The FSG report, ‘What about me?’, published last week, noted the current processes for resolving issues tend to operate largely for parents, and called for the establishment of community-based services to inform, support and represent the children of separating couples.
It recommended there be a presumption that all children aged 10 or above be heard in an issue-resolution process outside of the courtroom. It also noted that a legal response to parental disagreements may not always be necessary, as they are often not legal disputes.
It noted: ‘The numbers of parents making applications is unmanageable and family courts are stretched beyond limits, with the numbers of applications (often about matters that should never have reached the doors of the court) growing exponentially.’
