NACCC Welcomes The Rt. Hon. Sir Stephen Cobb as New Patron
NACCC is delighted to announce that The Rt Hon Sir Stephen Cobb has accepted our invitation to become our new Patron.
Sir Stephen Cobb succeeds Sir Andrew McFarlane, who has served as NACCC Patron since 2018 during his tenure as President of the Family Division. NACCC extends its sincere thanks to Sir Andrew for his valued support, leadership and commitment over the past eight years. His contribution to family justice, and to the work of child contact centres, has been significant and deeply appreciated across our network.
As the newly appointed President of the Family Division, Sir Stephen Cobb brings exceptional experience across family law, judicial leadership and child-focused practice. His appointment as Patron reflects a shared commitment to strengthening relationships across the family justice system and championing safe, child-focused support for children and families experiencing separation.
Sir Stephen Cobb was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple in 1985 and took Silk in 2003. He began his judicial career as a Recorder in 2004 before being appointed as a High Court Judge in 2013, assigned to the Family Division. During his judicial career, he has also sat in the Administrative Court and the Court of Protection. In 2024 he was appointed to the Court of Appeal and, in April 2026, became President of the Family Division.
Throughout his career, Sir Stephen Cobb has been widely recognised for his commitment to improving the experience of children and families navigating separation and conflict. He has consistently advocated for approaches that reduce adversarial conflict, strengthen early support, and ensure children’s voices remain at the heart of decision-making.
NACCC has previously had the privilege of working alongside Sir Stephen Cobb through the Family Solutions Group (FSG), a multi-disciplinary group of professionals focused on improving outcomes for separated families. As founder of the Family Solutions Group, Sir Stephen has helped champion collaborative, child-centred approaches that closely align with NACCC’s own mission and values. NACCC CEO Elizabeth Coe is an active member of the FSG, reflecting the shared commitment to improving support for children and families beyond the court process.
Elizabeth Coe, NACCC CEO, said:
Following Sir Andrew McFarlane’s retirement as NACCC Patron, we have taken time to reflect carefully on this important appointment. We are extremely grateful for Sir Andrew’s longstanding support and the invaluable contribution he has made to NACCC and the wider family justice system. Having worked alongside Sir Stephen through the Family Solutions Group, I have seen first-hand his commitment to improving outcomes for children and families experiencing separation. His strong advocacy for child-focused practice, early intervention and less adversarial approaches to family resolution aligns closely with NACCC’s mission and values. We are honoured that Sir Stephen has accepted our invitation to become Patron and look forward to working with him as we continue to support our accredited centres and champion safe, child-focused family time.
Sharon Scott, NACCC Chair, said:
The trustees of NACCC are delighted to welcome Sir Stephen Cobb as our new Patron alongside Stephen Wildblood KC, who recently joined us as President. Together, we believe this partnership will help strengthen the future direction of NACCC and support the continued development of our accredited centres. We are pleased to welcome Lord Cobb to the NACCC community.
Sir Stephen Cobb said:
I am delighted to be appointed as President of the Family Division and to be asked to be a Patron of NACCC. It is an organisation which plays a crucial role for children, their families and for the family justice system generally.
Sir Stephen’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for NACCC as the charity continues to support and strengthen its network of accredited child contact centres across the UK. With growing recognition of the importance of early intervention, non-court dispute resolution and child-focused family support, his patronage will further reinforce NACCC’s vital role within the wider family justice landscape.
NACCC warmly welcomes Sir Stephen Cobb to the role and looks forward to working with him to support, promote and strengthen the vital work of accredited child contact centres across the UK.