DN Family Law’s Eight Pillars of Child Maintenance Reform

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Our campaign is built around eight core principles designed to create a fairer, more transparent and child-focused Child Maintenance Service and Family Justice system.

Child maintenance reform cannot be viewed in isolation. For many families, financial disputes, child arrangements, safeguarding concerns and family conflict can overlap.

A modern system must identify these complexities early and respond appropriately.

1. Mandatory Early Triage Assessment

Every complex CMS or Family Court case should undergo an early assessment to identify risks and complexity before problems escalate.

This should include screening for:-

• Domestic abuse

• Coercive control

• Financial abuse

• Safeguarding concerns

• Disputed child arrangements

• Complex financial circumstances; and

• High-conflict cases

Early identification allows the right support, investigation and intervention to be provided at the right time.

A preventative approach could reduce lengthy disputes, repeated assessments and unnecessary conflict.

2. Financial Transparency and Following the Money Trail

Child maintenance should reflect a parent’s true financial circumstances.

A modern system must look beyond basic PAYE income and consider:-

• Dividends

• Retained company profits

• Rental income

• Investments

• Business ownership

• Directors’ loans; and

• Other sources of financial benefit

Children should not lose out because income is structured in ways that make it difficult to assess. Greater financial transparency would improve confidence in the system and ensure that maintenance calculations are fair and accurate.

3. Joined-Up Working Between CMS, Family Courts and Safeguarding Agencies

Child maintenance disputes do not always exist separately from wider family issues.

In some cases, financial disputes overlap with:-

• Child arrangements

• Domestic abuse

• Coercive control

• Safeguarding concerns; and

• Prolonged Family Court proceedings

Where these issues overlap, agencies should work together more effectively.

A joined-up approach could:-

• Reduce delays

• Prevent repeated assessments

• Improve information sharing; and

• Ensure decisions are based on the full circumstances of the family

4. Protecting Children from Financial and Contact-Related Conflict

Child maintenance and child arrangements are legally separate issues, but in some high-conflict cases they can become closely connected.

There are situations where allegations are made that a child’s relationship with a parent has been restricted or frustrated because of financial disputes, including concerns that contact decisions may be influenced by financial motives.

Equally, there are cases where contact is limited because of genuine safeguarding concerns, domestic abuse, coercive control or welfare issues.

The challenge for the system is ensuring decisions are based on evidence rather than assumptions.

A mandatory triage assessment could help identify whether a case involves:-

• Genuine safeguarding concerns

• Domestic abuse or coercive control

• Financial abuse

• Disputes over child arrangements

• Allegations that financial matters are influencing contact; or

• Other complex family dynamics

Children should never become a bargaining tool in financial disputes. Equally, no child or parent should be placed at risk where there are genuine welfare concerns.

A fair Family Justice system must be able to distinguish between these circumstances through early assessment, evidence-based decision-making and effective cooperation between agencies.

5. Stronger Protection Against Domestic Abuse and Financial Abuse

No parent should be placed at greater risk because of a child maintenance arrangement.

The system must recognise that financial abuse and coercive control can continue after separation and so reforms must ensure survivors can access support without being forced into unsafe negotiations or arrangements.

This includes:-

• Better identification of domestic abuse cases

• Safe payment arrangements

• Effective enforcement

• Implementation of protections for survivors

6. Fair and Effective Enforcement

A system that calculates maintenance correctly must also ensure payments are made.

Reform must include:-

• Faster action on unpaid maintenance

• Improved compliance monitoring

• Investigation of deliberate avoidance

• Stronger action where financial information is withheld

Effective enforcement protects children and supports parents who meet their responsibilities.

7. Recognition of the Impact of Prolonged Conflict

Long-running CMS and Family Court disputes can have a significant impact on children and parents. Years of uncertainty, repeated disputes, financial pressure and unresolved conflict can affect family relationships and emotional wellbeing.

Reform should recognise that quicker resolution and earlier intervention are not simply administrative improvements — they are essential for children’s welfare.

8. Measuring Success Through Outcomes

Successful reform should not only be measured by changes to the system — it should be measured by improvements for families.

Key measures should include:-

• More children receiving the maintenance they are entitled to

• Reduced child poverty

• Improved compliance

• Quicker resolution of complex cases

• Stronger safeguarding

• Increased financial transparency; and

• Improved confidence in the system

Our Vision

DN Family Law believes Child Maintenance reform must move from a reactive system to a preventative one.

The future of child maintenance should not be about waiting for disputes to become crises. It should be about:-

• Identifying risks early

• Understanding the complete financial picture

• Protecting children from adult conflict

• Supporting survivors of abuse

• Ensuring fairness for both paying and receiving parents; and

• Keeping children’s welfare at the centre of every decision

A fair system protects children, supports families and holds everyone accountable.

Fair maintenance. Transparent finances. Early intervention.

Better outcomes for children.

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Deanna Newell | Founder | DN Family Law

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