Taking the fight out of family separation.
Finding safe and supportive solutions for all
The Family Solutions Group is a sub-group of the Private Law Working Group. It is a multidisciplinary group with broad and deep expertise in working with separated families in and out of court. It was set up by Sir Stephen Cobb in 2020 to consider what can be done to improve the experience of children and families before any application is made to the family court.
The theme that was woven throughout all discussions was the need to restore the child to the centre in systems that currently operate for parents. The group have been tasked with bringing fresh and focused attention to improving the experiences of separating families away from the Family Court where it is safe to do so.
Every year, around 280,000 children see their parents separate in the UK. How those separations are handled will affect the rest of their lives. The current system is failing many children and their parents, and this affects society.
The Family Solutions Group continue to go from Strength to Strength. On the 23rd of March, the Family Solutions Group met at Carlton House Terrace in central London in order to reflect on #NoFaultDivorce as this becomes law on 6th April.
Guest speakers at this landmark event included:
- Paddy O’Connell – Moderator (BBC)
- Sir Andrew McFarlane – President of the Family Division & Patron of NACCC
- Siobhan Baillie – Conservative MP for Stroud
- Dr Jan Ewing – Research Fellow, University of Exeter
- Helen Adam – Chair, Family Solutions Group
- Angie Moxham – Entrepreneur & Separated Parent
- Nav Mirza – Chief Executive, Dads Unlimited
The event was organised by the Family Solutions Group, Sponsored by Family Law in Partnership, and supported by Kingsley Napley Family Law.
One of the focus points of the meeting related to accountability at a state level for #ParentalSeparation and the surprising fact that there isn’t a government department with oversight of this and therefore, achieving change or the momentum to make this happen at a state level is something that is going to take time and determination.
The event was widely the focus of Twitter conversations, with the following comments being made –
The enthusiasm of the participants present was also easily identified by the range of excellent photos posted widely across social media, including some of the following.
As the Family Solutions Group strives towards reform in the law and Public Law court cases there is a growing emphasis on #WhatAboutMe, reflecting the voices of children at the centre of these cases and so often most impacted by the adversity that comes with parental separation.
