Plans for the family court monitoring mechanism released
Posted on 6th December 2021
Our family law solicitors discuss the release of plans for a new family court monitoring mechanism, and how it will improve the family court system.
In recent days, the details of the new planned monitoring mechanism were released by the domestic abuse commissioner and victim’s commissioner. Read more about this below from our specialist family solicitors.
What is the new family court monitoring mechanism?
The new monitoring system is being put in place to improve the response provided by the family court to domestic abuse. It was decided upon from a recommendation made by a panel of experts that the government commissioned to deal with the risk involved in cases of domestic abuse.
This panel recommended that a new system for monitoring the reports should be set up within the office of the Domestic Abuse Commissioner. This new system should report regularly on the performance of the family courts in protecting those involved in cases involving domestic abuse.
What are the aims of the new monitoring system?
The aim is that the findings coming from the new monitoring mechanism will produce a culture of protection for those vulnerable to domestic abuse, with children and survivors of domestic abuse being respected. It is hoped that through the transparency brought in by the system, the family courts will be open about how domestic abuse allegations are handled.
Domestic Abuse Commissioner has said of the plan, ‘The mechanism will improve both transparency and accountability within the family courts – it will aim to get to the heart of what is going on in the current system when it comes to domestic abuse. And importantly, it will centre the voices of survivors and children.’
When does the new family courts monitoring mechanism begin?
While the blueprints for the new family courts monitoring mechanism have been released this week, it will not be introduced until March 2022. This will be a pilot of the scheme, which will last for 12 months, and then a report will discuss the findings of the monitoring mechanism, along with an insightful framework explaining how long-term monitoring can be implemented on a national scale.
What do our family solicitors think about the new family courts monitoring mechanism?
Here at MG Legal, our specialist family solicitors are welcoming the introduction of the new family courts monitoring mechanism, and are optimistically awaiting the results of the system. We hope that it will bring greater awareness to the handling of domestic abuse within the family courts, and set out clearer, and more in-depth guidelines as to how the family courts should deal with reports and evidence of domestic abuse.
We agree completely with domestic abuse commissioner, who states that ‘It feels like the momentum is here now for real change in the family courts and I look forward to building on that over the next few months. We can, and we must, improve the experience for domestic abuse victims and their children.’
Contact MG Legal’s leading family solicitors for your family law needs:
Here at MG Legal, our friendly team of family solicitors are experts in all aspects of family law. This is made much easier by our 20 years of experience, meaning we really understand the different processes and how best to approach them. MG Legal’s Family Solicitors offer all services at a clear, fixed-fee rate, and there are never any hidden or extra costs in our work.
Get in touch with our team online, here, or by email at enquiries@mglegal.co.uk , to speak to an expert today. We are here to provide a helping hand, and assist you in getting your family life back on track.
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