There are no guidelines for contact, no way to appeal against decisions and no proper system for complaints. There are countless such stories from parents throughout the country of disagreements that result in either one parent having limited or no access to their child or a vindictive ex-partner continuing needless legal proceedings. If it isn't every parent's nightmare, it ought to be. Earlier this year, there was welcome acknowledgment from Lady Justice Butler-Sloss, president of the high court's family division, that the old system needed reform. A Day-Glo orange sign provides a lurid welcome to Cafcass's sparkling offices in London's Victoria.
Families are important, courts are important, but children are our primary focus.
This country doesn't have a very good reputation for listening to children. I'm quite sure they'll discover that some of them are not. Among ideas to deter separating parents from taking their disputes to court, Hewson is investigating US schemes where parents are shown a video about the likely impact upon their children. If we provide a better way of hearing children's views, then perhaps parents will think more carefully about whether they are going to march into adversarial activity. He also mentions a joint initiative by the Lord Chancellor's Department and the Legal Services Commission, due to start in October, designed to encourage mediation and counselling as alternatives to legal action.