This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council's Education Safeguarding Professional, Zarine Power for the attention of all schools.
The Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales has published new research examining the family justice system and domestic abuse. The research included a review of 298 case files, observation of 95 hearings and work with domestic abuse survivors, judges, magistrates and Cafcass/Cafcass Cymru officers. Evidence of domestic abuse was present in 73% of the hearings observed and in 87% of the case files reviewed. Despite this prevalence, the Commissioner highlights that domestic abuse was frequently not recognised as an ‘active issue’ or taken seriously with regards to the type of contact children would go on to have with the abusive parent. The report explores: the prevalence of domestic abuse in private law children cases; the courts’ responses to domestic abuse; the consequences of structural barriers including the silencing of children’s voices; and next steps for the Family Courts Review and Reporting Mechanism.
Read the report: Majority of Family Court cases involve domestic abuse but system still not responding