Isle Of Wight MP Hails New Family Court Model Aiming To Better Protect Children

A new specialist family court model designed to protect children and reduce trauma in domestic abuse and family cases is being expanded to Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The “Pathfinder” court system aims to identify risk earlier, speed up decisions, and ensure stronger coordination between the courts, police and local authorities.

It is already being used in trial areas including South East Wales and Birmingham, where it has cut case times by up to seven and a half months and reduced backlogs by more than 50%.

The government says the expansion will mean thousands more children receive faster justice, improved support and greater protection from further harm.

The new approach focuses on:

• Earlier identification of risk to children

• Faster and more efficient court processes

• Closer working with local agencies on domestic abuse and safeguarding

• Reducing the chances of families having to repeatedly return to court

The rollout to the Isle of Wight follows recent extensions of the scheme to the Black Country, Stoke-on-Trent and Worcester, and forms part of the government’s “Plan for Change” to support victims, protect children and improve confidence in the justice system.

Isle of Wight West MP Richard Quigley welcomed the move, saying:

“With domestic abuse cases continuing to rise on the Island, I’m pleased to see the government taking decisive action by introducing this specialist court – a model that has already proven effective elsewhere in the country.

"This will make a real difference for victims and their children, providing faster, more focused justice. I wholeheartedly welcome this step.”

The government says the model will help reduce trauma for families by resolving cases more quickly and ensuring the right support is in place from the outset.