Opening up family courts finds poor evidence base

The Transparency Project is disappointed by a report of the UK family division’s Transparency Implementation Group (TIG). Transparently poor evidence makes it hard to further assess or shape the UK family courts and justice system.

It’s worrying to learn that all sorts of policies, guidance and initiatives across private and public law emerge without any comprehensive evidence base.

Transparency was one of Sir Andrew MacFarlane’s top priorities as President of the UK Family Division. The Transparency Project point out that the TIG’s report confirms the lack of accessible data collection and evidence base in the family justice system. It’s simply not there to find.

Transparency isn’t enough

Transparency isn’t enough. Evidence cannot be available to anyone if it’s not collected. The TIG’s report’s colourful table – illustrated above – impressively lists what should be there but mostly is not. Yet there is doubt cast even about the basic data that is collected.

What the Transparency Project lists as desirable goes further than any child and family service would routinely collect. However the addition of standard audit or research projects would complete any service’s evidence base.

An adequate data collection and evidence base are clearly essential to assess and shape the work of a family justice system. No one can know what’s going on if there is only poor evidence to go on.