Vision for Family Justice

Our Vision for Family Justice sets out our vision for where and how changes need to be made to address the current issues facing the family justice system.

No-fault divorce was achieved with the support of Resolution’s members and the Vision for Family Justice is the latest result of our members’ input. It will guide our policy aims and proactive lobbying work next year and beyond. We will continue to stand up for you and for your clients and to push for reforms that will improve the way family disputes are resolved in line with our Code of Practice.

The recommendations in the Vision are based on views and experiences of more than a thousand Resolution members through surveys, focus groups, and discussions within our specialist and regional committees. This engagement has ensured that Resolution’s campaigning and lobbying work acts as the leading, authoritative voice of the family justice sector.

The vast majority of our members identified cohabitation as the next priority area for reform. The other main priority was funding for early legal information and advice. These key issues will form the crux of Resolution’s campaigning activities over the coming months and years, with the rest of the Vision forming the building blocks for ongoing and future policy development.

Resolution’s full Vision calls for a whole raft of other changes to policy, legislation and processes in order to improve the lives of children and families in England and Wales. These include reform of surrogacy laws; better protection of victims of domestic abuse in the family court; changes to child arrangement proceedings; and consideration of reform of the law relating to financial remedies on divorce.

The launch of the Vision in this year’s Awareness Week was just the start of the journey. The Vision sets out our stall, but it is also a platform on which we will continue to build and develop our members’ policy asks. We hope that it will also encourage policy makers and influencers to continue to turn to us and the expertise of our members on family law and related practice and procedure issues.

Our priority during 2024 will be to take forward communication of our Vision across all the main political parties and other external audiences, especially the arguments for cohabitation reform and more public funding for legal advice for families facing separation and family change.

Read more about how we shaped the Vision for Family Justice by Jo Edwards, Chair of Resolution’s Family Law Reform Group.