The Family Justice Council has issued guidelines for cases involving children where domestic violence is an issue.
The report recommends a cultural change to move away from "contact isalways the appropriate way forward" to "contact that is safe andpositive for the child is the appropriate way forward".
It suggests there should be an emphasis on ensuring safety whenconsidering whether contact is in a child's best interests and that arisk assessment should be done by the court in cases where domesticviolence has been alleged.
Elizabeth Hall, policy lead for safeguarding and domestic violence atthe Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service, said:"Concerns about safety for children in private-law cases have alwaysbeen around and this provides us with a way forward."
- www.family-justice-council.org.uk/fjcpubs.htm
