Prof Alexis Jay, former chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), has urged the government to fully implement the 20 recommendations set out in the inquiry’s 2022 final report, which highlighted “endemic”
People working in a range of family justice roles will be able to learn how family mediation can support them in their work, by attending a range of free one-hour webinars during Family Mediation Week
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting has defended the timeline for implementing long-term reforms to England’s adult social care system, with final proposals not expected until 2028. Despite criticism from experts and care providers,
More victims will see justice thanks to an extra 2,000 Crown Court sitting days announced by the Lord Chancellor. This will see courts sit for a total of 108,500 days this year – the highest
New data released in the lead up to Divorce Day, the first working Monday after 1st January, reveals how Christmas pressures are pushing strained couples to breaking point. According to fresh data released by WSP
Law Society of England and Wales looks at what 2025 holds for the legal sector as it celebrates its bicentenary. Richard Atkinson, president of the Law Society said: “2025 sees the Law Society celebrating 200
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has published latest information about the number of children subject to applications to deprive them of their liberty under the inherent jurisdiction of the high court (DoL applications.) It shows
From early next year, journalists and legal bloggers will be granted broader access to report on family court cases in England and Wales. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has approved the permanent expansion of transparency
The Government is introducing the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to Parliament. The new legislation is part of the Government’s mission to help ensure all children get the best start in life. It begins to
Thank you to all our Today’s Family Lawyer readers, subscribers and contributors for your support in 2024. It has been another busy year in the family law world with too many stories to mention. We
Children cannot independently make decisions regarding gender reassignment treatment, as senior judges have ruled, asserting the essential role of parents in the process, as reported by The Times. The Court of Appeal’s decision has sparked
The government must invest in the family court system to provide the public service that children and families deserve, demands the Law Society of England and Wales. Tens of thousands of children need decisions about
During July to September 2024, there was a decrease in adoption, matrimonial and domestic violence cases; at the same time there have been increases in financial remedy, public law and private law case starts, according
The long-anticipated Law Commission’s scoping report on financial remedies on divorce and dissolution, published on December 18th, has sparked widespread discussion among family law professionals. The report investigates the current legal framework, highlights its shortcomings,
Today the Law Commission has published a scoping report on the laws governing finances on divorce and the ending of a civil partnership. The Commission has concluded that the law needs to be reformed and
Progress on surrogacy reform appears to be underway as the government recently met with the Law Commission to discuss recommendations outlined in its 2023 report, which had seemed to stall, as reported by The Law
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has conducted a thematic review of how firms and individuals engage with their professional obligations. This review highlights how firms access, understand, and integrate regulatory information, as well as areas
The Council has published a new guideline for judges and magistrates sentencing strangulation and suffocation offences in England and Wales. It will come into force on 1st January 2025. The guideline aims to ensure consistent
A new survey from Charles Russell Speechlys, shows that the majority of family lawyers believe there should not be a maximum period for the term of spousal periodical payment orders (SPPOs) (often referred to as
As Today’s Family Lawyer Podcast approaches the close of another year, it’s time to reflect on a remarkable journey of compelling conversations, industry insights, and actionable advice. Hosted by David Opie, Managing Director at Today’s
A report by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC), published, finds that local areas are working hard to improve support for young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), but a number of
The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel is calling on the government to ensure that children at risk of being harmed, both inside and outside their families, are at the heart of its strategies to break
If the public is to get the fair, efficient and timely justice they deserve, there must be sustained investment in all parts of the crisis-hit criminal justice system, the Law Society of England and Wales
Enable Law, the specialist mental capacity, personal injury, and medical negligence law firm, has strengthened its team with the appointment of education law expert Mrs Rukhsana Koser as a Legal Director. Rukhsana joins Enable Law
Edwards Family Law has announced the appointment of Daniel Chalmers as Partner. Chalmers brings a wealth of experience in family law, with a particular focus on divorce and associated financial matters, representing clients in High
As newly released statistics show the Crown Court backlog has reached a record high, the review will look at what more can be done to make sure criminals have their day in court without delay.
In family court disputes in England and Wales, new guidance from the Family Justice Council advises giving greater weight to domestic abuse allegations than to claims of “parental alienation”. The recommendation aims to address common
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has acknowledged that even with the government’s plans to create 14,000 additional prison places by 2031, the UK prison system could still face a capacity crisis in the coming years. She
The backlog of rape and sexual offence cases in England’s crown courts is “totally unacceptable,” according to the nation’s chief prosecutor, Stephen Parkinson. The new Director of Public Prosecutions has made tackling these delays his
Two new statutory aggravating factors for murder sentencing announced will mean judges will have to consider tougher jail terms for murders involving strangulation or when the killing is connected to the end of a relationship.
A safeguarding review has revealed that victims of child sexual abuse on Caldey Island, off Pembrokeshire, were subjected to decades of cruelty, neglect, and hostility by the island’s Cistercian monks, as reported by The BBC.
The lack of legal recognition for humanist weddings in England and Wales has been criticised as discriminatory, with couples who do not want to marry in religious settings facing additional costs and inconvenience, peers in
Domestic abuse campaigners have expressed outrage after Reform Party leader Richard Tice appeared to question court records detailing an incident in which Reform MP James McMurdock physically assaulted a former partner, as reported by Sky
The NSPCC Helpline fielded almost 4,000 contacts about concerns for children experiencing domestic abuse between April 2024 and September 2024. There has been a 19% increase about the issue compared to the same period last
Stalking victims are to be given more protection and perpetrators will face robust management under a raft of new measures unveiled by the Home Office. For the first time, the Home Secretary will issue new
Sally Gandon, an experienced solicitor with a 44-year career, has been struck off following an agreement with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) after admitting to forging a divorce client’s signature, as reported by The Law