The government has provided a further £5.4 million in funding to help families to resolve disputes such as contact arrangements for children out of court.
Under the scheme, £500 mediation vouchers are provided to divorcing couples with the aim of helping them find mutually agreeable solutions and freeing up space in the family courts.
Preliminary research from the Family Mediation Council (FMC), who run the scheme, shows promising results. Survey data of the first 2,800 completed cases using the vouchers revealed 65 per cent reached either a whole or partial agreement away from court, while a further 3 per cent attended court only to formalise their agreement. It also showed 50 per cent of participants would not have attempted mediation without the financial incentive offered by the scheme.
Read the full story in Family Law Week here.
Lord Justice Cobb appointed President of the Family Division.
On 23rd April 2026, The Rt Hon Lord Justice Cobb was announced as President of the Family Division, Head of Family Justice, President of the
Adoption orders are final, Supreme Court finds
The courts have no jurisdiction to set aside a validly made adoption order other than through an appeal, the Supreme Court has found. Read the
Maths pupils ‘make slower progress in mixed ability classes’
Pupils in mixed-ability classes make slower progress in maths compared to those grouped by attainment, a new report suggests. Using sets for maths also did not “significantly