Nuffield Family Justice Observatory (Nuffield FJO) invite you to a webinar where new research findings on families’ experiences of separation and support will be presented and discussed. 

• An introduction from Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division
• Presentations from the University of Bristol research team, covering findings, reflections and recommendations
• A panel discussion, with questions from the audience

Nuffield FJO has been working to strengthen the evidence base around children and families’ experiences of separation and court proceedings, with the aim of supporting judges, lawyers, mediators, social workers and policy makers to have informed multidisciplinary discussions on how to better meet families’ needs.

Join the webinar to find out more about a qualitative research study recently published by Nuffield FJO and carried out by the University of Bristol. It involved 42 family members (mothers, fathers and children) across the South West of England and Wales. The research team explored the process of separation and how it was experienced by different family members; the challenges the families faced; and the support families received while going through separation, both in and out of court, and whether it was useful. 

Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division, will introduce the webinar. This will be followed by presentations from the University of Bristol research team:

• Dr Jon Symonds, Senior Lecturer in Social Work with Children and Families, School for Policy Studies
• Professor Emma Hitchings, Law School
• Dr Eleanor Staples, School for Policy Studies
• Esther Dermott FAcSS, Professor of Sociology and Social Policy, School for Policy Studies

The researchers will then take part in a panel discussion, and will answer questions from the audience.

The webinar will be hosted via Zoom. If you would like to attend, please register by Monday 6 March. Your questions for the panel are welcomed before or during the webinar; you can submit advance questions when registering.   

If you have any questions or need help with registration, please contact Martin Burns: contactfjo@nuffieldfoundation.org.