Abusive parents will no longer have presumed access to their children following a change in the law and years of campaigning by victims’ groups and other experts, including University of Manchester researchers
Government to revoke a statute in the 2014 Children Act
Manchester’s Dr Elizabeth Dalgarno celebrated when she heard the Government had decided to revoke the inserted statute of the 2014 Children Act, which said involvement of both parents would improve their children’s welfare, creating unsafe contact arrangements
The decision follows years of advocacy and research and acknowledges the devastating impact the presumption had on victims: the mothers and their children.
Further changes put forward will also automatically restrict parents convicted of rape resulting in the birth of a child and for those convicted of serious sexual offences against any child – not just their own – from having access to children.
And parents convicted of abuse can no longer make decisions about a child’s schooling, medical care, or travel, removing the burden on survivors to apply through the family courts to provide immediate protection post-sentencing.
Dr Dalgarno is also the Director and Founder of SHERA Research Group, a collective of multidisciplinary professionals working in health, human rights, law, finance, social care and domestic abuse researchers.
Her research highlighted the urgent need for systemic reform, and included a study of the shocking impact of family courts on women’s health.
Child access for child sex abusers
Another study, reported in the Mirror, revealed how nine dads accused of child sex abuse won parental access.
Dr Dalgarno:
We are overwhelmed with the extraordinary news that the presumption of parental involvement is to be revoked.
This marks a historic and long-awaited moment of justice for victims of domestic abuse across the country.
We would like to send our deepest gratitude to the many researchers and professionals – and the wider academic and survivor communities – whose tireless efforts have illuminated the harms and helped build the case for reform.”
Led by Claire Throssell, who turned unimaginable personal tragedy—the loss of her sons Jack and Paul—into powerful advocacy that has shaped national policy.
A lot of people fought hard for this
Dr Dalgarno added:
I also pay tribute to SHERA founder members, especially Natalie Page of The Court Said, Survivor Family Network, and Eight Street LLP, who have dedicated over a decade of their lives to this cause.
The Victims and Courts Bill amendments follow a long-standing campaign led by Natalie Fleet MP, Baroness Harman, and Jess Asato MP.
And we also recognise the unwavering commitment of Dr Adrienne Barnett of Brunel University and Dr Charlotte Proudman of Right to Equality, whose legal and academic leadership has been instrumental.
Above all, we thank the victim-survivors who have shared their stories, fought for justice, and dedicated their lives to this cause. There is much more work to be done, but this victory should be celebrated and belongs to you.
Dr Dalgarno also thanked Alex Davies-Jones MP, Josh Barbarinde MP, Dr Marie Tidball MP, Josh Fenton-Glynn MP, Alison Hume MP and Jess Phillips MP, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, the London Victims’ Commissioner, Women’s Aid, Profs Birchall, Hester, Kelly and Choudhry, CWA, Kaleidoscopic, PEEPSA, Rights of Women, FiLia Hague Mothers and all those across the VAWG sector who have long advocated for these changes.
