England and Wales Family Courts Overhaul Aims for Child-Focused Approach

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Family courts in England and Wales are undergoing a major overhaul, with a government minister stating the current system has 'not been good enough' and has unfairly treated women and children for decades. The changes will replace often brutal legal showdowns with a 'problem-solving,' child-focused model that prioritizes child welfare and seeks resolutions outside of court.

Why it matters

The shift towards a child-focused model represents a significant attempt to address long-standing concerns about the adversarial nature of family court proceedings and their potential to retraumatize vulnerable individuals, particularly victims of domestic abuse. The overhaul aims to reduce trauma, cut case backlogs, and shorten waiting times.

The details

The child-focused courts pilot program, initially launched in Dorset and North Wales in 2022, has expanded to ten additional court areas and is slated to roll out to a further thirteen before the end of the current parliament. Justice Secretary David Lammy highlighted the positive impact of the new model, stating that 'for a child...every additional month waiting to identify out where you will live can feel like forever.' Overhaul Aims for Child-Focused Approach Announcing the changes, Alison Levitt said often brutal legal showdowns will be replaced with a 'problem-solving,' child-focused model. This move is part of a broader Ministry of Justice effort to tackle court backlogs.

• The child-focused courts pilot program was initially launched in Dorset and North Wales in 2022.
• The pilot program has expanded to ten additional court areas and is slated to roll out to a further thirteen before the end of the current parliament.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The child-focused courts pilot program is slated to roll out to a further thirteen court areas before the end of the current parliament.