At the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory, we hold a mirror to the family justice system – so the family courts and related services can reflect on their work, keep improving and make a positive difference to children’s lives.
Children and families come into contact with the family courts at some of the toughest times of their lives.
Parents are often struggling to look after their children or separating and facing an uncertain future. Everyone involved should be guaranteed informed, compassionate and effective support, always guided by the latest research evidence.
But too often the services that are meant to support children and families aren’t getting it right. Services struggle to get a 360 degree view of families’ lives, so challenges are seen in isolation – rather than as part of a bigger picture. People working in different parts of the family justice system are disconnected from each other. And services respond only when a situation reaches crisis point, rather than addressing problems before they escalate.
Our team works in three closely linked ways to tackle all of these challenges.
We do research to fill the most urgent gaps in knowledge about children, families and their experiences. We foster collaboration, connecting everyone from judges to social workers to heads of children’s services to reflect on the evidence and insights we gather. And we inspire new ideas and new ways of working, to make sure research turns into real change.
Our family justice system can and should be better. So we work side-by-side with people across that system to turn research, collaboration, new ideas and new ways of thinking into better experiences for children and families.
Making an impact: Our first
five years in review
Rooted in Evidence: Nuffield Family Justice Observatory Strategy 2022 – 26
Read our strategy and five goals for improving the family
justice system
Family Justice Data Partnership
The Family Justice Data Partnership provides Nuffield FJO with ground-breaking analysis about the family justice system.
