five years as we continue to put children and young people at the heart of all we do.
Nigel Brown - Chief Executive, Cafcass Cymru