Family Court decisions are being made without the full picture and causing extreme harm
Welcome to Close the Gap Family Courts UK. We are a campaign dedicated to addressing critical gaps between social care, family courts, police, and frontline professionals. Our mission is to ensure children and protective parents are safeguarded effectively by challenging bias and power imbalances in decision-making. Join us in advocating for a more transparent and trauma-informed system. We expose harm being caused directly by Professionals and outdated systems / practices within Family Court. For too long parents have been the main focus of failings and harm while professional perpatrators practice without real scrutiny and accountability. We believe this kind of exposure will force the hands of a real systemic change, our Manifesto for a safer and fairer practice is a realistic change for the Government and Judical boards to consider before the Path Finder courts are fully implemented Nationwide.
Our vital campaign
Close the Gap Family Courts UK (CGFCUK) highlights how bias, misinterpretation of trauma, and power imbalances affect decision-making in practice, leaving children and victims at risk. We work to build evidence of systemic patterns, not isolated incidents, and advocate for joined-up safeguarding, rebalanced professional influence, and independent oversight.
Our focus is on improving safeguarding through better information sharing, accountability, and understanding of trauma and abuse.
Key priorities include:
● Full multi-agency checks before decisions
● Unified safeguarding systems across services
● Improved language and accuracy in professional reporting
● Independent review processes for decisions
● Balanced weighting of professional input (not dominated by single agencies)
● Increased accountability and oversight of decision-making, including judicial processes
● Mandatory trauma-informed and abuse-aware practice
● Ongoing scrutiny of safeguarding outcomes
How our demands will work to make a difference
1. Full multi-agency checks before decisions
Decisions are often made without all relevant information, childrens lives and safety should never be a guessing game. Schools, nurseries, medical professionals, police and social care may hold critical pieces of the picture, yet these are not always brought together in time. We are calling for full multi-agency checks to be completed before any key decision or hearing.
This ensures decisions are based on complete context, reducing risk and preventing harm caused by missing or delayed information, or even false accusations.
2. One unified safeguarding system across all services
Safeguarding information is currently fragmented across different systems, meaning professionals are often working with incomplete or outdated records.
We advocate for a unified safeguarding system that allows real-time access to accurate information across all services.
This would improve communication, reduce duplication, and ensure professionals are making informed decisions.
3. Improved language and accuracy in professional reporting
The language used in reports can shape outcomes, yet it is often subjective, biased, or lacking context. Trauma responses and protective behaviours can be misinterpreted as hostility or non-compliance.
We call for reform in how safeguarding information is recorded, ensuring it is accurate, neutral, and trauma-informed.
This leads to fairer assessments and more reliable decision-making.
4. Fast, independent review processes for decisions
When decisions are flawed or unsafe, there is often no quick or effective way to challenge them. Delays in review can prolong harm.
We are calling for fast, independent review processes that allow decisions to be challenged and reassessed without delay.
This ensures that mistakes can be corrected quickly, protecting children and families.
5. Balanced weighting of professional input
Decision-making is often dominated by a single agency, such as social services or CAFCASS, while day-to-day professionals are overlooked.
We advocate for a more balanced approach, where input from schools, GPs, and other frontline professionals is given more consideration in a evidenced and contributing early into proceedings. Investigations that Social care or Cafcass undertake will be monitored and guided by day to day professionals.
This provides a more accurate reflection of the child’s lived experience.
6. Clear accountability and oversight of decision-making
There is currently limited accountability for decisions made within the system, including those made in court.
We call for clear accountability measures and independent oversight of decision-making, including judicial processes.
This ensures that decisions can be scrutinised and that poor practice does not go unchecked.
7. Mandatory trauma-informed practice
Behaviour is often assessed without understanding the impact of trauma, leading to harmful misinterpretations.
We advocate for mandatory trauma-informed approaches across all services involved in family court cases.
This allows behaviour to be understood in context, leading to safer and more appropriate decisions. This also places the burden of proof away from the victim and old stereo types of trauma responses will not be used as weapons against them.
8. Mandatory abuse-aware practice
A lack of understanding of abuse dynamics can result in risks being minimised or missed entirely.
We call for mandatory abuse-aware training for all professionals involved in family court proceedings.
This ensures that abuse is recognised, understood, and responded to appropriately. This will reduce harm by spotting subtle kinds of abuse such as coersive control and preventing esculation.
Anonymous submissions
We collect anonymous submissions and surveys to build evidence of systemic patterns and issues.
Support networks
We create private support networks and use collective insight to empower those affected. Our Watsapp Service is growing, press the Join our network and send a message requesting to be apart of the Village.
Advocacy
We push for accountability, transparency, and safer outcomes for children through targeted advocacy.
Contribute to Change
We champion trauma-informed, abuse-aware practice across all professional interactions.
Our commitment to victims and children
Every child and parents deserves to be safe and heard. Our campaign focuses on exposing the gaps that put children at risk and advocating for systemic changes. We also are working towards building safer practices for those who are suffering with Domestic Abuse. We believe in joined-up safeguarding and rebalancing professional influence to create a system that truly protects the vulnerable. Our work is driven by a deep commitment to ensuring safer outcomes for all children.
Voices of experience
Hear directly from individuals who have navigated the family court system. Their stories are crucial in highlighting the systemic issues we aim to address and underscore the urgent need for reform.
"The support network offered by Close the Gap was invaluable. It helped me understand I wasn't alone in my struggle with the family court system."
Sarah J. (Lived experience contributor)
"Their dedication to gathering anonymous submissions truly exposes the patterns of bias. This is critical for driving real change."
Mark D. (Anonymous submitter)
"Close the Gap's advocacy for trauma-informed practice will make a tangible difference in how professionals approach these sensitive cases."
Dr. Anya Sharma (Child Psychologist)
Connect with us
Our base
Nationwide Network UK