Sunday 29 January 2017

UK judges change court rules on child contact for violent fathers


The reforms are to be introduced in the family courts after campaigning by the charity Women’s
Aid, which identified that 19 children have been killed in the last 10 years by their violent
fathers after being given contact with them by judges.

The changes include a demand from one of the most senior family court judges for all the
judiciary to have further training on domestic violence and to act to ensure women and children
are protected.

Mr Justice Cobb announced the changes on Friday after talks with Women’s Aid, and following
concerns raised in a Guardian investigation.

Cobb said: “It is indeed most disturbing to note that for at least 12 children [in seven families]
of the 19 children killed … contact with the perpetrator [the father] was arranged through the
family courts.

“For six families, this contact was arranged in family court hearings [two of these were interim
orders], and for one family, contact was decided as part of the arrangements for a non-molestation
order and occupational order.”

Since its report on the child murders last year, Women’s Aid has identified another case in which
a child was murdered by a father after being given contact via the family court. The charity is
presenting their updated report to the prime minister in Downing Street on Monday.

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