Researching Reform is very privileged to have a readership which includes families and children with experience of the Family Courts, however politicians, peers and judges also visit the site daily, and we know they read your feedback.
As politicians publish their manifestos and go about making pledges this month, they will also be reading your thoughts on the system in order to understand what’s not working, so now is a good time to let the future government know what you think about the family justice system.
We are adding our Top Ten Bug Bears below:
- Inefficient Monitoring Of The Impact Of Financial Incentives Across Child Welfare Organisations And Agencies
- Culture Of Mistrust And Disrespect Towards Families And Children
- Inadequate Training For Social Workers And Judges
- No Efficient Mechanism For Correcting Material Errors In Judgments and Court Bundles
- “The Race To Adoption” Process
- The 26 Week Rule In Care Proceedings
- Forced Adoption Practices
- No Hub For Professionals And The Public Offering Simple Guides About The System And The Latest Relevant Research
- The Need To Refine The ‘Risk Of Future Harm‘ Threshold To Avoid Miscarriages of Justice
- No Current Guidelines On Child Welfare Professionals Using The Internet And Social Media To Track And Trace Parents
There are of course many other concerns that we could add, but we would love to hear your thoughts. What’s on your list?
Researching Reform 
Reblogged this on World4Justice : NOW! Lobby Forum..
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Family courts – absolutely disgusting.
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Reblogged this on Musings of a Penpusher and commented:
Family courts, like education and the health service are in need of radical overhauls, but official inquiries are protracted, cost taxpayers millions of pounds and show little value for time and money spent; often gaining the title of ‘a whitewash’ by failing to fully prosecute all the recommendations. A generous dose of sound common-sense and a desire to serve the community should be all that’s needed, but the lust for financial remuneration has crept into all negotiations and dealings of everyday life; sadly, no official is immune.
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I am involved with the family courts. It’s time this became held in the criminal courts. My social workers did not fulfil her obligations to my family. Children given to me. With help and support court order. Social worker 6 calls in 6 months your struggling take kids away. Foster care. Fc get help and support cost a fortune. Children under happy. One been abused. This wouldn’t happen in a criminal court. Social can’t tell lies. Forced adoption.my nice a midwife take babies straight from both. Leave mothers howling. No help for mothers take child on future emotional harm. How do the ss know. They don’t have crystal balls
Until your involved you have no idea how evil social services are
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Social workers were formed to support families and that is what they should do ;They should never appear in court against parents as that is the work of the police (or should be!)
1:-.”NO PUNISHMENT WITHOUT CRIME” would solve most problems because most of the parents losing their children have broken no laws and never harmed their kids so they should not lose them.
2:- No gagging orders should be put on parents and no restrictions on contact with their children should be imposed if parents have not been convicted of any crime involving children.Above all children incare should never be gagged and forbidden mobile phones if old enough.
3:-Restore Freedom of Speech ,freedom of association,and freedom to give birth without prédictions of future harm followed by forced adoption (which should be abolished)
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Agree 100% Ian.
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To amend Section 76 of the Serious Crimes Act 2015
1. To include in Section 76 clear references including Parental Alienation as a controlling or coercive behaviour.
Parental Alienation is defined as:” the process, and the result, of the psychological manipulation of a child into showing unwarranted fear, disrespect or hostility towards a parent and/or other family members”
2. To re- define “personally connected” in s76.2.b to specifically include separated & or divorced parents, it currently is applicable only to individuals living together
3. To remove the age limit of 16 as contained in s76.3.b so that children of any age can be protected by the Law
NOTE: Children Act does NOT protect children against Parental Alienation nor does the 1933 Prevention of Child Cruelty Act – whoever writes your “CrossReference” software responses in the PRU needs an education.
Kindly address the matter forthwith.
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These are not ‘Family’ Courts at all. ‘Family Division’ is a more apt description. Every report, every survey, shows that children are best brought up knowing both parents, even if those parents don’t live together. Yet still these Courts are adversarial; they pitch parent against parent and often children against parent. They do it still. Untold harm is done to those involved in all this. Gagging orders served on parents are only ordered to cover-up the injustices and incompetence of those who impose them. Why can I see any child – any child in the world – except my own? Why is anyone allowed to see my child, except me? There is no valid reason, and none has ever been offered, despite numerous pleas. Because there is no valid answer.
I don’t see this as a gender issue. Though a father who considers himself very badly treated by an incompetent judge and a corrupt system, I do know many mothers who have also been inhumanely treated. The only explanation I can give is that the present system makes a lot of money for those within it. This ugly, festering core is wrapped up in the shiny tinsel of ‘working in the children’s best interests’ and until the wrapping is stripped away to expose the rotten core, M.P.s and other ‘professionals’ will continue to support and make excuses for it. But that’s all they are – excuses. And nothing, really, can excuse the present system that masquerades as supporting children and families whilst at the same time working to destroy them.
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Replace family courts by criminal courts then abolish gagging orders and forced adoption…………..
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Reblogged this on tummum's Blog and commented:
Now is your chance xx
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Pingback: Tell Politicians What You Think About The Family Courts | tummum's Blog
The court just goes with social worker and the social worker lies so much and in my daughter case was forced adoption
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Reblogged this on No Punishment without Crime or Bereavement without Death!.
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Social workers/Local authorities Unlawfully severing the contact ties between children and all of their family members whilst aggressively pursuing Adoption.this would definitely be on the list.
Social workers lying in case files, lying on Oath, and committing perjury
in court without any repercussions must Stop.
Local authorities covering up vital information and going completely unchallenged must not be allowed to continue.
Adoptions proven to be Unlawful and based on False case files must be overturned and those children returned. no more excuses like “the child is now settled” etc.
Corrupt Social workers,LA staff, child guardians, Solicitors, Barristers and Judges, to be held accountable for their crimes and criminal charges brought against them.
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The culture of mistrust and disrespect of what currently “professionals” have towards parents is changing in the current climate. Parents who may have lapsed just once in their parenting skills, which has never put their children at risk of significant harm are now being taken to Court. It is the “professionals” word NOT evidence that is tearing children away from their parents. Ed Timpson needs to be sacked due hiding the current issues relating to children being adopted unnecessarily. I was once asked to train as a social worker, not because I considered the job to be difficult, but due to the fact I would probably be sacked and my reputation and references would be damaged for life if I didn’t adhere to what I was told to do within a “bullying culture” to meet targets. If the Crown Prosecution Service can’t secure enough evidence to convict criminals then why cannot the Family Courts do the same when Local Authorities are seeking to remove children from families who would never harm their children.
Any judge can be influenced by so called “professionals” but what is absolutely clear no evidence is required. The only way I can describe judges in a family court is when you go to your GP when you have a health issue and makes a diagnosis on what you have presented. Social Workers give their opinions and not factual evidence to the judge so judges are in a no win situation and a judge has to base an order on opinion within the family courts.
I have firsthand experience, as I know others do, of the fraudulent and inexcusable behaviour of those who profess to protect children. My son’s serious case review is only one example. It was commissioned by the LSCB by an Independent Chair who was an ex-chief superintendant, way beyond the retirement age – I wonder why he retired sooner rather than later. One of the Lead Reviewers had worked for the Youth Offending Service, collusion to cover up what actually happened. She had also helped the LA in their recent Ofsted Inspection. They both attended Parliament and will say no more other than neither of them were independent. The Director of Children’s Services sits on the Well-Being Board, with guess who? The Independent Chair of the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board in addition to the Chief Executive!
With regards to No Current Guidelines On Child Welfare Professionals Using The Internet And Social Media To Track And Trace Parents everyone is entitled to “the right to a family private life”. Social Workers and other Professionals have already invaded our right to a private family life. However, it did help me in my circumstances to uncover another lie in my fight to secure justice for my son
A recent tweet from a Head of Safeguarding: Safeguarding is Everyone’s Responsibility: 55% of serious case reviews are on children who are below threshold for children’s social care.
So 45% of child deaths could have been prevented but is not what is stated in most Serious Case Reviews. Please note how the statistics are exclusive of child deaths through no fault of the parents AKA “cot deaths” or other undiagnosed illnesses as every child’s death has to be recorded. Manipulation of statistics springs to mind and yes she was previously an IRO.
When I emailed you Sabine I know you were unwell and unable to respond and hope now that you are well recovered to a great extent.
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Children should NEVER be removed from parents unless there is a repeated pattern of injuries or the responsible parent is “sectioned” (mentally ill ).
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Of course this is 100% true and the SS know this but when Big money incentives are being waved in front of unscrupulous people we all know whats going to happen.
Corruption all the way to the Bank.
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Or should i say “Off shore account”.
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Stephen Neary and Justice: Well Mark and Steve were very “lucky” to get Justice and I do not think it was the HRA.. it was the promogulation.. the evil bastards “could” have declared that he’s got capacity.. and his Family would have “never” seen him again..we got no Justice as that is what they did to us when he was due back home during Best Interests.. coz I did not promogulate it.. we have not seen our VIP for 4 years and we never will again..we have no Human Rights as well.. thats what the evil Judge said to me.. the Court of appeal endorses as well.. the ECHR is too busy to look into the cruelty by this barbaric state..I am gagged and can’t go public.. prison sentence looms..so end of story.. Human Rights my foot.. The woefully lagging and indeed shameful Family Justice System needs REFORMING at ONCE. Judges, SW’s ISW’s, OS, NHS, Home Staff and LA’s all WORK TOGETHER TO DESTROY FAMILY LIFE AND THE VULNERABLE.
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There is no doubt the whole system of child protection Via the Family courts is extremely Dangerous to the British public and Family life in general. those who work within it have no regard for Human rights what so ever.
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You can find wicked people in every country not just Germany and Japan in the war .There were loads of collaborators in France and yes even in the UK in the channel Islands where there was a lot of forced labour and deportation of gays and jews !
The lawyers and judges in the family courts are just as bad (if not worse in some cases) confiscating children to put them in State care or forced adoption for superficial reasons;Parents who have Learning difficulties (but who can read,write and shop), argue noisily,get drunk frequently,leave their kids on their own at night,or who smack them when they disobey may not be good parents but it is ridiculous to put their kids in State care which is usually much worse with children ending up in jail or as prostitutes or both !
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My thoughts and feelings is that the whole family court system is a farce, it needs to change completely along the lines of the criminal court as the LA will need to prove the accusations and not just say is it possible. Taking capacity away, taking the wishes and feelings of older siblings still living at home, meaning 18+ siblings. The way they look at a parent who admits being in long term foster care and faced with their child in care. Mental health in parents. Unqualified social workers, the amount of SW taking over from another in the middle of court proceedings and being allowed to just copy and paste previous SW statements. My list is endless but this is just from the top of my had.
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I mostly would like to speak out without fear. Fear of retaliation by the courts, or by Social Services. I would also like to know in what world is it ok for someone in my situation to have access to all children, but my own. I can work in schools, parks, anywhere I want. Nothing shows on my CRB, not even on an enhanced disclosure. I’ve committed no crime. My husband and our two little angels have committed no crime, but we are still serving lifetime sentences. I want to know why the word of an assessor who spent all of four hours with me is considered more valuable than two doctors who were treating me. I want to know why it’s ok that my children’s carers are taking them out of the country for a holiday, but they aren’t allowed to go see my family. I want to know why when my children ask why they can’t come home the only answer I can give is Mummy was sick, and the carers are afraid I will get sick again. I want to know when untreated depression and anxiety became a crime. I want to know why the crime was only deemed to just when medication and therapy were starting. I want to know why the fact that being pregnant was what prevented medication and there were never taken into account. I want to know why a change of social worker made the difference between my children being adopted and what we have now which is a family care situation. I want to know why the carers can use my children as weapons to keep my husband and I in line with what the carers want from our lives. I want to know why our families were pitted against each other like animals in a fighting ring. Fed just enough (mis)information to keep us all hating each other, and never trusting what the others have said. Also I would like to know why it’s appropriate for solicitors who have handled the case from day one to decide to send barristers either to every hearing, or the final most important one. I want it fixed before another family is ripped to shreds by questions that can’t be answered. I want a lot, but mostly I want my family back together again, and I’d like to be able to think of the carers as family again. I hope someone else out there is in tears reading this and does something to put a stop to it all. Forced adoption, punishment without crimes, section 20 agreements that are forced, or obtained by threats, and the destruction not only of the core family, but the extended family needs to end. I can see I’m not the only one, so please listen to our voices crying out nameless and faceless in the dark we have been confined to.
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It would be interesting to see what the Government will come up with as far as ‘Law Changing’ goes. This is offcourse after our input to the Law Comm’s. Consultation.. unlawful DOLs etc,.. this cannot go onn anymore.
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All judges denying a 100% law abiding mother the right to see her own children should be locked up for a very very long time( and so should those helping them ) for crimes against humanity.Judges,lawyers,social workers,court appointed “experts”,guardians,yes the whole lot ,with sentences depending on the extent of their implication.
Well I can dream can’t I ??
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I like those kind of dreams and who’s to say they will never become reality. the winds of change blow in many directions. its inevitable that all kinds of corruption will come to an end and those who prospered from it will have to pay for their crimes.
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Family courts are disgusting taking away kids from loving parents and ripping families apart through being fools to believe social services lies!
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There appears to be no accountability for any “wrong” that occurs by local authorities or by the employee’s. It is often claimed by service users that social worker reporting contains not only inaccuracies but also blatant untruths. In may care cases the local authority shares parental responsibility but appear to action or be the sole decision makers even when it is a significant change to a care plan without in some cases involving the IRO in that decision process. The IRO often lacks the claimed independence due to being employed by the local authority. There are often further claims of a local authority hiding or misrepresenting the child’s wishes and feelings to obtain their objective, such as denying contact to a parent. They will claim that the child has no wish of contact at the current time and this is where the role of the IRO is lacking as the decision of contact then falls foul of the intended safeguarding of the child’s rights. This often leaves parents bemused with a local authority who perceive that the word ‘Authority’ gives them the right to do as they wish when that is not the case. Their belief that they are untouchable and that the court will believe or act on their say so is the very reason that the courts earn the awarded name of ‘Corrupt family court’ this every so common perception needs reform along with crystal clear accountability when a failure of a local authority or safe member has substance and this accountability should include the social worker being struck off similar to a doctor who commits a matter of misconduct and not the quiet word that currently occurs when children and relationships are damaged or severed completely on the say so of a social worker who may have taken a personal dislike of the service user for speaking out, making a complaint or recording meetings which are all within the rights of the service user.
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Your observations are quite accurate in that these actions are being taken by LAs against parents and children to help secure their objectives such as Adoption etc. Severing contact ties with lies and deception seems to be the Norm with Social workers and this is nothing less than mental cruelty and psychological abuse against both children and parents.
the million dollar question is – Whats going to be done about it and When.
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The parent responsible for the children’s falls ill (cancer or heart attack etc) an doesn’t trust the other parent bringing the children’s up or been missing from their lives an not supported them or suffered domestic violence in the relationship then the parent looking after them should have a say who they prefer to keep the children’s after they pass away in a will.
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Judges make wrong decision and fails to judge what’s right.
Family court has no power or law to punish the alienating parents who psychology abuses children and the targeted parent. Cafcass does not have enough training or education doto recognise The parental alienation and do something about it. The justice system is paralysed against parental alienation.
Parental alienation is crime in other countries like Brazil and Mexico but here in UK is okay to play the children’s mind and use them as a weapon to hurt the other parent. Court orders been ignored and on the name of children ” feeling and wishes” the abuse continues.
There is no training for people who works in children’s best interest eg school teacher , doctors , social worker and guardians on how to best support the children . Every one including court is helpless against Parental Alienation and cruel emotional abuse.
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