The Family Justice Review at 15: missed opportunities and the child’s voice(lessness) in decision-making when parents separate

This article reflects on the Family Justice Review 15 years after its publication, highlighting missed opportunities to create a child-centred family justice system in England and Wales. The 2011 Review exposed a fragmented, under-resourced system that left children unheard during parental separation. Its core recommendation was to create a Family Justice Service to amplify children's voices and provide systemic oversight. The government rejected this, instead setting up the Family Justice Board. Subsequent reforms have not resolved deep-rooted issues, including long delays, inadequate oversight of separating families, and insufficient facilitation of children’s views.

Despite initiatives such as the Pathfinder Courts many children are or feel excluded from the decision-making. The article argues for a holistic Family Solutions Service focused on early support, child consultation, and coordinated leadership and the appointment of a Commissioner for Separated Families to ensure children’s rights are prioritised. It warns that incremental changes will not achieve the transformative vision of the original Review.

Read the full article here.