Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what safeguarding provisions her Department provides for (a) children and (b) isolated parents while Child Arrangement Orders are approved.

The legislation which governs child arrangements cases ensures that the child’s welfare is paramount at each stage of proceedings.

Whilst a Child Arrangements Order is being approved, the Family Court may put an interim Child Arrangements Order in place. These orders are often issued to ensure that whilst a final decision is being reached a child can maintain family relationships, where it is safe to do so. The order can specify the details of contact, such as whether it should be supervised. In cases where there are concerns about safety, the court may direct that contact takes place at a Child Contact Centre.

The Government is committed to supporting vulnerable children and parents. Our Pathfinder pilot, which is currently being rolled out across England and Wales, is designed to improve the court experience for children and vulnerable parents in private family law cases. Central to this the Child Impact Report, which assesses a child’s needs and what the right approach would be for them, particularly focusing on the impact of any domestic abuse or high-risk behaviours.

Practice Direction 27C allows both Independent Domestic Violence Advisors and Children’s Independent Domestic Violence Advisors to accompany individuals during court hearings, ensuring they are supported throughout their case. These trained professionals provide trauma-informed support to victims and child victims of domestic abuse, helping them navigate the legal process, access services, and participate safely in proceedings.