The government has revealed its action plan to combat 'unacceptable' delays in the family court following a shocking report by MPs that found more than 4,000 children were involved in cases yet to be resolved after 100 weeks.
The House of Commons public accounts committee today criticised the Ministry of Justice and Department for Education for failing to recognise the urgent need for reform and has given the department three months to come up with an action plan. The report found alarming regional variations in the length of time it took for cases to be decided. Clive Betts MP, deputy chair of the committee, said the waiting times endured by children and families were 'unacceptable'.
Responding, the government today revealed measures it is taking to reduce delays.
The committee said in its report that the ministerial-led Family Justice Board, which was set up to improve performance, met on average 2.5 times a year between June 2018 and December 2024.
The government today said the board has agreed system-wide targets for 2025/26 focused on increasing the proportion of public law cases resolved within the statutory 26-week timeframe and closing the longest-running cases.
The government added that the Department for Education invested £10m in 2024/25 to fund pilots focused on reducing delay through better pre-proceedings. An evaluation will conclude this financial year and £1.2m is being invested to share good practice and ‘deep dives’ on the drivers of delay.
A Family Justice Strategy for London is tackling the outstanding private law caseload by providing additional capacity. A judicial-led initiative is refocusing London practitioners on the principles of the Public Law Outline.
Law Society president Richard Atkinson called on the government to reinstate legal aid for early advice, pointing out that funding cuts have forced many parents to represent themselves in 'stressful and complex legal proceedings'.
Bar Council chair Barbara Mills KC said the committee’s recommendations provide a ‘roadmap to change’ but the changes require ‘comprehensive investment in family justice’.
Sarah Norman-Scott, a family solicitor at Hodge Jones & Allen, said greater use of out-of-court dispute resolution, where safe and appropriate, is needed to resolve cases as swifty as possible.
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