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Our work

Our research identifies and fills gaps in our understanding of the family justice system, to support better outcomes for children and families.

Explore our current focus areas

Inequalities

Maintaining relationships

COVID-19

Private law

Newborn babies

Special guardianship and kinship care

Young people

Useful resources

Explore our research

Type

Resource

Newborn babies | 2025

Recurrent care proceedings: five key areas for reflection from the research (update)

This paper highlights the evidence on the number of mothers and fathers who experience recurrent proceedings in England and Wales, their circumstances and the impact of having children removed in this way. It also highlights messages from evaluations of specialist services working to support parents who have experienced – or who are at risk of experiencing – recurrent proceedings.

Resource type

Spotlight

Region

England
Wales

Methodology

Evidence review
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Resource

Newborn babies | 2025

Newborn babies in urgent care proceedings in England and Wales: An update

This briefing paper provides an analysis of the most recently available data on the number of newborn babies in care proceedings in England and Wales and the proportion of initial hearings involving newborn babies that are held at short notice. For the first time, we are also able to report on the ethnicity of babies in care proceedings in England.

Resource type

Briefing

Region

England
Wales

Methodology

National administrative data
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Resource

Newborn babies | 2025

What are the experiences of parents with learning disabilities or difficulties in care proceedings?

Several recent research studies have provided a timely reminder of the challenges these parents face. Their findings paint a concerning picture of the experiences of parents with learning disabilities and indicate that the family justice and social care systems are paying insufficient attention to ensuring that their rights under disability, equality and human rights legislation are upheld.

Resource type

Spotlight
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Resource

Data | 2024

Improving lives – the power of better data in the family justice system

Resource type

Briefing

Region

England
Wales
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Resource

Young people | 2024

This is what we think:  Perspectives on being cared for from older children and young people – including those on deprivation of liberty orders

This report presents thoughts and views on the five principles of care for children with complex needs and circumstances from 13 young people who are either in care or care experienced. It presents a range of first-hand experiences offering vital insight and evidence.

Resource type

Report

Region

England

Methodology

Qualitative
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Resource

Newborn babies | 2024

Babies in care proceedings: What do we know about parents with learning disabilities or difficulties?

This report explores the prevalence, circumstances and experiences of parents with learning disabilities or difficulties involved in care proceedings concerning their babies. It sets out key findings from an examination of court bundles, children’s social care records and interviews with parents, lawyers and social care professionals in England.

Resource type

Report

Region

England

Methodology

Case file analysis
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Resource

Young people | 2024

What are the routes into care for young people in Wales?

This briefing highlights some of the key findings from a recent study from the Family Justice Data Partnership which investigates the routes into care for young people in Wales.

Resource type

Briefing

Region

Wales

Methodology

National administrative data
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Resource

Private law | 2024

Uncovering private family law: how often do we hear the voice of the child? 

This report explores the extent to which children across England and Wales participate (through the presence of court-ordered reports) and how the level of participation varies by child and case characteristics.

Resource type

Report

Region

England
Wales

Methodology

National administrative data
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Search research

Nuffield FJO in development

As part of our development we examined the research needs of the family justice system.

Our research methods

An overview of the different methods we use in our research.

Infographic Resource

What do we know about children in the family justice system?

Our infographic pulls together what we know, and what we don’t know, about children’s journeys through the family justice system from national data.

Discover the infographic
Child plays football barefoot

About the Observatory

We are an independent body, funded by the Nuffield Foundation.

The Nuffield Family Justice Observatory exists to find and fill the gaps in our understanding of the family justice system, highlight the areas where change will have the biggest impact, and foster collaboration to make that change happen.

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