If your child arrangement case is heading to the family court in England or Wales, the new Child Focused Court model could mean fewer hearings and a quicker final decision. The government confirmed the national rollout on 17 March 2026, retiring the old Pathfinder pilot name. In pilot areas, cases have been resolved up to 7 and a half months sooner, and backlogs have more than halved.
That does not mean every case will finish quickly. Speed depends on where you live, what issues are raised, and how ready both parents are to engage from the start. If you are looking for practical child arrangement services while the courts change around you, it helps to understand what is different.
What the Child Focused Court model changes
In the court areas that use it, the Child Focused Court model changes the way private law children cases are prepared. The biggest shift is timing. Instead of gathering information slowly across several hearings, the court front-loads it before the first main hearing.
The key document is the Child Impact Report. This is prepared by Cafcass, Cafcass Cymru or the local authority, depending on the area. It pulls together safeguarding checks, information from other agencies, and, where appropriate, the child’s own wishes and feelings. The aim is to give the court a clearer picture of the child’s safety, welfare and lived experience earlier in the process.
Picture a fairly ordinary case under the previous approach. A father applies to spend time with his children. He waits for a first hearing, then for safeguarding checks, then for another hearing to set directions. Months pass before the court has a rounded view of what the children need. The new model tries to compress that. For separated dads, court ordered contact services for fathers can sit alongside the process, and the journey from a court order to the first visit often becomes clearer once information is gathered early. The Child Impact Report can also shape how contact reports are used in court decisions.
Will it be faster in practice?
The pilot numbers are encouraging, but they should be read with a cool head. In North Wales, average case length fell from 29 weeks to 18 weeks. In Dorset, it dropped from 38 weeks to 27 weeks. Across England and Wales, Family Court Statistics show private law cases took 37 weeks on average in 2025, down from 41 weeks in 2024.
| Feature | Previous approach | Child Focused Court model |
|---|---|---|
| Information gathering | Spread across several hearings | Front-loaded before the first hearing |
| Key document | Cafcass safeguarding letter | Child Impact Report |
| The child’s voice | Often considered later | Considered earlier where appropriate |
| Number of hearings | Often several | Designed to reduce unnecessary hearings |
| Pilot case length | 29 to 38 weeks in North Wales and Dorset | 18 to 27 weeks in those same areas |
A quicker route is not guaranteed for everyone. Cases involving domestic abuse, serious safeguarding concerns or disputed allegations may still need a fact-finding hearing. That takes time for good reason. The model also relies on early, honest engagement, so it works best when both parents commit to the process. Many families still use child arrangement support for separated parents to prepare properly. It also pairs well with how child arrangement services work alongside mediation, because safe non-court resolution is strongly encouraged where appropriate. In high conflict parenting cases, structure matters more than speed alone.
What this means if you are in the North West
There is a local reason to pay attention. Cheshire and Merseyside is named in the next wave of areas due to adopt the model in the 2026 to 2027 financial year, alongside Lancashire and Cumbria. The expansion is backed by £17 million of government funding.
Independent, reliable evidence still matters. Supervised sessions, session logs and clear reporting all feed into what the court sees. If your case calls for supervised visitation or private child contact supervision, that work can support the wider process rather than sit outside it. It also helps to understand your responsibilities under a contact order and whether a contact arrangement can be changed later if circumstances shift.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Child Focused Court model the same as Pathfinder?
Yes. Pathfinder was the pilot name used from February 2022. From March 2026, the model is being called Child Focused Courts.
Does it apply to my area yet?
Not everywhere. It is currently live in 10 of 43 court areas, including all of Wales, Birmingham and the West Midlands, Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and West Yorkshire.
Will my case definitely be quicker?
Not always. Early information gathering can reduce delay, but complex cases and those involving safety concerns may still take longer.
What is a Child Impact Report?
It is a report prepared before the first main hearing, bringing together safeguarding information, agency input and, where suitable, the child’s views.
Getting the right support
The courts are changing, but the basics have not. Children do best when contact is safe, steady and focused on them. If you want help preparing for a case under the new model, or you need supervised contact and clear reporting that stands up in court, reducing conflict between parents is a sensible place to start. Speak to the team at Child Arrangement Resolutions today to talk through your situation and plan your next step.