Pilot gives journalists greater access to Family Courts

[ A NUMBER OF TRIALS have begun to give journalists greater scope to report on matters in Family Courts for the first time. A 12-month pilot launched on 30 January in Leeds, Cardiff and Carlisle means accredited journalists and legal bloggers can report on proceedings, provided they protect the anonymity of the families involved.

Professor Engobo Emeseh, head of the Law School at the University of Bradford, believes it is a positive move which will lead to greater transparency in cases which were previously kept private.

She commented: “There have been calls for a change to allow for more transparency in this area for a while. Family courts are concerned with making fundamental decisions about the life of a child and their future, so there needs to be some level of transparency and accountability, at the same time protecting other valid interests.

“Previously, there have been campaigns around decisions made concerning children which have been deemed to be unfair, but the public hasn't been given access to all the evidence as it couldn't be reported. So they couldn't come to a fair assessment of whether or not the right decision had been made.”

Nearly 250,000 cases go through the family justice system in England and Wales each year, including custody cases when parents have divorced, as well as the placement of children where welfare issues are concerned, such as abuse and neglect.

Should the trial prove successful it could be rolled out to every court in England and Wales. q