Cafcass Cymru Advisory Committee meeting minutes: 8 July 2025

• Tracey Holdsworth (Chair) NSPCC Cymru
• Jennifer Gibbon Lynch Family Justice Young People’s Board (FJYPB)
• Flora Family Justice Young People’s Board (FJYPB)
• Gergo Family Justice Young People’s Board (FJYPB)
• Paul Apreda FNF Both Parents Matter Cymru
• Sarah Coldrick Association of Fostering and Adoption (AFA) Cymru
• Sara Kirkpatrick Welsh Women’s Aid
• HHJ Jayne Scannell Judiciary
• Glesni Carter HMCTS
• Astrid Davis Chair of Cardiff Family Panel & Magistrate
• Nigel Brown Cafcass Cymru
• Matthew Pinnell Cafcass Cymru
• Kate Thomas Cafcass Cymru
• Lydia Hall-Mulvaney Cafcass Cymru (Secretariat)

Apologies were received from: 

• De Litchfield Cafcass Cymru
• Gareth Jenkins Association of Directors of Social Services Cymru (ADSS) Representative
• Mike Clark TGP Cymru
• Sharon Lovell National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS) 

The Chair welcomed everybody to the meeting and read out the received apologies.

Members agreed the minutes of the meeting on 11 March 2025 were an accurate record and there were no matters arising. Nigel confirmed that the action pertaining to parental engagement is ongoing.

Kate Thomas provided a comprehensive update on the recent Diversity Highlight Report for 2023 to 2024. Kate advised that this is the first report for diversity across all regions. Kate provided an overview of the different areas in which diversity is captured, training being undertaken by Practitioners for further learning & development and organisational diversity champions groups. 

Kate responded to questions raised by Committee members and was commended for her detailed report & presentation.

Nigel provided an overview of the new data and performance reports for both Public and Private Law. Nigel advised that at the next Advisory Committee meeting he will be able to provide an update on the new KPI’s. 

Nigel answered any questions from the Committee.

Flora & Gergo delivered an excellent presentation covering the following topics: 

• An informative overview of the ranges of diversity across the FJYPB.
• The next ‘Voice of the Child’ FJYPB conference is due to take place online on 31st July and this year’s theme on ‘Empowering Me for My Future’. Flora & Gergo encouraged the Committee to attend the conference and welcomed questions for the panel.
• Aiden and Milo recently travelled to Cardiff to interview Matthew about his uniqueness, his role and the difference the FJYPB has in the work of Cafcass Cymru. The video was recorded and will be used to form part of new staff inductions. Aiden & Milo were commended for their professionalism & hard work. 

The Chair and members of the Advisory Committee thanked Flora & Gergo for their excellent presentation.

Nigel provided an update on the Domestic Abuse Practice Guidance which was launched in May. Nigel informed the Committee that Cafcass Cymru remain committed to integrating trauma informed practice and the importance of the voice of the child. 

A video from Olivia, a member of the FJYPB, was played to the Committee and the Committee noted the importance of lived experience and listening to the voice of the child. The Committee also commended Olivia for her powerful video. 

The Committee also commended Nigel for his positive & inclusive leadership and continued commitment to the importance of the voice of the child.

Nigel informed the Advisory Committee on the annual complaints & compliments report for 2024 to 2025. Nigel noted that changes are being implemented on how feedback is obtained from children & young people and acknowledged that this work is ongoing to ensure consistency with both compliments and complaints which was welcomed by the Committee.

Matthew provided a brief update on Pathfinder and advised that the whole of Wales is now operating under the Pathfinder model. South West Wales and Mid & West Wales were the last areas to incorporate Pathfinder and are still in the transition & embedding period. 

Matthew also noted that Cafcass Cymru were shortlisted alongside HMCTS for a collaborative ODP award and in April it was announced that we had won the gold award

Sarah Coldrick queried whether there was scope for learning from Pathfinder with regards to the voice of the child being employed into the Public Law arena. The general consensus from the Committee was that there were opportunities to transfer these learnings into Public Law. 

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting concluded. 

The next meeting of the committee will be on the 11 November 2025 from 16:00 - 17:30 via Teams