Government action to protect children from abusive parents

Government announces plan to repeal presumption of parental involvement from the Children Act 1989

New evidence shows that always prioritising contact can perpetuate child abuse in the worst cases

Part of Plan for Change to protect children, standing up for victims and restoring faith in the justice system

The repeal is founded on the clear principle that every child deserves to be safe – yet new evidence published today shows that assuming it’s always in the best interest of a child to have the involvement of both parents can perpetuate abuse.

Although the current law includes safeguards to restrict involvement where it’s detrimental to a child’s welfare, removing this law sends a clear signal that the Government is placing the wellbeing and safety of children at the forefront of deci