Advocates claim family courts often ignore children's safety concerns

Family violence organisation Aviva has raised serious concerns that children's fears and safety are frequently overlooked in Family Court decisions. ## Case Details A 10-year-old child told adults about being hurt at a parent's home and expressed a desire to avoid further contact, yet supervised visits continued anyway. In other reported situations, children stated they suffered harm from a parent, but legal professionals dismissed those warnings as potential influence from the other parent. Another case involved two children who witnessed family violence being ordered to spend time in a home where abuse still occurred.

Expert Warning

Aviva principal clinical adviser Gwenda Kendrew stated that the organisation has dealt with many families facing these exact circumstances. Kendrew warned that forcing children back into someone's care despite their expressed fear damages their trust in the institutions meant to keep them safe. She pointed out that children stop speaking when they realize adults refuse to believe or listen to them. Furthermore, she cautioned that youngsters facing this environment might eventually view abuse as normal behavior, which can spread harm across the wider community.

Systemic Concerns

Kendrew questioned whether lawyers appointed to represent children visit them often enough and whether some rely too heavily on assumptions from adults. She also doubted if certain lawyers and judges fully understand psychological abuse, coercive control, and family violence dynamics. Additionally, long court proceedings leave families dealing with ongoing uncertainty and distress, prompting calls for a complete system overhaul. ## Context While laws like the Care of Children Act state that a child's welfare is the main priority in parenting decisions, advocates argue that putting those rules into practice remains a major challenge. Ensuring that the voices of vulnerable children are genuinely heard during legal battles continues to be a central debate in family law.