Every family matters
Access to justice must be a priority for the government, according to a report from the Centre for Social Justice.
The report, Every Family Matters, focused on the breakdown of family life in the UK and the way it was addressed by the legal system.
The report made several key recommendations for reform, including binding pre-nuptial agreements as part of an overhaul of divorce financial provision; the introduction in the family legal system of a mandatory referral to information before the commencement of court proceedings, and a mandatory attempt at resolution in children matters before proceedings; a three month “period of reflection and consideration” before divorce proceedings; and accredited marriage preparation courses for couples. The report also called on the government to resist asserting legal equivalence for cohabitants with married couples.
Speaking at the launch of the report, Iain Duncan Smith MP, the Founder of the Centre, said: “These reforms make a clear statement about how the law should value family and support marriage, how it should reflect modern day relationships, and how it could better protect children – often the neglected party in proceedings ... Legal reform must play its part in reversing this breakdown.”
