Bold reforms

A few weeks ago Graham Lyons voiced his concerns in this journal about the government’s approach to mediation (see “No Minister!”, NLJ , 26 September 2014, p 8). I’d like to address the points that Mr Lyons raised.

We have made bold reforms to fix a family justice system described by the Family Justice Review in 2011 as “no system at all”. I welcome the support from those across the system who have helped to implement and bed in these reforms and pay tribute to the excellent work that’s already taking place.

The Family Mediation Task Force members have done great work looking at how to increase the uptake of mediation and I would like to thank them again for their recommendations. The Task Force was set up to reflect the make-up of the family justice system and it deliberately drew upon a wide range of expertise, including trained, practising mediators. David Norgrove, Chair of the Family Justice