Family Drug and Alcohol Court to be extended across England

Courts which help parents deal with drug or alcohol addiction so they can keep their children are to be extended in more areas of England.

With courts currently operating across London, as well as Gloucestershire, Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire, new investment will see courts set up in Coventry, Kent and Medway, Plymouth, Torbay and Exeter, and West Yorkshire.

The Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) works with parents, social workers and substance misuse professionals to combat addictions in families and, where possible, keep them together.

Where this isn’t possible, the court aims to make swift decisions in order to find children a permanent, loving, stable home with minimal disruption.

The court also ensures parents see the same judge throughout the course of the proceedings, establishing a relationship built on trust, and offers fast-access substance misuse services as well as help with housing issues, domestic violence and financial hardship.

Children and Family Minister, Edward Timpson, who spent 10 years as a family barrister, said: “I know from my years at the bar that when it comes to supporting our most vulnerable and troubled families, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach.Families need tailored and personalised support to help them stay together and thrive.

“Since 2008, the Family Drug and Alcohol Court has thrown an invaluable lifeline to hundreds upon hundreds of families, helping parents shut the door on destructive behaviour and making sure everyone is working towards the best possible outcome for the child – a safe and stable family.

“Extending the court’s work further will deliver real, life-changing results for families across the country and I look forward to seeing how the scheme develops over the coming months.”

District Judge Nick Crichton said: “FDAC is a problem-solving court. In the FDAC, we have seen some parents demonstrate a remarkable capacity to change in response to our more constructive, empathetic approach. Harnessing the fairness and authority of the court has shown that it is possible to break the cycle of drug and alcohol misuse. Importantly, FDAC has the support of parents themselves, which is crucial to its success. Thanks to the DfE and government’s investment, more parents and their children will be able to access FDAC across the country.”

The scheme is one of the latest projects that have successfully bid for money through the government’s Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme.