Impact of the Family Justice Reforms: Phase 3 - exploring variation across 21 local authorities (2016)
The Children and Families Act came into force in April 2014, introducing wide-ranging reforms to the Family Justice System. At the heart of public family law reform is the revised Public Law Outline (PLO), which introduced a 26 week timeframe for completing care proceedings. Since 2011, when the Family Justice Review was published, the average duration for the disposal of a care application has reduced from 56 weeks to 27.5 weeks (October-December 2015 quarterly statistics) (Ministry of Justice, 2015). Previous phases of fieldwork for DfE investigating the impact of family justice reform (Research in Practice, 2015a and b) found that professionals broadly welcomed the changes, while noting a range of challenges in implementing the revised PLO and in the impact of significant judgments (e.g. Re B-S).
The current study builds on these previous research projects. The aim of the current study was to explore the range of factors which may contribute to variation in the average care case duration of individual local authorities.
Professional Standards
PQS:KSS - Lead and govern excellent practice | Designing a system to support effective practice | Developing excellent practitioners | Support effective decision-making | Quality assurance and improvement | Promote and govern excellent practice | Performance management and improvement | Relationships and effective direct work | The law and the family and youth justice systems | The role of supervision
PCF - Rights, justice and economic wellbeing | Knowledge | Critical reflection and analysis | Intervention and skills
Impact of the Family Justice Reforms on Front-Line Practice Phase Two: Special Guardianship Orders (2015)
In recent years there has been an increased use of Special Guardianship Orders (SGOs), with SGOs being used in a wider range of circumstances than was originally intended. This report draws on interviews with professionals in six local authorities. It focuses on changes in local authority and Cafcass professionals' perspectives of how SGOs are being used since the family justice reforms and recent court judgements compared to previously.
Impact of the Family Justice Reforms on Front-Line Practice Phase One: The Public Law Outline (2015)
This report draws on the views and experiences of professionals in six local authorities, focusing on the impact of the family justice reforms and recent court judgements on local authority practice. It provides evidence on the positive changes that have come about as a result of the reforms, as well as the challenges in implementing the revised Public Law Outline.