Landmark Change in Family Law to Protect Children From Abusive Parents

A significant shift in family law has been announced, with courts in England and Wales set to remove the automatic assumption that children should have contact with both parents. Domestic-abuse campaigners have hailed the landmark change in family law, saying it could save many lives.

Under the current law, the family courts operate on a baseline presumption that parental involvement is in the child’s best interests. The new reform will remove that starting point, meaning courts must assess each case individually without assuming contact is automatically beneficial.

Campaigners and experts in domestic abuse law have argued that the “pro-contact” culture in family courts can put survivors and children at risk. They say abusive parents have used the assumption of contact to retain control, even when there was evidence of harm.

Courts will no longer start from the view that contact with both parents is necessarily in the child’s best interests. Following this new guidance, the court will need to consider if contact is genuinely safe and beneficial in each individual case.

This change could make a significant difference to your child arrangements proceedings. For detailed legal advice tailored to your situation, please contact our team of family law and child arrangements specialists.

As leading family law solicitors in Milton Keynes , our team of specialists are here to help. In addition to our head office in Milton Keynes, we also have offices in Bicester, Watford, and London.

This article is intended for the use of our clients and other interested parties. The information contained in it reflects the author’s view and is believed to be correct at the date of publication. However, it is necessarily of a brief and general nature and should not be relied upon as a substitute for specific professional legal advice.