Join the President of the Family Division, Sir Stephen Cobb, for the online launch of new guidance and supporting materials designed to improve the management of short notice applications in public law family proceedings.
They will be launched in a Microsoft Teams webinar on Wednesday 4 November 2026, from 4.45pm to 5.45pm. Please register to attend the event.
Developed in response to concerns about the increasing use of urgent applications, the guidance seeks to support a more consistent, timely and proportionate approach to gatekeeping and case management. It is also intended to help ensure that (a) parents and children’s guardians have time to respond more effectively to the application and (b) urgent judicial intervention is focused on cases that genuinely require it.
The guidance and accompanying materials have been produced by a cross-disciplinary working group representing organisations and professions from across the family justice system, including the judiciary, HMCTS, Cafcass, Cafcass Cymru, the Department for Education, local authority lawyers, the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory, social workers and academics. The final materials reflect valuable feedback received through a public consultation earlier this year.
The webinar will provide an opportunity to understand the rationale behind the guidance, hear directly from those involved in its development, and explore how it will support more effective and efficient practice. Register online now to join the webinar (external link).
Guest speakers
The President will be joined by four experts who contributed to development of the guidance:
- Professor Karen Broadhurst, Lancaster University
- Kaat De Backer, Midwife Research Fellow, and specialist perinatal mental health midwife.
- Laura Scale, Cafcass Cymru
- Stacey Coe, Senior strategic officer legal services (legal safeguarding and people) at Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
The post Webinar: Launch of new guidance on Short Notice Applications in Public Law Family Cases appeared first on Courts and Tribunals Judiciary.