Domestic abuse in private law proceedings: what families want social workers to know

A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) report published in June 2020 raised concerns about the family justice system’s approach to domestic abuse cases, calling it inconsistent and in some instances harmful for victims and children. One recommendation was for social workers dealing with private family law proceedings to be NAAS accredited to tackle ‘significant skills weaknesses’. In this session, Annie, a parent with experience of child protection and private law who now supports other families, will share some of her experiences and discuss:

• the areas of concern highlighted in the MoJ report and the long-term implications for children and their families when the family court process goes wrong;
• what families want you to know and how they want and need you to help;
• practical advice for social workers in the family court.

'Annie', founder of Surviving Safeguarding