Helen Adam

@Matt_Buttery @gemlegal @todaysfamily_ @F_S_G_Official Good to see attention on this issue. The stats on children from separated families of course include those whose parents have never been married or in civil partnerships. For these families, the law and the language used is explosive. Reform is long overdue.

On the 1st anniversary of #NoFaultDivorce we are calling for an end to the combative language used by lawyers, courts, media & public in cases of family separation. #LanguageMatters 🛑STOP using Custody, Versus, Battle, Rights & Dispute familysolutionsgroup.co.uk/fsg-calls-to-e…

Battle-stoked language and words like custody, dispute & versus can heighten conflict between parents & have a long-term negative impact on children caught in the middle. Let's stop using them. #NoFaultDivorce #LanguageMatters familysolutionsgroup.co.uk/fsg-calls-to-e…

👏Thank you for sharing As Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division, says “It’s blindingly obvious that the language we have been using is not appropriate and only goes to stoke the minds of those in a combative mindset, rather than direct them in a different way.”

ICYMI Fiona Shackleton with @EvanHD on why an urgent review of the 50 year old Matrimonial Causes Act is long overdue, especially around finances of separating families. Money arguments are toxic & damaging & children get caught in the middle. ⏩42.17 bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0…

Baroness Fiona Shackleton: "The reality is that certainty stops litigation in a way that uncertainty encourages it. The law is too uncertain as it stands today, 50 years down the line...That’s the problem. It needs urgent action."

Our #LanguageMatters webinar is now available to watch. As Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division, says about changing the way we use language in court: “It’s blindingly obvious that the language we have been using is not appropriate." familysolutionsgroup.co.uk/language-matte…

Professionals shared the words most helpful to family relationships, in cases where it's safe & in the child’s interests. The top 6⃣ are Using First names, Collaboration, Problem solving, Together, Our Children & Co-parenting. Help us change the language of family separation.

Words matter. Our #LanguageMatters group asked professionals to share the words that are most harmful to family relations. The top 3⃣ most harmful words are: Custody, Versus & Contact, closely followed by Opponent, Rights, Dispute & Parties. familysolutionsgroup.co.uk/language-matte…

@TheFLLProject @F_S_G_Official “Real change will come about by us all thinking about it” and the need for change in our language is “blindingly obvious” said Sir Andrew McFarlane about the #Language of #FamilyLaw and real change won’t happen or last unless we do. #whatwillyoudo?

@FamilyLawHour Yes to embedding this with the younger generation, but also it would be good for judges to take a firm lead on this. So I’d say judicial training is high up the list

Q4: needs to happen for language change to be adopted by lawyers, barristers and judges? #familylawhour

Family law hour this eve is all about language - based on the FSG ‘Language Matters’ paper. Some great ideas being shared.

We are dedicated to giving voices to people with lived experience of the family justice system. 'Separating families: Experiences of separation and support' is based on in-depth qualitative data from 42 mothers, fathers and children. Read more here: buff.ly/3GXScuV

@FamilyLawHour This, I might add, is something @HelenAdam3 is keen to see available for lawyers, and I am hoping some others might be interested in collaborating with me to put this together? If so, please let me know.

@MRchildrenlaw @FamilyLawHour Where is the law in private children cases? I mean really what law other than The Children Act? I think we have duty to our clients to educate them as well as advise them. Some of the advice is based on our experience of previous clients/cases.

Q2: One objective of the Charter is to empower lawyers to invest more time with parents explaining the life-long benefits for children of an effective post-sep co-op parenting relationship. Discuss...#familylawhour

An adversarial system for separating families is a bit like the carbon combustion engine; thought to be a useful vehicle for dealing with family breakdown when it evolved but we now know it’s harmful. Other safer ‘greener’ methods are urgently needed. judiciary.uk/announcements/…

Helpful update from @C_P_Resource summarising the interesting FJC conference and Bridget Linley Memorial lecture today: childprotectionresource.online/time-for-clima…

Thank you @F_S_G_Official for organising a very useful discussion yesterday evening about supporting separating families through our justice system and more broadly. Great to join @Siobhan_Baillie on a panel of brilliant experts.

Never say ‘custody’. And avoid ‘access’ too, say family lawyers who want to put children first. New post, free to read rozenberg.substack.com/p/never-say-cu…