Family President to hold two-week rapid consultation on use of remote hearings in family justice

The President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, has launched a two-week rapid consultation on the use of remote hearings in the family justice system.

The research project will be undertaken by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory, an independent organisation which is committed to improving life for children and families by putting data and evidence at the heart of family justice system.

The Observatory will seek to gather evidence from families with children and all professionals working in the family justice system, including judges, barristers, solicitors, Cafcass workers, court staff and social workers.

It will also convene virtual meetings and events to discuss the issues over the coming two weeks and draw together findings from existing research of relevance.

The consultation will run from today until 28 April. The Family President will receive a summary of the responses by end April, with a view to issuing guidance in early May.

The consultation can be accessed here.