Reporters told to drop ‘custody battle’ term over court child care disputes

Journalists have been told to stop saying children at the centre of care disputes between separated parents are embroiled in “custody battles”.

A group, largely made up of specialist lawyers, which aims to promote understanding of the family justice system says the term demeans children and suggests that they are “pieces of property”.

The Transparency Project said such cases should be described as child care disputes.

Project members have offered advice in a new media guide to attending and reporting family court cases.

Reporters are also advised to avoid writing about “forced adoption” and to beware of descriptions including “secret courts” and “quickie divorces”.

“Secret court, hearings etc,” says the guide. “These are emotive terms for what are essentially ‘private’ hearings, designed to protect the privacy and confidential information of the parties involved.”

The guide says journalists are usually allowed to attend such hearings, therefore courts are sitting in private but not in secret.

It also suggests that the term “quickie divorce” is redundant because most divorces are not contested.

_{Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2017, All Rights Reserved.}