Lawyers welcome child-focused courts rollout but warn of funding and implementation challenges

The Association of Lawyers for Children has welcomed the national rollout of the Child Focused Model in family courts across England and Wales, while cautioning that further reform and investment will be required for the changes to deliver meaningful improvements.

The model, previously piloted as the Private Law Pathfinder and now being expanded following an announcement by David Lammy at the Ministry of Justice, aims to create a more child-centred approach to private law proceedings. It seeks to involve children earlier in cases and enable faster resolution of disputes concerning arrangements such as where a child lives and spends time.

In a statement, the Association said the model shows “promise” in improving outcomes, particularly by ensuring that children’s voices are heard at an earlier stage of proceedings and reducing delays.

However, practitioners working in pilot areas have reported that some aspects of the model are not yet functioning as intended. The organisation warned that these issues must be addressed to ensure the system operates both efficiently and fairly, and that it can effectively support wider government objectives, including tackling violence against women and girls.