Join us for the first ever Family Court Reporting Week
To encourage more reporting on the life-changing decisions taking place in family courts, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) is running a series of events, mentoring and practical “at-court” support for journalists around the country.
These events are part of our first “Family Court Reporting Week", running for five days from Monday 4 November.
The expansion in January of a judicially sanctioned transparency pilot to nearly half of all family courts provides a prime opportunity for news outlets across England and Wales to scrutinise draconian state powers exercised out of public view. This reporting holds not only judges, but local authorities, Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service), police and other state agencies to account in their interactions with some of the most vulnerable children in the country.
Family courts which are part of the pilot are:
- North West: Liverpool, Manchester, Carlisle
- North East: Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Wakefield, Kingston-upon-Hull, Grimsby, Beverley
- Midlands: Nottingham, Mansfield, Stoke, Stafford, Derby, Chesterfield, Birmingham
- London: Central Family Court, Croydon, Bromley, Romford, Barnet, Brentford, Willesden, Edmonton, Kingston, Uxbridge, East London Family Court, West London Family Court
- South West: Bournemouth, Weymouth, Truro
- South East: Luton, Bedford, Guildford, Milton Keynes
- Wales: Cardiff
Family courts deal with children and families affected by issues including physical, sexual and emotional abuse, neglect, abduction, female genital mutilation, domestic abuse, deprivation of liberty and disputes around child contact between separating parents.
Louise Tickle, coordinator of TBIJ’s family court reporting week, said: “Ten years of attending family hearings has shown me it is vital for journalists to report on the decision-making of social workers, children’s guardians, court appointed experts and judges – because when draconian powers are exercised out of public view, an independent media presence can be the only check and balance available to families whose lives are indelibly altered by their experience of these courts.”
As part of Family Court Reporting Week, events will take place at the following family courts, to which journalists are invited:
- Derby Family Court (with judges from Nottingham and Northampton) – Wednesday 6 November. Talk by Louise Tickle, specialist family court reporter, and judges. 4.30pm for 5pm start, 6pm finish. Remote attendance is also possible. Booking via [email protected].
- Leeds Family Court – Wednesday 6 November. Mock family court trial. 5pm to 6pm. Just turn up.
- Luton Family Court – Thursday 7 November. Q&A session with the local Designated Family Judge and specialist family court reporter Hannah Summers. 5pm to 5.45pm (TBC).
TBIJ has created a 10-point checklist for journalists wishing to report under the new reporting pilot rules:
Lead image: Robert Evans / Alamy Stock Photo
Reporter: Louise Tickle
Bureau Local editor: Gareth Davies
Deputy editors: Katie Mark & Chrissie Giles
Editor: Franz Wild
Production editor: Josephine Lethbridge
TBIJ has a number of funders, a full list of which can be found here. None of our funders have any influence over editorial decisions or output.
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