Cafcass
Digitising Access to Critical Services
My Role
UX/UI Designer:
Research, Service Design, Visual & Interaction Design
The Team
Product Manager, B.As, Developers, Exec. Sponsors
Deliverables
Service Map, User Flows, User Stories, High Fidelity Design.
Timeframe
3 months | 2022
Cafcass, part of the U.K Government, advise the family courts about the welfare of children. They commission a myriad services to up to 15,000 external social workers.
An example of these commissioned services is ICFA, designed to help families in legal proceedings agree child arrangements. Average wait times for their first appointment with a social worker being 3 months.
This Commissioned Case Management System is designed to help manage these services and:
To reduce wait times
Improve safeguarding visibility
Ensure clearer reporting to the family court.
The Case Management System features referral and report writing capabilities, case tracking and rich management and oversight dashboards- Reporting on SLAs, commissioned service providers' performance and child related outcomes and safeguarding.
The project slashed waiting times by 66%, and resulting in a saving of Ā£320k annually on saved administration costs.
Problem
From day one, it was clear: funding depended on proving efficiency. But the initial requirements focused on digitising forms ā not on how the service would actually save time or reduce effort. Secondly, there were obvious nuances to this project, e.g the need to consider field work.
Approach
I led a series of service design workshops to map the full journey ā frontstage and backstage ā surfacing gaps the spec hadnāt covered. This was complemented by discussions I was having with social workers and managers.
Outcome
This reframed the brief, aligned the team, and ensured we were designing a system that could deliver measurable operational impact by addressing user needs.
Problem
The system needed to support social workers, managers, and providers ā but the initial scope didnāt reflect their different goals or ways of working.
Approach
I mapped out jobs to be done for each role, using interviews and proxies where needed. Based on these, I broke down functionality, sketched user flows, and aligned early concepts with stakeholders to make sure we were on the right track.
Outcome
This ensured each user had a focused, relevant experience ā and gave the team a clear foundation to build from.
Problem
Social workers needed to move fast ā but the old process was slow, manual, and scattered. There was no easy way to see what had been submitted, what needed follow-up, or where things were blocked.
Approach
I focused the design around three key needs: speed, visibility, and ease of use. That meant clear status tracking, mobile-ready forms that could be filled in on the go, and a dashboard that showed exactly what needed attention.
Outcome
The result was a referral experience built for real-world pressure ā faster to submit, easier to track, and simple to use in the moment.
Problem
Managers needed to be able to report on SLA adherences to senior leadership, while balancing the approval of submitted plans. They're stretched for time, and need to move fast.
Approach
I designed a manager-specific view that surfaced what mattered most: upcoming and overdue tasks, plan and payment approvals, and at-a-glance SLA performance. This enabled faster reviews and made reporting effortless.
Outcome
Managers could now approve work quickly, monitor service performance in real time, and confidently report progress ā even under pressure from senior leadership or government.
Problem
Providers were often working off-site, supporting families directly ā but the tools didnāt support that reality. Reporting had to happen back at base, and there was little visibility into whether submissions were accepted or when payments would follow.
Approach
I designed tablet-friendly report flows that made it easy to complete and submit work in the field ā with clear prompts, autosave, and minimal typing. I also surfaced key information about report status and invoicing, so they could stay informed without needing to ask.
Outcome
Providers could now work and report in one flow ā reducing delays, increasing accuracy, and giving them confidence that their submissions were seen, processed, and on track for payment.
Problem
Deadlines were tight, and users ā especially social workers ā were rarely sitting at a desk or logged into the system.
Approach
I designed email and notification flows to keep momentum going outside the app. From report submissions to pending approvals, each key event triggered a clear, timely message ā so users stayed informed without needing to log in and check.
Outcome
Actions moved forward faster, users felt confident they werenāt missing anything, and the service worked with their reality ā not against it.
The Child & Family Arrangements Portal replaced a patchwork of inboxes, Word docs, and manual approvals with a purpose-built system that worked for everyone involved.
Over the course of 3 months, I led research, service design, and delivery planning ā translating broad requirements into a focused, role-based experience for social workers, managers, and providers.
We launched with:
A referral dashboard for social workers, showing status at a glance and enabling faster submissions in the field
Approval tools for managers, supporting SLA oversight and leadership reporting
Tablet-friendly workflows for providers, making it easier to work, report, and stay updated ā without added admin
Built-in email notifications, ensuring everyone stayed informed, even when away from the app
What Went Well
ā± Cut waiting times from 3 months to 1
š Reduced admin costs by Ā£320k annually
š¤ Improved collaboration across roles
š Set a foundation for further transformation inside a complex public sector ecosystem
Could Go Better
If I were to do it again, Iād spend less time refining the invoicing workflows. While automating billing triggers was technically complex and critical for operations, the effort invested there outweighed its impact.