Blog

Victims of domestic violence will have an additional source of help when new domestic abuse guidance for general practices is released this June.

The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) has published new research which shows that local authorities are acting more quickly to keep vulnerable children safe.

A recent American survey has found that almost half of divorced or separated adults questioned regret not spending more time discussing finances before they got married. This view is shared by over a quarter of currently married respondents.

The Commons Public Accounts Committee has published a report of its review of the the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission's (the Commission) cost reduction plans.

A new study from America has found that marriages involving military personnel are no more vulnerable to divorce than civilian marriages, despite the long working hours and frequent prolonged separations.

The Government has recently published the first local authority adoption scorecards, which have revealed widespread delays throughout the adoption system in England.

The Government has announced its intention to introduce a Children and Families Bill, which would deliver better support for families by reducing delays in the family justice and adoption systems, and ensuring vulnerable children get the provision and help they need.

A recent release from the U.S. Census Bureau has showed that interracial or interethnic opposite-sex married couple households grew by 28% over the decade from 7% in 2000 to 10% in 2010.

The Minister in charge of the child maintenance system has pledged the Government will take greater action to tackle parents who avoid their child maintenance responsibilities.

Fathers who divorce or separate from their partners are at a greater risk of unemployment, taking sickness absence from work or suffering from mental health issues. These are the findings of a study commissioned by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fatherhood into the impact of divorce on fathers.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Runaway and Missing Children and Adults and the APPG for Looked after Children and Care Leavers has taken oral evidence from witnesses as part of its inquiry into the care and support provided for the thousands of children who go missing from care every year.

Recent research from America has found that married couples have a much higher level of personal wellbeing than people who are divorced or separated.

A pilot study by researchers at Lancaster University and the University of Bradford has found that involving children’s guardians in vulnerable families may avoid the need for care proceedings.  

The pilot study, listed in the Family Justice Review and Government response to that review, examined whether earlier involvement of the Children’s Guardian might ensure more cases are prevented from going to court, or where cases go to court, that they are resolved more quickly.

Barnardos has issued a statement following the release of figures by Cafcass, the children's court advisory service, which show that the number of applications from local councils to take children into care in England has exceeded 10,000 for the first time.

The Court of Appeal has ruled that the 'divorce' settlement paid to a gay man after the break up of his civil partnership should be reduced by over £200,000, reports the Independent.

Don Gallagher, an actor, and Peter Lawrence, an equity analyst, had lived together since 1997, and entered into a civil partnership in 2007. Their relationship broke down seven months later.

The charity Family Rights Group has warned that family and friends carers are not receiving adequate support from local authorities to help them raise some of the country's most vulnerable children.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has carried out a recent survey into cohabitation, marriage and divorce in America, reports Yahoo! News.

The study found that around half of first time marriages break up within 20 years. The research also found that engaged couples living together before marriage were no more likely to get divorced than couples who got married before they moved in together.

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled in the case of Gas and Dubois v. France that the refusal to allow a woman to adopt her same-sex partner’s child was not discriminatory.

The applicants, Valérie Gas and Nathalie Dubois, are French nationals who have been cohabiting since 1989.

The government has begun a consultation exercise, seeking views on how to lift the ban on same-sex couples marrying in a civil ceremony.

A new report by think tank Policy Exchange has claimed that non-resident fathers on benefits should be made to work if they refuse to take financial responsibility for their children.