Family Justice Council Contact Report

Professor Judith Masson reported in the December 2006 edition of Family Law at [2006] Fam Law 1041 on the survey of the views and experiences of Resolution members in relation to contact, domestic violence and consent orders. The survey had been conducted by the Family Justice Council to assist with the preparation of its Report and recommendations to the President on the approach which should be adopted by the court when asked to make a contact order by consent where domestic violence is in issue" which has just been made available. In the course of preparing the Council's Report, members of the Children in Families Committee, who were tasked with preparing the first draft for the Council's approval, also met representatives of the Family Law Bar Association, The Law Society's Family Law Committee, Families Need Fathers, Women's Aid, Refuge, CAFCASS, The Judicial Studies Board and Lord Justice Wall. The committee was assisted by members of the Council's Domestic Violence Working Group, which includes representatives from the police and social services. The Report concludes that, "Contact that is safe and positive for the child is always the appropriate place forward" and recommends a new Practice Direction dealing specifically with what should happen in cases where there have been allegations of domestic violence and the court is asked to make a consent order for contact. For further information see January [2006] Fam Law 26."