Vicky Foxcroft – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vicky Foxcroft on 2015-10-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the effect on children of court-ordered contact with a perpetrator of domestic abuse.

Caroline Dinenage

The family courts take the issue of domestic violence extremely seriously. Where domestic violence is an issue in the family court, judges follow guidance in Practice Direction 12J. This guidance makes clear that where violence or abuse is admitted or proven, any child arrangements order must protect the safety and wellbeing of the child and the parent with whom the child is living, and must not expose them to the risk of further harm. In particular, the court must be satisfied that any contact ordered with a parent who has perpetrated violence or abuse is safe and in the best interests of the child.

Where the court does conclude that direct contact is safe and beneficial for the child, it can impose conditions such as supervised contact to protect the child.