With delays in private children cases continuing to climb, Natasha Grande urges family practitioners to take action to resist such slowdowns becoming the norm
- Data from the Ministry of Justice is showing a growing delay in private children work in the family courts.
- Multiple factors have contributed to this, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the removal of legal aid for private cases.
- Family practitioners can play their part in mitigating the impact of the delays on their clients by advocating for dispute resolution options.
The Law Society has raised alarm bells over the increasing delays in private children work within the family courts. For practitioners specialising in family law and handling children cases, this will not come as a surprise—we frequently find ourselves dedicating considerable time to following up with the courts, and arguing how these delays negatively impact the wellbeing of the children involved and the parties. Unfortunately, despite efforts to address this issue, children continue to face uncertainties due to these delays.
Numbers don’t lie
Contacting the court directly is often impractical:
