The Government response to the Family Justice Review

Book excerpt: The Government accepts the overwhelming majority of the recommendations made in the final report of the Family Justice Review (2011, ISBN 9780108511158), and proposes a system with children's and families' needs at its heart. The proposed reforms will put practical measures in place to ensure children's voices are heard before and during the court process. A new Family Justice Board will be established in April 2012 and will take the detail of the recommendations forward. All measures will comply with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Changes to public law are designed to tackle delay and put more focus on the child. Changes to private law will support families to reach their own agreements without needing to being their issues to the courts. Mediation and other support services will again be child-centred, and with a presumption of shared parenting where separation occurs. A new web and telephony service providing a single gateway to advice and guidance for separating parents will be commissioned in 2012 and operational in 2013. Divorce proceedings will be streamlined. Cafcass will move under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Justice. Those working in the family justice system need to change culture and practices if these reforms are to succeed, and judicial leadership is critical. Family courts must be as child-friendly as possible. Annexes cover detailed responses to the Review's recommendations, an update on developing the evidence base for family justice, impact assessments and key references and supporting documents.