Welcoming the report of the House of Commons Justice Committee on Court Capacity today, Resolution Chair, Juliet Harvey, said:
“Resolution members and their clients across the country know only too well the delays currently faced in the family court. This can make it harder for separating families to make long-term, lasting arrangements for their finances, and, crucially, any children they might have.
“Existing Government support for mediation is welcome, but as we said in our evidence, whilst mediation is an important and successful process for many, it is not the right solution for everyone. We believe far more family disputes could be resolved, with less conflict and less negative impact on children, if the government provided support for early legal advice, so that everyone facing separation is able to access free information about all their options at the outset. This would not only promote more amicable, constructive solutions for families, but also help reduce the growing burden on the family courts.
“We welcome this report, and the commitment from the Secretary of State for Justice to explore ‘bold solutions’ in this area. We look forward to working with him and his officials on developing such solutions, which Resolution members, who are helping families avoid court every day, are ideally placed to deliver.”
