The Ministry of Justice has confirmed the national rollout of the Child Focused Courts model across England and Wales.
The Ministry of Justice has confirmed the national rollout of the Child Focused Courts model across England and Wales, following the strong success of the Pathfinder pilots. The decision marks a significant milestone in improving how the family justice system supports children and families.
Wales has played a key role in shaping this approach, with courts here among the first in the UK to adopt the model. As a result of this early and extensive involvement, all family courts in Wales are already operating the Child Focused Model.
From March 2026, the Pathfinder name will be brought to a close. All Pathfinder courts will now be known as Child Focused Courts, reflecting that the model is no longer a pilot but the new, national way of working for private law children’s cases.
The Child Focused Model brings together the courts, Cafcass Cymru, local authorities, domestic abuse specialists and other partners to ensure children’s safety, participation and wellbeing are at the heart of every case. Early evidence from areas including Wales shows faster decision‑making, stronger risk assessment and better support for children and families.
As part of the national rollout, the UK Government has also announced the next eight court areas in England that will adopt the model during 2026–27. We welcome this expansion and the recognition it brings to the pioneering work delivered to date in Wales. The move to the new Child Focused Courts name is an important step in ensuring clarity and consistency for families and professionals across both nations.
We will continue to work closely with partners across Wales to support delivery of the model and ensure children’s voices remain central to decision‑making.