£82million investment to expand the Child Focused Model across family courts in England and Wales
The President of the Family Division has outlined major reforms to the family justice system, including a significant expansion of a child-focused approach to private law cases supported by £82 million in government funding.
In his latest update, published shortly before his retirement in April 2026, Sir Andrew McFarlane confirmed that the new model previously known as the Pathfinder pilot will be rolled out across the remaining family court centres over the next three years.
The approach, now referred to as the Child Focused Model (CFM), aims to restructure how private law children cases are handled. A central feature is the introduction of an early “Child Impact Report”, prepared before the first hearing, which sets out the child’s perspective and the impact of the dispute.
The model shifts the emphasis of proceedings towards resolving issues affecting children at an earlier stage. It also involves greater input from domestic abuse specialists to support victims and inform the court’s decision-making process.
Initial implementation will see the model introduced in eight additional court centres in the North and Midlands, building on ten courts already operating under the framework. The remaining centres are expected to adopt the approach between April 2027 and March 2029.
The reforms follow recommendations made in the Ministry of Justice’s 2020 Harm Panel report, which called for changes to better address issues within private law proceedings. The President indicated that the model has received broad support across the sector, including from the Domestic Abuse Commissioner.
Alongside the rollout, new guidance and training will be introduced to support implementation. From April 2026, training on the Child Focused Model will form part of judicial education programmes. Courts not yet operating the model are also being encouraged to adopt elements of the approach, particularly in managing case backlogs.
Recent data shows progress in reducing delays within the family justice system. Average case durations have decreased, and there has been a reduction in the number of long-running cases. However, the President noted that rising case volumes in some regions continue to present challenges.
The update also referenced new guidance on domestic abuse injunctions, changes to case allocation procedures, and ongoing work to improve efficiency across the system.
Sir Andrew McFarlane is due to retire on 13 April 2026, with arrangements for his successor underway. His statement emphasised continuity within the system while highlighting the significance of the reforms now being introduced.