Responding to the Government’s plans to repeal the presumption of parental involvement from the Children Act 1989, Ellie Butt, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Refuge, said:
“Every child deserves to be safe. But for decades, women and their children have been put at serious risk by the presumption of parental involvement in the family courts – the legal assumption that maintaining contact with both parents is automatically in the child’s best interests, save in exceptional circumstances. Refuge strongly welcomes the Government’s plans to repeal this dangerous presumption – a crucial step in ensuring that children are not forced into contact with perpetrators of domestic abuse.
“The prevailing ‘contact at all costs’ culture in the family courts not only affects children’s emotional and mental wellbeing – it can put them at serious risk of harm. At Refuge, we have heard from many survivors whose children were forced, by the courts, to have unsupervised contact with the perpetrator.
“While today’s announcement cannot undo years of systemic failure, it lays the groundwork for meaningful change. We hope it marks the beginning of a future in which the courts prioritise the safety and wellbeing of survivors and their children – not the rights of perpetrators.
“We pay tribute to the incredible and tireless campaigning of Claire Throssell, whose work in memory of her sons Jack and Paul, has led to this vital change.”
