Reform the Family Courts, Child Maintenance System and Childrens Social Care. · petition

What the petition asks

We call on Parliament to reform family law to ensure 50/50 shared parenting presumption, enforce contact orders, make child maintenance reflect parenting time, strengthen safeguarding for all parents, increase court transparency, and criminalize parental alienation to protect children’s wellbeing.

Family courts often sideline loving parents—both fathers and mothers—who stay involved. The system punishes caring dads and mums alike, ignores abuse warnings, and enforces unfair maintenance based on income—not time spent with kids. How can this be right when it harms children’s wellbeing, mental health, and family stability? We demand urgent reform: equal 50/50 shared parenting, fair maintenance, stronger safeguarding, and full transparency. Kids deserve justice—now.

Why it was rejected

There was already a petition about this issue. Duplicates are rejected so signatures collect in one place.

This petition calls for actions which are already covered by existing petitions such as:

Enforce Contact Within 30 Days, Outlaw Parental Alienation, fast track hearings
Enforce Contact Within 30 Days, Outlaw Parental Alienation, fast track hearings

Give parents who split up automatic 50/50 shared care of their children
Give parents who split up automatic 50/50 shared care of their children

Review and reform child custody arrangements
Review and reform child custody arrangements

Reform Child Maintenance – require parental mediation and proof of care
Reform Child Maintenance – require parental mediation and proof of care

Review and reform Cafcass to address systemic failings and protect families
Review and reform Cafcass to address systemic failings and protect families

Timeline

9 Aug 2025	Petition opened for signatures
20 Aug 2025	Rejected by the Petitions Committee