The Bar Council has welcomed the Ministry of Justice announcement that the problem-solving Pathfinder courts will be extended across Wales and West Yorkshire following successful pilots.
In January the Bar Council called for Pathfinder courts to be rolled out across England and Wales.
Welcoming today’s announcement, Chair of the Bar Council, Barbara Mills KC, said:
“Pathfinder courts prioritise the safety and wellbeing of families. This is an innovative approach that we know works. New government figures show that cases are being resolved 11 weeks quicker and the backlog of cases is reducing by 50 per cent in the pilot areas.
“The extension of Pathfinder courts to new areas is very welcome and we’d like to see a full rollout across the whole of England and Wales. This will only be successful if all Pathfinder courts are funded to the same extent as those in the pilot and if full training is provided.”
The Bar Council is also calling for funding for family justice to recognise its role in helping the government halve violence against women and girls. Barbara added:
“Family justice has just as much of a role to play in tackling violence against women and girls as the criminal justice system and it needs funding. Alongside a roll out of Pathfinder courts we want to see a package of proactive measures to enhance the government’s approach, including specialised domestic abuse and child abuse support and assessment services for all parties, especially for those who the court has found to be abusive, as well as trauma-informed measures in court buildings.”