Family court pilot scheme receives £12.5 million boost
updated on 05 February 2025
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The government has announced a £12.5 million funding boost for the family court pilot scheme ‘Pathfinder’, which has been welcomed by the Law Society of England and Wales. Data reveals that the Pathfinder courts resolve cases quicker, with backlogs reduced by half across Dorset and North Wales, thereby saving children and families from unnecessary and potentially hostile hearings.
The pilot scheme was introduced in some family court proceedings in 2022 following a review by the family justice system in 2020 that found “respondents felt that the level of abuse they and their children experienced worsened following proceedings in the family court”. Pathfinder works by bringing together local authorities, police and support services to gather and share information on cases as early as possible.
It’s been “welcomed as a less adversarial approach, and early evidence shows it’s working”, explained Lord Ponsonby, the minister for family justice. Ponsonby also added that it’s “another important step to achieving our promise of halving violence against women and girls”.
Initially launched in Dorset and South Wales, the Pathfinder scheme was expanded to South East Wales in April 2024 and Birmingham in May 2024, with expansions due to launch in mid and West Wales on 3 March 2025 and West Yorkshire on 3 June 2025.
In addition to the Pathfinder funding boost, the government’s family mediation vouchers scheme has been extended to March 2026, a move that’s also been welcomed by the Law Society. This programme provides £500 to help couples settle issues before they get to court and has helped more than 37,700 families since its introduction in April 2021.
Law Society President Richard Atkinson added: “Accordingly restoring legal aid for early advice should be a priority for improving the family justice system, as it would help solve more cases out of court and ensure that cases that do go to court are resolved faster and more cost-effectively.”
Nicole Jacobs, domestic abuse commissioner, said: “I believe this approach is essential to ensuring the protection of victims in the family justice system. I welcome government’s commitment to this pilot and look forward to seeing its influence on all family courts.”
