Child Maintenance and Family Court Reform: A Call to Work Together

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Children deserve a family justice system that is fair, transparent and focused on their best interests.

Over the past several years, I have been campaigning for practical reforms to the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) and the wider family justice system.

My goal is simple: to improve outcomes for children by ensuring decisions are based on accurate information, early intervention and evidence-based policy.

This campaign is not about taking sides. It is about recognising that many separated families experience lengthy disputes that can affect children emotionally, financially and psychologically.

Whether you are a receiving parent, a paying parent, a grandparent, a family law professional, a mediator, or someone with lived experience of the system, your voice matters.

Why Reform Is Needed

Child maintenance is intended to ensure children receive appropriate financial support following parental separation.

While the current system works for many families, some cases involve complex financial arrangements that can be difficult to assess accurately.

The Government has indicated that it intends to reform the treatment of non-PAYE income, including dividends, rental income, investments and other unearned income.

This recognises that PAYE income alone may not always provide a complete picture of a parent’s financial circumstances.

This is a positive step, but I believe further reforms are needed to improve fairness, transparency and confidence in the system.

My Three Priorities for Reform

1. Children First

Every reform should be measured by one question:

Will this improve outcomes for children?

Children should never become caught in prolonged conflict between adults.

2. Transparency and Fairness

Child maintenance decisions should reflect accurate and comprehensive financial information, ensuring that assessments are as fair and accurate as possible within the law.

3. Early Identification of Complex Cases

Not every family case is the same.

Some cases involve complex income, company ownership, self-employment, safeguarding concerns or prolonged disputes.

Introducing an early triage assessment could help identify these cases sooner, allowing appropriate investigation and support before conflict escalates.

Looking at the Bigger Picture

An important policy question deserves careful, evidence-based consideration.

In some high-conflict family cases, financial disputes and child arrangements may become intertwined, potentially making resolution more difficult.

Understanding whether aspects of the current system unintentionally contribute to prolonged conflict could help policymakers develop reforms that reduce disputes while ensuring genuine safeguarding concerns continue to be treated with the utmost seriousness.

These are questions that should be examined through research, evidence and constructive discussion.

Progress So Far

I have been engaging with Members of Parliament, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner and the Child Maintenance Service to raise these issues.

As part of this work, Members of Parliament have submitted Written Parliamentary Questions to obtain formal Government responses on matters including financial transparency, non-PAYE income and future CMS reform.

By creating a public parliamentary record we hope that these questions will help raise awareness, and encourage greater accountability from ministers.

How You Can Help

Real reform requires collaboration. I would like to hear from:-

• Parents with experience of the Child Maintenance Service

• Parents with experience of the Family Court

• Family law solicitors and barristers

• Mediators

• Cafcass professionals

• Domestic abuse organisations

• Father’s groups

• Mother’s groups

• Grandparents’ organisations

• Academics and researchers

• Children’s charities

• Members of Parliament and policymakers

• Anyone who wants to improve the system for children

Whether your experience has been positive or challenging, your perspective is valuable

Let’s Build Reform Together

Meaningful reform will only happen if we work together.

This is not about blaming mothers or fathers.

It is not about favouring paying parents or receiving parents.

It is about creating a family justice system that is transparent, accountable, evidence-based and centred on children’s welfare.

If you would like to contribute to this campaign, share your experience, collaborate on policy proposals or discuss opportunities to raise awareness through podcasts, conferences or events, I would be delighted to hear from you.

Together, we can help shape a Child Maintenance Service and family justice system that works better for every child.

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Deanna Newell | Founder | DN Family Law

Advocacy for truth-tellers, survivors, and the children who deserve better