Child and party details
Names, relationships, dates of birth, addresses and other identifying details should be carried across consistently with the source and any case instructions.
Family law document translation
CAFCASS Report Translation Services
Accurate translation of CAFCASS reports for solicitors and family law teams who need parents, parties or legal professionals to understand important welfare information, observations and recommendations.
Family proceedingsTranslation structured around family-law case documents
£100Published family and civil rate per 1,000 source words
Certified translationAvailable where certification is required for the instruction
A report that can shape the next stage of a case
Translate the report without changing its meaning or emphasis
CAFCASS reports can contain detailed information about a child, the parties, safeguarding concerns, professional observations and recommendations to the Family Court.
When a party cannot read the report in English, a translated version can help them understand the document and discuss its contents with their solicitor. The translation should remain faithful to the source, including the level of certainty used by the author and any distinctions between reported information, professional observation and recommendation.
Names, dates, case references, headings, paragraph numbering and references to other documents should be handled consistently so the translated report remains practical to use alongside the original and the wider case file.
What needs careful handling
Key parts of a CAFCASS report that should remain clear in translation
Safeguarding information
Allegations, risk information and safeguarding concerns must be translated accurately without softening, exaggerating or changing the original wording.
Wishes and feelings
Where a report records a child's expressed wishes and feelings, the translation should preserve the wording and level of certainty shown in the original.
Professional observations
Descriptions of meetings, contact, behaviour and professional observations should remain distinct from statements attributed to a parent, child or third party.
Recommendations
Recommendations and proposed next steps should be translated precisely because small wording changes can alter how the reader understands the report.
Section 7 welfare reports
Where CAFCASS prepares a Section 7 report for the Family Court, the translation should preserve the welfare analysis, safeguarding information, wishes and feelings, and recommendations without changing their emphasis.
Case references
Headings, paragraph numbers, court references and references to statements or orders can be retained for easier cross-checking against the original file.
Family proceedings
CAFCASS report translation for different family-law contexts
A CAFCASS report may sit alongside witness statements, court orders, social-work records, expert evidence and other documents in the same matter. Keeping terminology and names consistent across those documents can make the translated case file easier to follow.
- Child-arrangements proceedings, including Section 7 welfare reports
- Care and public-law proceedings
- Safeguarding-related family matters
- Domestic-abuse related proceedings
- Contact and residence-related evidence
- Connected family-court applications and reports
Translation process
How a CAFCASS report translation is handled
1. Review the report
The language, length, formatting, deadline and any case-specific references are checked before translation begins.
2. Translate the content
The report is translated with attention to family-law terminology, attributed statements, chronology and professional wording.
3. Check key details
Names, dates, numbers, headings, recommendations and cross-references are reviewed against the source.
4. Deliver the file
The completed translation is supplied in the agreed format, with certification where requested.
Published translation rate
CAFCASS report translation pricing
CAFCASS reports fall within family-law document translation. LAD currently publishes a family and civil translation rate of £100 per 1,000 source words.
£100per 1,000 source words for the published family and civil rate
The final scope depends on the source-word count and the pages actually requiring translation. The instructing legal professional should confirm the funding, recoverability and any prior-authority position that applies to the individual matter.
Related document services
Keep connected family-law documents consistent
Frequently asked questions
CAFCASS report translation FAQs
Can the translated report keep the same paragraph numbers and headings?
Yes. Retaining the source structure can make it easier for solicitors and parties to cross-reference the translation against the original report.
Can only selected pages of a CAFCASS report be translated?
Yes. Clearly identify the required page range or sections when sending the document. Enough surrounding context should be provided where it is needed to translate the selected material accurately.
Can the CAFCASS report translation be certified?
Yes. If certification is required for the instruction, state this when submitting the report so the appropriate certification can be included with delivery.
How is the translation price calculated?
The website publishes a family and civil rate of £100 per 1,000 source words. The scope is based on the source-word count of the material that requires translation.
Can connected statements and court documents be translated at the same time?
Yes. Supplying connected documents together can help maintain consistent spellings, terminology and references across the translated case material.
Should unclear wording in the report be rewritten in the translation?
No. The translation should reflect the source faithfully. Unclear or ambiguous source wording should not be silently rewritten in a way that changes the meaning or strength of the original statement.
Send the CAFCASS report for translation
Provide the report, language pair, deadline and any case references, names or formatting instructions that need to be retained.