Considering the pressures the care system has been under since 2011, the significance of such an achievement cannot be underestimated, and is testament to the hard work of all those involved in the care proceedings process, from judges and lawyers, to social workers and children's guardians.
Yet despite this colossal effort, latest Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data covering the final quarter of 2014 shows the average length of proceedings is still not meeting the government's 26-week duration target, which came into law last April. In addition, analysis from the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) reveals that two-thirds of family court areas missed the 26-week target, suggesting reforms to working practices designed to meet the new timescale are yet to be properly embedded everywhere.
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