Cheshire and Merseyside is one of the next court areas adopting the Child Focused Model this year, so if you are heading into a child arrangements dispute locally, expect earlier Cafcass involvement, a single welfare report near the start, and fewer hearings than before. The practical message is simple. Prepare early, because the first few weeks now carry more weight. The change is backed by £17 million of government funding and applies to private children cases under the Children Act 1989.
What is changing in your local courts
The Child Focused Model was previously known as Pathfinder. Instead of building a picture through a string of hearings, the court gathers information at the outset and asks Cafcass to prepare a Child Impact Report. That report looks at risk, safety and your child’s lived experience before the first proper hearing. If you are in Liverpool, Birkenhead, Chester, Crewe or Warrington, the family court you would use is among those moving to this approach. It is a real shift in how child arrangement services for separated parents are expected to operate.
What it means for families here
Here is what you are likely to notice if your case is heard under the new model.
| Stage | What changes for you |
| After you apply | Cafcass may contact you within weeks rather than months |
| Assessment | One Child Impact Report instead of a safeguarding letter and a later section 7 |
| Hearings | Fewer hearings, and some decisions made without an attended hearing |
| Safety | Domestic abuse and welfare risks flagged earlier |
| Your role | Fuller information expected from you from the very start |
For most families going through separation, earlier information should mean safer, quicker decisions. If both of you can stay child focused, the model rewards that, and it sits well with shared parenting and co-parenting.
The honest caveats
It is not a cure all. The Law Society and others have warned that legal aid funding has not kept pace with the new process, which can leave some domestic abuse survivors without representation at a stage that now matters more. Cafcass is recruiting to meet demand, so how smoothly your case runs may depend on local capacity. Read past the headlines and look at the common misunderstandings about these services before you assume what will happen.
Where supervised contact comes in locally
We are based in the North West and work across exactly this region. If a Child Impact Report recommends that contact is supervised, our supervised contact across Cheshire and Merseyside gives the court safe, observed time to consider. We provide professional supervised contact in everyday community settings rather than a clinical centre, which helps keep children safe while keeping relationships going. For parents with intense work patterns, we also arrange supervised contact for busy professionals. Throughout, our focus stays on compliance and child safety and on knowing when supervised contact is needed rather than applying it by default.
Frequently asked questions
When are Child Focused Courts coming to Cheshire and Merseyside?
They are part of the rollout for the 2026 to 2027 financial year, funded by the latest government investment. Your solicitor or local court can confirm whether your specific case falls under the new model.
Are Child Focused Courts the same as Pathfinder?
Yes. Pathfinder was the pilot name. The approach is now called the Child Focused Model, or Child Focused Courts, as it rolls out nationally.
Will I still have to attend court hearings?
Often fewer. Some cases are resolved on the strength of the Child Impact Report without an attended hearing, while others still need one or more. It depends on risk and on whether you can agree.
Does this affect an existing child arrangements order?
Not automatically. The model shapes how new cases are handled. If you want to change an order already in place, the usual route still applies.
Get local advice and support
If you are facing a child arrangements case in Cheshire or Merseyside and supervised contact is on the table, plan early. Contact child arrangement support across the North West and email info@childarrange.com for a confidential conversation. We will explain how the new process works in practice and how supervised contact can keep your child safe and your case moving.