This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/law/2016/sep/20/family-courts-facing-imminent-crisis-over-child-custody-cases

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Family courts facing 'imminent crisis' over child custody cases Family courts face 'imminent crisis' over child custody cases
(about 2 hours later)
The family court service is facing a “clear and imminent crisis” due to the massive increase in the number of child custody cases being brought, its most senior judge has warned. The family court service in England and Wales is facing a “clear and imminent crisis” because of the large increase in the number of child custody cases being brought, its most senior judge has said.
In an emergency statement issued through the judicial office, Sir James Munby, president of the family division, said he could not simply ask lawyers or court staff to work harder. In an emergency statement issued through the judicial office, Sir James Munby, the president of the family division, said he could not simply ask lawyers or court staff to work harder.
“The fact is that we are approaching a crisis for which we are ill-prepared and where there is no clear strategy to manage the crisis. What is to be done?” he asked.“The fact is that we are approaching a crisis for which we are ill-prepared and where there is no clear strategy to manage the crisis. What is to be done?” he asked.
The number of care cases being dealt with by the family courts in England and Wales has risen from around 6,500 cases a year on average before 2010 to more than 15,000 this year. The number of care cases being dealt with by the family courts in England and Wales has risen from an average of around 6,500 a year before 2010 to more than 15,000 this year.
“If… the current rate of increase of [around] 20% were to continue for the next three years, by 2019-20 the figure would have climbed to over 25,000,” Munby said.“If… the current rate of increase of [around] 20% were to continue for the next three years, by 2019-20 the figure would have climbed to over 25,000,” Munby said.
“In the meantime – today – we face a clear and imminent crisis. What steps can be taken now?” Standards should not be sacrificed in order to handle more cases, Munby cautioned. “In the meantime – today – we face a clear and imminent crisis. What steps can be taken now?”
Standards should not be sacrificed in order to handle more cases, he cautioned.
“The fact is that, on the ground, the system is – the people who make the system work are – at full stretch. We cannot, and I have for some time now been making clear that I will not, ask people to work harder. Everyone – everyone – is working as hard as they can.”“The fact is that, on the ground, the system is – the people who make the system work are – at full stretch. We cannot, and I have for some time now been making clear that I will not, ask people to work harder. Everyone – everyone – is working as hard as they can.”
Munby said the reasons for the increase were not entirely clear: “There are, in principle, three possible causes for the increase: 1) that the amount of child abuse/neglect is increasing; 2) that local authorities are becoming more adept at identifying child abuse/neglect and taking action to deal with it; 3) that local authorities are setting more demanding standards – in other words, lowering the threshold for intervention. Munby said the reasons for the increase were not entirely clear: “There are, in principle, three possible causes for the increase: (1) that the amount of child abuse/neglect is increasing; (2) that local authorities are becoming more adept at identifying child abuse/neglect and taking action to deal with it; (3) that local authorities are setting more demanding standards – in other words, lowering the threshold for intervention.
“I do not believe that child abuse/neglect is rising by 14% let alone 20% a year. So this cannot be the sole explanation. It follows that changes in local authority behaviour must be playing a significant role.” “I do not believe that child abuse/neglect is rising by 14%, let alone 20% a year. So this cannot be the sole explanation. It follows that changes in local authority behaviour must be playing a significant role.”