Family Court Reporting and Monitoring Mechanism Pilot

In 2020, a Ministry of Justice expert panel conducted a review of how family courts deal with allegations of domestic abuse and other serious harm in private law children's cases. This report identified a series of fundamental barriers to the courts' ability to protect victims and survivors of abuse effectively from future harm.

One recommendation from this report was for the Domestic Abuse Commissioners (DAC) Office to establish a national Monitoring Mechanism to maintain oversight of and report regularly on the Family Courts' performance in protecting children and adult victims and survivors from domestic abuse and other risks of harm in private law children's proceedings.

The DAC Office is seeking to contract an external research supplier(s) to deliver the pilot phase of a national Family Court Monitoring Mechanism. The pilot research will consist of:(i) a scoping exercise to assess what data can be collected on domestic abuse in private family law children's proceedings and (ii) an intensive court study across three courts areas.

This mechanism will be crucial in improving the experiences of victims and survivors and their children going through private family law proceedings, with a view to creating a culture in the Family Court where victims feel safe and heard. By leading this work, the supplier will help to bring much needed reforms to the family justice system and improve transparency in the Family Court.

The supplier(s) may be an organisation, an individual or more than one individual. The supplier(s) are required to:

•Be an experienced researcher(s) with a socio-legal background, relevant mixed methods methodology research experience and demonstrate a strong understanding of domestic abuse and the family courts. •Have a strong understanding of the intersectional barriers victims and survivors of domestic abuse may face in accessing help and in the family courts.

•Have experience and an understanding of legal and ethical aspects that come with working with the family courts, victims and survivors of domestic abuse and their children, and alleged perpetrators of domestic abuse. •Have a legal qualification (either post-graduate legal qualification (LLM), demonstrable experience of legal practice or a PhD in law).

•Have a track record of complex project or programme delivery with published academic output in the socio-legal field.

•Have solid experience of developing tools and frameworks to help and facilitate with long-term monitoring of outcomes.

•Have substantial experience in formulating evidence-based recommendations.

Summary of the requirement