News & Resources – Practice Directions and Guidance

Ensuring Adherence to the Public Law Outline in London

Mr Justice MacDonald, the Family Presiding Judge for London, issued a local practice note yesterday. Although this is a local practice note for London, it closely aligns with the information given by the President and Mr Justice Keehan in their PLO... Read more

Psychologists as Expert Witnesses in Family Courts

In the light of the decision in Re C (Parental Alienation) [2023] EWHC 345 Fam, the Family Justice Council and the British Psychological Society have jointly issued guidance on the instruction of psychologists as expert witnesses in the family... Read more

A View from The President's Chambers November 2022

Relaunching the PLO.  To read the report in full please click here   Read more

Haematological evaluation of bruising and bleeding in children undergoing child protection investigation for possible physical maltreatment: A British Society for Haematology Good Practice Paper

Haematological evaluation of bruising and bleeding in children undergoing child protection investigation for possible physical maltreatment: A British Society for Haematology Good Practice Paper Click here to read the paper in full. Read more

Supervision of Contact - Assessing Relatives and Friends (SCARF): Tool for assessing wider family and friends to support contact.

Supervision of Contact - Assessing Relatives and Friends (SCARF): Tool for assessing wider family and friends to support contact. Click here to download Tool Read more

DfE Adoption Strategy published July 2021

Click here to download the Adoption Strategy published by the DfE on 27 July 2021      Read more

Transparency v The Privacy of the Child

The Court of Appeal has just handed down its decision in Re M in which a freelance journalist sought access to the case papers for a complex set of care/placement order proceedings. Lady Justice King dismisses the appeal by the journalist against... Read more

Court of Appeal Guidance on Domestic Abuse and Findings of Fact

From 19 to 21 January 2021, the Court of Appeal heard four conjoined appeals in relation to finding of fact hearings in private law cases where domestic abuse was raised as an issue. There were several interveners, including the ALC.  On 30 March... Read more

The 1996 Hague Convention

New guidance for local authorities to deal with cross-border child protection cases

On 6 January 2020 the DfE issued new guidance for local authorities to deal with cross-border child protection cases. The new guidance is required because, for countries in the EU, these issues would previously have been dealt with under a European... Read more

Family Justice Board statement on priorities in family justice

The Family Justice Board statement on priorities for the family justice system. This sets out the planned priorities to deal with the backlog of cases which we now face as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.   Download the statement... Read more

Nagalro Guidance to Members during the November 2020 Lockdown

Please click on this link to download the Guidance. Read more

Message from the Lord Chief Justice and senior President of Tribunals re new Covid-19 restrictions for England

To read the message please click on this link https://www.judiciary.uk/announcements/message-from-the-lord-chief-justice-and-senior-president-of-tribunals-new-covid-19-restrictions-for-england/   Read more

Court of Appeal decision about how to approach parents having contact with children during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Court of Appeal handed down its decision in Re D-S (Children) which explains how we should approach decisions around contact between parents and children who are subject to interim care orders.  To read full judgment Re D-S (Contact with... Read more

Multi-agency statutory guidance on female genital mutilation

This statutory guidance is being issued by the Government under section 5C(1) of the Female Genital Mutilation Act 20031 and extends to England and Wales only. Section 5C(1) states   Click here to download the guidance Read more

The Family Court and Covid-19 - The Road Ahead

From the Office of the the President of the Family courts. This document seeks to establish a broad framework for the Family Court by attempting to chart the road ahead over the next six months or... Read more

FLBA Video Conferencing Guide CVP

The FLBA have produced this guide for advocates using the new Cloud Video Platform (‘CVP’) for video hearings. This information will help those who are asked to give evidence at a remote hearing using this particular platform.  CVP is an online... Read more

Nagalro seeks guidance specifically for ISWs on how to work safely during the pandemic

On 3 April 2020 Nagalro wrote to the President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, asking for guidance specifically for Independent Social Workers on how to balance honouring their obligations to the courts and work within restrictions to... Read more

Re P (A child: Remote Hearing) Approved Judgment

A judgment from the President on the issue of when there should and should not be video hearings.  Click here to download document. Read more

Covid-19: Update from Nagalro

Check government guidance regularly

Covid-19 The Covid-19 outbreak imposes very significant challenges for all of us.  Nagalro members including ISWs, Children’s Guardians and Family Court Advisers carry out extremely important work often under challenging circumstances.  However,... Read more

Practice Direction 27a – Family Proceedings: court bundles

https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/family/practice_directions/pd_part_27a 31 July 2018 Read more