68% of parents use children as "bargaining tools"

Mishcon de Reya carries out poll of 4,000 parents to mark 20 years of Children Act

A poll carried out by Mishcon de Reya to mark the 20th anniversary of the Children Act has led the authors to state that the Children Act is "not working" despite its good intentions.

The poll of 4,000 parents and children revealed that

19% of children said they felt used in the separation
38% children never saw their father again once separated
50% of parents admitted putting their children through an intrusive court process over access issues and living arrangements
49% admitted to deliberately protracting the legal process in order to secure their desired outcome
68% confessed to indiscriminately using their children as ‘bargaining tools’ when they separated
20% of separated parents admitted that they actively set out to make their partners experience ‘as unpleasant as possible’ regardless of the effect this had on their children’s feelings.

In the light of these findings, Sandra Davis, head of family law at Mishcons, states

"This research highlights shows that despite their best intentions, parents are often using their children as emotional footballs. They don’t have the tools to co-parent effectively following separation and their only solution is to turn to the courts. Children – alongside the economy - are suffering because of this.

The millions of pounds spent each year on Legal Aid, running the courts and CAFCASS could be better spent educating parents about their children’s needs and gaining an understanding of how to resolve and avoid long term disputes and reduce hostility.”

She also called for the creation of National Family Therapy centres, funded by diverting public expenditure on Legal Aid and savings on the running costs the courts and CAFCASS.

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