The latest court reform event, which enables child protection professionals to learn more about the modernisation programme for the family courts in England and Wales, invites people to send in questions about the proposed changes.
But the event invite does not extend to service users, whose input is arguably the most important, and says “the session is aimed at local authorities, legal professionals, professional court users (judges and lawyers) and the third sector”, so this site is encouraging families and children to submit questions instead.
The invitation, which doubles up as a registration portal, explains that the webinar will offer insight into the court system’s work modernising the system so far. The session will also provide updates on the latest changes made, which include tests carried out on a new digital process allowing local authorities to make applications for care and supervision orders online.
The new processes were tested at the start of 2019, with a few local authorities and family courts. The invite says the pilots involved working closely with local authorities, CAFCASS/CAFCASS Cymru, the judiciary and “people involved in the family courts”, though it is not clear whether this group includes families and children with family court experience.
During the event, viewers will be able to submit questions and the presenters will then answer a selection of questions in real time. However, questions can also be emailed in advance, to changesomethingthatmatters@justice.gov.uk.
The services that are being tested are set to be rolled out across the whole of England and Wales in the new year.
For anyone unable to watch the webinar on the day, the session will be recorded.
The online event takes place on Thursday January 23, 2020 from 1pm-2pm.
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