Family Ties is one of the Key ICFA providers in the South West of England

ICFA Service on behalf of Cafcass

Improving Child and Family Arrangements (ICFA) is the service designed by Cafcass and delivered by providers just like Family Ties across the country to help families agree safe, beneficial, and sustainable spending time with arrangements when they are finding it difficult to do so on their own.

Referral by Cafcass to an ICFA service is by court order only for family in private law and families are unable to self-refer. If you think it’s something which could benefit your family mention it to your Family Court Advisor. 

ICFA work is short term work and has four expected key outcomes for families:

• Reducing barriers and resistance to agreeing arrangements and managing any risks so that these are safe
• Promoting positive communication within families
• Ensuring children’s wishes and feelings are heard and considered
• Helping families agree a Parenting Plan to avoid future  issues arising

ICFA work takes place over a few weeks and may include, but is not limited to:

• Meeting the parents together and/or individually to help resolve issues and prepare them for spending time with the child/ren
• Direct work with the child/ren to prepare them for spending time with the adult
• Observation of the adult spending time with the child/ren in a contact centre, the home, the community, or any other suitable setting