A University of Anglia study into the impact of shorter family court care proceedings found that more children ended up in stable placements, and that it has shortened the time it takes for children to find a placement. The evaluation found that the cut in length of proceedings helped local authorities reach resolutions more quickly, reduced the number of moves a child made after the placement, and reduced the length of the post-court period. The study analysed the long-term impact of a 2013 pilot testing the 26-week timeline, which was made statutory in 2014.
Shorter family court proceedings have improved care placement stability
