Helen Lincoln, Chair of the ADCS Families, Communities & Young People Policy Network, said:

“Delays in the family courts are a long running issue due to multiple contributing factors, from the availability of judges and court space to the profile of, and investment in, family courts.

“The pandemic intensified these challenges and the system is yet to recover. The Public Accounts Committee recently highlighted the absence of dedicated investment or a coherent plan to tackle backlogs in the family courts.

“The incremental process on timeliness for the most recent period (April-June) speaks to the dedication and efforts of everyone in the family court system, from court staff and judges to local authority social workers and legal staff, to improve outcomes for children.

“For our part, we are seeing the complexity of cases increase, some with linked criminal court proceedings, needing to undertake international family assessments or listing delays, requiring assessments and reports to be redone or updated.

“Our main aim should always be meeting the individual needs of a child or young person, even if this falls outside of the 26-week limit.”

Ends