Family Law News

The second and final part of the Sixth Special Commission to review the practical operation of the 1980 Hague Child Abduction and 1996 Hague Child Protection Conventions has come to a close, where hundreds of experts from around the world gathered in the Academy Building of the Peace Palace to examine and discuss policy matters pertaining to both Conventions.

The Department of Work and Pension has announced that an extra £20 million will be made available to support separated and separating families as part of the reforms to mend the broken child support system.

Over half (51%) of social workers, and a third of police officers (36%) report feeling 'powerless' to intervene in suspected cases of child neglect, according to a landmark report by children's charity, Action for Children.

National support organisation Family Lives is bracing itself throughout January to support families going through separation or conflict with ex partners and step families, as the organisation’s new Divorce & Separation report highlights that couples are more likely to separate in January.

Work and Pensions Minister Maria Miller promised a new child maintenance system that was "fairer for children" as she announced proposals to remove the exemption from maintenance liability for some part-time public servants.

Detailed proposals for the new statutory child maintenance scheme have been published, which include plans to increase the amount of maintenance paid by parents on state benefits and others declaring low incomes.

The charity, Family Lives, has reported that calls to its Parentline regarding the aggressive behaviour of children have increased by 2%, but only 56% of respondents to an online survey had sought help for their child’s problem.

The charity, Families Need Fathers (FNF), has claimed that the recommendations made in the final report of the Family Justice Review are inadequate to address the deep-seated problems at the heart of the family justice system, and are unlikely to improve outcomes for children or their families.

The Family Justice Review panel has announced a package of recommendations aimed at tackling delays in the family justice system and to make sure that children and families are given the service they deserve.

The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has warned the Government of the serious consequences of pursuing far reaching cuts to legal aid, as the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill reaches Report Stage in the House of Commons.

Recent research by single parent charity Gingerbread has found that thousands of families could be helped out of poverty if there were a greater number of effective child maintenance agreements in place.

New survey results show that almost half of single parents currently using the Child Support Agency – as polled by charity Gingerbread - could not afford to pay the fees proposed to access the new child maintenance service.

UK charities Gingerbread and Barnardo’s are highlighting research evaluating the Child Maintenance Options Service which supports their concerns around Government proposals to charge parents up to £100 for access to the Child Support Agency (CSA).

Recent figures released by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have shown a 10% increase in the number of new cases of children being abducted by a parent and taken to a country that is not party to the Hague child abduction convention.

A recent study has revealed that around 173,200 children across the UK are being raised by a relative instead of by their mother or father. This equates to around one in every 77 children in the UK. These figures are based on data from the 2001 census, and researchers believe the numbers are likely to have increased significantly since then.

The recent review of the practical operation of the Hague Abduction and Child Protection Conventions has drawn to a close, with the Special Commission making a number of recommendations to improve the way the Conventions operate in Contracting States.