News
All the news items published on Family Law Week this year are listed below. You can browse our news archive using the folders on the left.
- Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill introduced
News (14/06/2019) - Draft Domestic Abuse Bill report published by Joint Committee
News (14/06/2019)
Greater protection needed for victims of domestic abuse - Vulnerable children removed from foster carers who wanted to adopt them
News (14/06/2019)
Ombudsman asks local authority to apologise - CPS issues statement clarifying decision-making on sexual offence cases
News (14/06/2019)
Coalition issues judicial review proceedings against CPS - Significant numbers of children are denied their statutory right to advocacy: Children’s Commissioner
News (14/06/2019)
Local authorities should have a clear strategy for providing advocacy services - New Official Solicitor and Public Trustee appointed
News (12/06/2019) - Study Links Domestic Violence And Mental Illness Risks
News (10/06/2019)
Women who experience domestic violence more likely to develop serious mental health issues. - Number Of Children In Secure Homes Drops
News (10/06/2019)
Department For Education numbers reveal drop in number of children accommodated in secure children's homes. - Court Rules Youth At Grave Risk From Gang Violence Cannot Be Placed Into Secure Accommodation
News (10/06/2019)
Sir Justice MacDonald rules that the court does not have the power to remove the 17 year old from his mother's care without her consent. - Law Commission Calls For Court To Be Removed From Surrogacy Arrangements
News (09/06/2019)
Law Commission brands current laws "outdated" - Family lawyers call for independent inquiry into treatment of domestic abuse in family courts
News (29/05/2019)
12 weeks is insufficient for proper evaluation, says group - Forced Marriage Unit sees cases rise by 47 per cent
News (29/05/2019)
Increase does not necessarily represent a rise in the prevalence of forced marriage - Legal aid: change of process in family high cost cases from 3 June 2019
News (29/05/2019) - Immigration policy on assessing age of young asylum seekers found to be unlawful
News (28/05/2019)
Policy risks children being unlawfully detained as adults - Jacky Tiotto announced as new Cafcass Chief Executive
News (28/05/2019) - Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Act 2019 comes into force
News (28/05/2019) - Interim Guidance on Special Guardianship applications
News (28/05/2019)
Guidance addresses cases where an extension beyond 26-week time limit is sought - Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019 becomes law
News (19/05/2019) - Thousands of new foster families needed this year
News (19/05/2019) - Courts and Tribunals (Online Procedure) Bill receives second reading
News (19/05/2019) - Government’s plans for domestic abuse do not reflect scale of the issue
News (19/05/2019)
ADCS President calls for ‘public health style’ response - ‘Nearly 1,500 children in England are locked up by the state’: Children’s Commissioner
News (19/05/2019)
‘A third of a billion a year is spent on 1,465 children’ - New care applications received by Cafcass in April fell by 2 per cent
News (15/05/2019) - New private law cases received by Cafcass in April up by 7 per cent year-on-year
News (15/05/2019) - Domestic abuse: Government unveils new support for survivors
News (13/05/2019) - View from the President’s Chambers: May 2019
News (12/05/2019) - Courts and Tribunals (Online Procedure) Bill
News (10/05/2019)
Second reading due 14 May - Council criticised for failing to support vulnerable children cared under SGO
News (10/05/2019)
Remedies agreed with local authority not implemented - ‘Children’s services at breaking point’: Commons Select Committee
News (10/05/2019)
Increased funding and systemic change needed - Government response to Select Committee’s domestic abuse report published
News (10/05/2019) - New programme to protect children at risk of exploitation
News (10/05/2019) - Research finds missing children are being let down
News (10/05/2019)
‘Opportunities to safeguard children missing from home or care are being missed by councils’ - Positive feedback for video hearings tested in domestic abuse cases
News (10/05/2019)
Testing will continue and be independently evaluated - President releases draft guidance on reporting in the Family Courts
News (10/05/2019)
Transparency Review to be established - ECF evidence requirements for separated migrant children
News (10/05/2019)
Applications no longer need to be supported by detailed evidence - ‘Expert witness pay freeze endangers most vulnerable children,’ says Nagalro
News (29/04/2019)
‘System should not be based on exploiting professionals’ goodwill’ - The World Congress on Family Law and Children’s Rights: Call for Papers
News (28/04/2019)
8th Conference to be held in Singapore in July 2020 - Private pension wealth 'biggest asset in millionaires’ divorces'
News (25/04/2019)
Succession Wealth analyses ONS data - Mother of murder victim calls for domestic abuse register
News (25/04/2019) - Legal aid changes to streamline family work
News (18/04/2019)
New approach from 19 April 2019 - Separated families in GB number 2.5 million
News (17/04/2019)
DWP publishes estimate for child maintenance purposes - Legal Aid Agency guidance on interpreters at court clarified
News (17/04/2019) - Jurisdiction and Judgments (Family) (Amendment etc) (EU Exit) (No 2) Regulations 2019
News (11/04/2019) - Settlement conferences pilot evaluation published
News (11/04/2019)
Participants see potential for settlement conferences to be ‘positive and less adversarial way’ to resolve family cases - Human Rights Committee probes Government on Draft Domestic Abuse Bill
News (11/04/2019)
Chair writes to Ministers responsible for the Bill - Outcomes for children looked after by local authorities: 31 March 2018
News (11/04/2019) - New projects funded to strengthen families and keep children out of care
News (11/04/2019)
DfE announces £84 million investment to mark 30th anniversary of Children Act - New care applications received by Cafcass in March fell by nearly 10 per cent
News (11/04/2019)
New applications have fallen by almost 5 per cent over the last year - New private law cases received by Cafcass in March rose by 18 per cent
News (11/04/2019)
Highest March demand on record - Government confirms introduction of no-fault divorce
News (09/04/2019)
Six-month minimum timeframe to allow for reflection and better future planning - Sir Andrew McFarlane addresses Resolution Conference on ‘Interesting Times’
News (07/04/2019) - ‘No weight given’ to pre-nuptial agreement in divorce of cosmetics heiress
News (05/04/2019)
Mostyn J awards husband £1.3 million - Nuffield Foundation appoints Board and Director of the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory
News (04/04/2019)
New data partnership established to examine how the family justice system is working - Children: surrogacy – single people and parental orders: Research briefing
News (04/04/2019) - Staffordshire residents deprived of liberty without proper assessment
News (04/04/2019)
Thousands of vulnerable people may have been treated unlawfully: Ombudsman - Legal Aid Agency publishes updated Guidance on Remuneration of Expert Witnesses
News (04/04/2019) - Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill
News (04/04/2019)
Government responds to reports by Human Rights Committee - High Court’s new judicial assistant scheme
News (04/04/2019) - Legal aid granted on basis of domestic or child abuse evidence rose by 16 per cent in last quarter
News (31/03/2019)
Family legal aid expenditure fell slightly to £137 million - MIAMs increased by 4 per cent in last quarter of 2018
News (31/03/2019)
Flattening in the trend of declining mediations and MIAMs - Family law disputes involving EU after Brexit: guidance for public
News (31/03/2019) - Family law disputes involving EU after Brexit: guidance for legal professionals
News (31/03/2019) - Practical Handbook on the Operation of the 1996 Hague Child Protection Convention
News (29/03/2019)
Now available online in 24 languages - Legal Aid Agency publishes updated guidance on Family High Cost Cases
News (29/03/2019) - Parliamentary inquiry launched into ‘sent away’ children
News (29/03/2019)
‘Record numbers of children go missing after being farmed out to distant children’s homes’ - Man sentenced for controlling and coercive behaviour against mother
News (29/03/2019) - New cases in the family courts rose by 3 per cent in 2018
News (29/03/2019)
Care cases took 30 weeks to first disposal - Marriage rate rose slightly in 2016
News (29/03/2019)
Nearly 250,000 marriages in England and Wales - Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Act 2019 receives Royal Assent
News (29/03/2019) - Government withdraws ‘myth busting’ document after legal challenge
News (24/03/2019)
Article 39 ‘delighted that children’s rights have prevailed’ - Troubled Families Programme has improved outcomes for families and helped reform local services
News (24/03/2019)
Evaluation of Programme published - Stalking Protection Act 2019 receives Royal Assent
News (21/03/2019) - Pension Advisory Group: An update of activities
News (21/03/2019) - Brexit Secretary responds to Children’s Commissioners’ ‘No Deal’ concerns
News (21/03/2019)
‘Arrangements are in place to ensure protection of children when UK leaves the EU’ - Effective co-parenting is key to keeping children out of the courts: Cafcass
News (21/03/2019)
“Public health approach would help prevent cases from reaching crisis point” - Children Act 1989 (Amendment) (Female Genital Mutilation) Act 2019 comes into force
News (19/03/2019) - No fault divorce is consistent with international trends
News (18/03/2019)
Nuffield Foundation research seeks to inform MoJ consultation - 100 years in Law – a celebration of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919
News (18/03/2019) - 80 per cent of parents in contact with Child Maintenance Options had an arrangement within 6 months
News (15/03/2019)
41,800 parents contacted Child Maintenance Options between May and July 2018 - Commons approves amendments to Civil Partnerships Bill
News (15/03/2019)
Regulations to be introduced by end of year - Jurisdiction and Judgments (Family) (Amendment etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
News (15/03/2019) - New care applications received by Cafcass in February fall by 16 per cent
News (15/03/2019)
Cafcass considers monthly figure to be an ‘outlier’ - New private law cases received by Cafcass in February rose by 20 per cent
News (15/03/2019)
Highest February demand since 2013 - Olly Sheridan found
News (15/03/2019) - Civil Partnership and Marriage (Same Sex Couples) (Jurisdiction and Judgments) (Amendment etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
News (11/03/2019) - Women’s Aid responds to government’s ending violence against women and girls strategy
News (10/03/2019)
Refreshed strategy published “to re-affirm government’s commitments” - Mother convicted of FGM sentenced to eleven years imprisonment for the offence
News (08/03/2019)
Further two years to be served for other offences - Man jailed for controlling and coercive behaviour and beating pregnant girlfriend
News (08/03/2019)
Three year sentence imposed - Family Procedure Rules 2010 and Court of Protection Rules 2017 (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
News (08/03/2019) - Planned court reforms need an additional year
News (08/03/2019)
Proposed finish date of the programme is 2023 - Civil Partnerships Bill returned to House of Commons to consider amendments
News (08/03/2019) - Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
News (07/03/2019) - Government pledges support for male victims of domestic abuse
News (07/03/2019)
Position paper published supplementing VAWG strategy - Supreme Court grants permission to appeal in Villiers v Villiers
News (04/03/2019)
Case concerns jurisdiction between England and Wales, and Scotland in maintenance proceedings - Speech by Mostyn J on spousal maintenance published
News (03/03/2019) - Police response to victims of domestic abuse continues to improve
News (03/03/2019)
Improvements found in how the police identify, respond to and support victims - Compensation scheme opened up for more victims of child sexual abuse
News (03/03/2019)
‘Same-roof’ rule of criminal injury compensation scheme to be abolished - Children’s Commissioner calls for improved safeguarding of children in gangs
News (03/03/2019)
Study published on children in England who are gang members - Children Act 1989 (Amendment) (Female Genital Mutilation) Bill proceeds to committee stage
News (01/03/2019)
NHS publishes latest FGM figures for England - Scotland gives more help to child witnesses of domestic abuse
News (01/03/2019)
Amendment to Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Bill proposed - Grants given to support victims of domestic abuse in family courts
News (01/03/2019)
Personal Support Unit and Citizens Advice Witness Service share £900K - 2010 practice guidance on McKenzie Friends 'should be updated and reissued'
News (27/02/2019)
Judicial Executive Board ‘deeply concerned about the proliferation of McKenzie Friends’ - The new state pension: transitional issues
News (27/02/2019) - Charity launches legal challenge to protect vulnerable children and young people
News (24/02/2019)
Article 39 seeks removal of ‘myth busting’ guide - Civil Partnerships Bill report stage scheduled for 1 March
News (24/02/2019) - Child Support Agency no longer has any cases requiring payment of on-going child maintenance
News (24/02/2019) - High Court clarifies internet access for vulnerable people
News (22/02/2019)
Guidance given in respect of persons who lack mental capacity to use the platforms - Domestic violence and abuse: help available from DWP
News (22/02/2019) - Children’s Commissioners seek assurances on issues facing children after Brexit
News (22/02/2019)
Four Commissioners write to the Brexit Minister - Private donors raise £280K to fund FDAC national unit
News (17/02/2019) - Family Procedure Rules 2010 and Court of Protection Rules 2017 (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
News (17/02/2019) - Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill receives third reading in Commons
News (17/02/2019)
Bill returns to Lords for consideration of Commons’ amendments - Pensions: civil partnerships and same sex marriages
News (17/02/2019) - Council did not do enough to protect toddler from harm: Ombudsman
News (17/02/2019)
Child left with life-long injuries after opportunities missed to protect him - Information about the Reducing Parental Conflict programme
News (17/02/2019)
DWP publishes guidance collating all resources for LAs and stakeholders - New care applications received by Cafcass in January down 10 per cent
News (17/02/2019)
1,051 new care applications during January - 3,636 new private law cases received during January by Cafcass
News (17/02/2019)
Third highest January figures on record - Government urged to reform overly complex divorce system
News (09/02/2019)
‘Current system can fuel conflict and disadvantages litigants in person’ - Human Rights Committee begins inquiry into children whose mothers are in prison
News (08/02/2019) - Family law disputes involving EU after Brexit
News (08/02/2019)
Government issues guidance for parties - Female genital mutilation: resource pack produced
News (08/02/2019) - Resolution welcomes government commitment on no fault divorce
News (08/02/2019)
Justice Secretary pledges divorce law reform in next parliamentary session - MoJ announces new legal aid strategy
News (08/02/2019)
SGO proceedings to qualify for legal aid - Mr Justice Williams makes appeal for return of Olly Sheridan
News (03/02/2019) - Property regimes for international couples in Europe
News (03/02/2019)
New rules apply in 18 Member States - Mother first to be convicted of FGM
News (01/02/2019)
First prosecution in England for failing to protect a person from FGM - ‘Wellbeing of children in single parent families not negatively affected’: Gingerbread research
News (01/02/2019)
‘Single parenthood is more common than typically reported’ - No-deal Brexit guidance: Practical recommendations for family law
News (01/02/2019)
Law Society and Resolution publish joint note - Draft Domestic Abuse Bill: Select Committee seeks views
News (31/01/2019) - Slow decline in number of approved fostering households continues
News (31/01/2019)
Proportion of fostered young people Staying Put increases - ALC publish study on Judicial Approaches in Settlement Conference Pilots in Children Cases
News (26/01/2019)
Findings do not support roll out of the procedure in its current form - Visitors to Fosterline increase by 35 per cent
News (25/01/2019) - Addressing the ‘unsustainable’ workload in the family courts is Number One priority, says President
News (25/01/2019)
Meanwhile, some corners may need to be cut and time-limits exceeded - Almost half of the public believe that common law marriage exists
News (24/01/2019)
Figures underline why a change in the law is so desperately needed: Resolution - Call for evidence on the Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice
News (24/01/2019)
Government seeks to identify which aspects of the Code require revision - Access to high-quality support for all vulnerable children by 2022 ‘a tall order’
News (24/01/2019)
Poor progress made in improving children’s social care services: National Audit Office - Domestic abuse draft bill and consultation response published
News (21/01/2019)
Wide-ranging reforms proposed - Draft Domestic Abuse Bill to be published
News (20/01/2019)
Government responds to consultation on proposals - Civil Partnerships Bill proceeds to committee in House of Lords
News (19/01/2019)
Amendments to be laid before the House in committee - Child maintenance: changes to powers of entry and information requests
News (19/01/2019)
DWP consults on proposed changes - Private law cases received by Cafcass in December 2018 13 per cent up on a year ago
News (18/01/2019) - Care applications to Cafcass in December declined by 4 per cent on a year ago
News (18/01/2019)
975 new applications received - Take the JLD resilience and wellbeing survey 2019
News (13/01/2019) - Forced marriage: victims will no longer have to pay repatriation costs
News (13/01/2019)
Foreign Secretary changes policy with immediate effect - Civil Partnerships Bill due to receive second reading on 18 January
News (13/01/2019) - Children living with domestic violence must be treated as victims, says NSPCC
News (13/01/2019)
Quarter of a million children living with domestic violence in England - Children’s social care: nine in ten councils pushed into the red
News (13/01/2019)
Local Government Association fears children’s services are ‘at a tipping point’ - New Queen’s Counsel announced
News (11/01/2019) - Only three in ten children with mental health problems receive NHS-funded treatment
News (11/01/2019)
Government must accelerate prevention and early intervention efforts: Public Accounts Committee - Family Justice Council 12th Annual Debate: the use of covert recordings in family law
News (06/01/2019)
Transcript and podcast available - Teens in care are being housed alone in B&Bs
News (06/01/2019)
Observer investigation finds increased use of ‘independent living arrangements’ - Parental orders under section 54 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008
News (04/01/2019)
Law amended to allow one person to apply for a parental order - £2.7 million fund announced to tackle parental conflict
News (04/01/2019)
DWP looks for new initiatives to help families at risk of parental conflict - British victims of forced marriages required to pay their rescue costs, The Times reports
News (04/01/2019)
Those unable to pay asked to sign loan agreements by Foreign Office - Thirteen apply online for divorce on Christmas Day
News (04/01/2019)
455 online divorce applications received over Christmas period - Mr Justice Moor appointed Family Division Liaison Judge for the Thames Valley Region
News (04/01/2019)