The Family Justice Review Panel has invited children to give their views on reforming the court service so that it better meets their needs.
Roger Morgan, the Children’s Rights Director for England, has drawn up a young people’s guide to the family justice review, published today.
The guide will accompany the panel’s interim report, to enable children to take part in the consultation process.
Chair of the review panel David Norgrove said: ‘Children are the most important people in the family justice system, and it is vital that they have a voice in shaping its future.
'The publication of the young person’s guide gives them this opportunity and the panel will carefully consider what they say.’
He said: ‘Our recommendations aim to bring children to the forefront by creating greater coherence through organisational change and better management, making the system more able to cope with current and future pressures, and diverting more issues away from court where appropriate.’
The recommendations of the Norgrove review include reforms to give greater support to children and families, improve efficiency, and reduce delays.
It will make its final recommendations to government this autumn.
Morgan said: ‘It is essential that children and young people are told about proposals that will directly affect them, and that they are given a voice in the decisions which are made about their future.’
An MoJ spokeswoman said the guide would be launched at a consultation event today, targeted at children in general.
However, she said the ministry did not intend to specifically target publicity of the report to children in care, or those who have been involved in court processes.
She said the guide will also be publicised on the MoJ and Childrens' Rights websites, through Twitter, and through media dealing with childrens' issues.
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