Keeping children safe
Full title: Keeping children safe: enhancing the sustainability of family reunification after care proceedings
Children who are neglected or harmed within their families can be removed to the care of the state. However, the Family Courts must first consider the possibility of family reunification and explore alternative options. Returning children home is not without risks – some children will be subject to further neglect and re-enter care. Led by Professor Judith Harwin, researchers from the Centre for Child and Family Justice Research, have contributed to knowledge about innovative approaches to family reunification and about children returned home on supervision orders.
Impacts of research
Researchers from the Centre for Child and Family Justice Research have made important contributions to policy and practice regarding safe and durable family reunification by:
- Strengthening the case for significant investment to enable the expansion of Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) provision across England and Wales.
- Enabling the Centre for Justice Innovation (the national body leading the current FDAC expansion) to benefit from international knowledge exchange regarding common challenges to the implementation of problem-solving justice and shaping of its professional training provision.
- Identifying and raising awareness of children returned home or supervision orders as a marginalised vulnerable group.
- Bringing about a comprehensive review of supervision orders, co-chaired by Professor Judith Harwin and Mr Justice Keehan (High Court Judge), and authorised by the President of the Family Division of the High Court.
“The research, and ongoing support and advice to us has been of immense value… we have developed new training programmes for practitioners and judges working within new and existing FDACs, based on the insights… To date, we have trained over a hundred new specialist team practitioners, judges and partner practitioners incorporating the Lancaster research findings” – Director of Centre for Justice Innovation UK.