Child arrangements and contact orders—Domestic abuse and harm

A substituted Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), FPR 2010, PD 12J (Child Arrangements and Contact Orders: Domestic Abuse and Harm) came into effect from 2 October 2017. FPR 2010, PD 12J now incorporates and supersedes the President's Guidance in Relation to Split Hearings (May 2010) as it applies to proceedings for CAOs.

The introduction of a new FPR 2010, PD 12J has arisen following the report by the Working Group chaired by Cobb J that was commissioned by the President of the Family Division, Sir James Munby, following the recommendations made by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Domestic Violence (the APPG) in 2016 in the Parliamentary Briefing: Domestic Abuse, Child Contact and the Family Courts, which drew attention to the importance of FPR 2010, PD 12J. The President asked Cobb J to review Family Procedure Rules (FPR 2010), PD 12J to examine whether further amendments were needed.

That report—Review of Practice Direction 12J FPR 2010–Child Arrangement and Contact Orders: Domestic Violence and Harm , together with a draft amended