Assessing Risk of Harm to Children and Parents in Private Law Children Cases

<p> </p> <p>This is the final report of the expert panel, which reflects the findings from the call for </p> <p>evidence, following over 1,200 responses from individuals and organisations across </p> <p>England and Wales, together with roundtables and focus groups held with </p> <p>professionals, parents and children with experience of the </p> <p>family courts. Most of the </p> <p>evidence received focused on domestic abuse. </p> <p>2.  This final report provides an understanding of how effectively the family courts identify </p> <p>and respond to allegations of domestic abuse and other serious offences, in cases </p> <p>involving </p> <p>disputes between parents about the arrangements for their children, known </p> <p>as ‘</p> <p>private law children proceedings</p> <p>’. </p> <p>3.  It makes findings in relation to both the processes and the outcomes for parties and </p> <p>children involved in such proceedings, drawing conclusions</p> <p>from individual </p> <p>submissions from those with personal experience in private law children proceedings, </p> <p>including victims of domestic abuse. While the panel was unable to review individual </p> <p>case files, evidence from the call for evidence, roundtables and focus groups has been </p> <p>supplemented with a literature review and a review of relevant case law. </p> <p>4.  The panel makes several recommendations for next steps to be taken forward by the </p> <p>family justice system (</p> <p>chapter 11) and summarised below.</p>