New family court law will help save young lives - Shropshire MP
A change in family court law designed to protect children from abusive parents could help save young lives, a Shropshire MP has said.
The Government has announced plans to scrap the "presumption of parental involvement" - a long-standing legal principle that assumes it is generally in a child's best interests to have contact with both parents - in cases where one parent poses a risk of harm.
Under the planned changes, if a parent is thought to be a "threat to their child’s safety", then involvement in their lives could be restricted.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said the change follows new evidence showing that the existing assumption can, in some cases, "perpetuate abuse" by allowing contact with dangerous parents. It is not yet known when the new law will take effect.
The move follows tireless campaigning by Claire Throssell MBE, whose sons Jack, aged 12, and Paul, aged nine, were killed by their father in a house fire in South Yorkshire in 2014. Despite a history of violent threats, he had been granted access to the boys by the family court.
Shrewsbury MP Julia Buckley has welcomed the reform, saying it will help protect vulnerable children.
She said: "This change in the law is a huge step forward - to apply in those cases where a parent has been convicted of a crime against children such as sexual abuse, physical assault or abuse, therefore indicating risk of harm to the child. It’s only in these scenarios that the presumption would disapply.
"And this change wouldn’t have happened without the extraordinary courage of Claire Throssell MBE. After the senseless murder of her sons, Claire turned unimaginable grief into powerful advocacy. Her strength, her persistence, and her love have changed the law, and will protect countless children.
"This change in the law will save children from abuse and could actually save young lives."
Mrs Buckley has recently been in discussions with Axis Counselling in Shrewsbury - a charity supporting survivors of sexual abuse.
"It’s absolutely amazing what Axis Counselling do," added the MP. "The difference they make is huge - and actually ties in very well with the aims of this important change in the law brought about by the Victims and Courts Bill.
"Our Government has made it a top priority to halve rates of violence against women and girls, and we will continue to support victims and safeguard children. This reform to the law is a vital part of that mission.
"I’m extremely proud of this change and will continue to stand with Claire Throssell and all those who’ve campaigned for this change. We must, and will, keep going until every child is safe."
