What you need to know about reporting on the family court system
Information for journalists reporting on the family courts
Story
30.01.23
Life-changing powers are exercised daily by the state in these hidden hearings, with little outside scrutiny or effective, independent accountability
The reporting pilot enables those journalists to report on most family court hearings in the pilot courts, free from many of the restrictions that apply to family cases in all other areas
Anonymity for children, their parents, carers and siblings is the condition on which the pilot reporting regime is based
Almost all family court cases involve parents and children who are vulnerable in some way
The ethos underpinning the reporting pilot is respectful engagement between media, lawyers and the judiciary
Courts range from large and grand to a small office-type room with a few desks
These answers are applicable to the pilot areas of Cardiff, Carlisle and Leeds ONLY (for the duration of the pilot)
Courts in Cardiff, Carlisle and Leeds are trialling a new way of working that means journalists attending family court cases can report
Reporters attending hearings under this scheme could be interested in understanding more about the family justice system, how it works and what each role involves.
21.04.23
BBC journalist Sanchia Berg describes the challenges of reporting on family courts in England and Wales, and why the TBIJ-supported transparency project is a step in the right direction
14.03.23
A news report about a case at Cardiff family court, made possible by a pilot to improve transparency in the family justice system, has been read more than 160,000 times on Wales Online
A pilot at three courts could completely revolutionise the way life-changing hearings are reported
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