Children routinely put at risk by family courts, MPs hear Share this By Hayley Jarvis 23 Jan 2025 Calls for urgent reforms to end automatic presumption putting children in harm’s way by forcing unsafe contact with abusive parents UK family courts are putting children in danger by prioritising contact with abusive parents over their safety and welfare, a landmark Westminster debate heard today. Spearheaded by Dr Marie Tidball MP, the powerful discussion was fuelled by the tireless campaigning of her constituent, Claire Throssell. Claire’s sons Jack, 12, and Paul, 9, were killed by their father during court ordered contact despite Claire’s warnings that he was a danger to the children. The debate drew on the work of Right to Equality Co-Director, Dr Adrienne Barnett, lead author of the non-profit’s report on the presumption, launched in May 2024 at the UK Parliament. Dr Barnett, a law expert from Brunel University of London, has exposed how family courts in England and Wales often force children into unsafe contact with abusive parents. Forty-eight children were killed during contact visits between 1994 and 2015, revealed research highlighted in the debate. This figure includes cases where survivors warned judges about risks, but the courts insisted on contact. "Every week I hear from mothers traumatised from years of family court proceedings trying to keep their children safe,” said Dr Barnett. “Some of them have even lost their children to abusive fathers and have very little or no contact with them.” The law assumes children benefit from having contact with both parents, even when one has been abusive. Courts often ignore domestic abuse claims, leaving children at risk. “Children's voices are being muted and unheard in domestic abuse cases because of the pro contact culture,” Dr Tidball MP noted. Led by Dr Barnett, Right to Equality’s two-year campaign has galvanised cross-party support and calls for the presumption of contact to be scrapped entirely. For families caught in long legal fights, this could change everything. “It will remove the legal basis for courts to prioritise contact,” said Dr Barnett, “So the courts’ main focus will be where it should be - on children's welfare and safety. It will have a positive impact in reducing the length of court hearings if courts no longer feel obliged to 'pursue all avenues' and 'exhaust all options' before restricting or stopping contact. This is significant, because lengthy, repeat hearings are traumatising for victims and children, and the courts do not have the funds or infrastructure to sustain them.” The debate is a turning point, Dr Barnett said: “This is the first time Parliament has debated this issue in years. It’s a chance to change the law and save lives." Other countries are already leading the way. Australia recently repealed a similar law, and in the USA, ‘Kayden’s Law’ is helping protect children in custody cases involving abuse. Dr Barnett added: “The UK government must take on board all the powerful contributions to the debate, repeal the presumption, and make practical proposals for transforming the family courts so that they put children’s and victim’s safety and wellbeing at their heart, rather than being a tool of abusers.”