Meeting Summaries
Interdisciplinary Family Law Committee
13 April 2005
Present:
The Right Honourable Lord Justice Thorpe (Chairman)
The Right Honourable Lord Justice Wall
The Honourable Mr Justice Hedley
Her Honour judge Pearlman
Her Honour Judge Newton
The Senior District
District Judge Crichton
Christina Blacklaws, Solicitor on behalf of the Law Society
Jane Booth, FJC Member
Bruce Clark, Department for Education & Skills
Christopher Clulow, Tavistock Centre
Martha Cover, FLBA
Jane Craig, SFLA
Katherine Gieve, FJC Member
Dr Danya Glaser, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children
Lynn Graham, Legal Services Commission
Peter Harris, Grandparents Association & NYAS
Grant Howell, SFLA
Dr Brian Jacobs, Maudsley Hospital
Jenny Kenrick, Tavistock Clinic
Professor Mervyn Murch, Cardiff Law School
Angela Nield, Solicitor
Alison Paddle, NAGALRO
Arran Poyser, Magistrates Courts' Service Inspectorate
Mark Powell, Association of Lawyers for Children
Peggy Ray, Solicitor
Jane Robey, National Family Mediation
Dr Gillian Schofield, University of East Anglia
Dr Neela Shabde, Royal College of Paediatricians
Dr Claire Sturge, Northwick Park Hospital
June Thoburn, University of East Anglia
Dr Judith Trowell, Tavistock Clinic
Margaret Wilson, Magistrates Association
Laura Russell (Secretariat)
Apologies:
The Honourable Mr Justice Sumner
The Honourable Mr Justice Coleridge
His Honour Judge Iain Hamilton
Robin Ap Cynan, Solicitor
John Baker, Director of Legal Services
Dr Julia Brophy
Mairin Casey, Barrister
Carol Edwards, NAGALRO
Dr Jean Harris-Hendriks
Professor Douglas Hooper
Andrew McFarlane QC, FLBA
Lawrence Oates, Official Solicitor
Dr Jean Price, Royal College of Paediatricians
Malcolm Richardson JP
Heather Schroeder, Director Social Services
Simon White, Lewisham Social Services
Biddy Youell, Tavistock Clinic
Dr Ann Zachary, Portman Clinic
1. Announcements and apologies
1. The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and discussed the new venue. It was decided that all future committee meetings should be held in the Old Restaurant Area, 11th Floor Thomas More Building Royal Courts of Justice Strand London WC2A 2LL. The Chairman said that he was pleased to see so many people at the meeting and that it was confirmation that the committee should remain active. He said that the FJC was limited to those on it where as the Committee reflected interdisciplinarity more widely than the Council.
1.1 The Chairman read out the apologies received.
Minutes of the last meeting: 22 November 2004
2. The minutes were approved subject to the addition of the Senior District Judge, Peggy Ray, Jane Craig, Neela Shabde, Grant Howell, Martha Cover and Dr Danya Glaser as those attending the meeting.
Matters arising
3. Item 3.1 Experts' fees - the meeting discussed the paper produced by Peggy Ray. Any comments on the paper are to be sent to Peggy Ray within 21 days.
Item 3.4 Working together for Family Justice - actioned
Item 3.5 Identified Issues for FJC - Actioned. Judge Newton gave a verbal update to the meeting as to her group's action point. A discussion followed. Judge Newton and Angela Nield agreed to continue to pursue the matter and report back.
Item 6.1 Dartington Conference CPD Provider - Not Actioned. Dr Gillian Schofield up dated the meeting as to the progress reached re planning. It was agreed that the draft programme would be circulated to members. Expressions of interest to attend the conference are to be sent to the Chairman.
Item 7 Pool of Experts - Actioned. The Chairman updated the meeting as to the position regarding the Expert Training Sub-Committee. Judge Newton raised the issue of transcripts of court judgments at public expense and a discussion followed. Judge Newton agreed to take the matter forward and report back.
Report on Dartington fellows conference experts working group
4. Professor Mervyn Murch explained the back ground to the paper he presented to the meeting, a discussion then followed. It was agreed that the paper would be put before the FJC meeting on 18 April 2005.
Any other business
5. Mark Powell raised the issue of the Wales and Chester Conference. Concern was expressed with regard to interdisciplinary training and that if all LFJC did not work together then the initiative would fail. A discussion then followed.
The Senior discussed the role of the FPRC and the CPR especially in relation to Part 35. Views on this matter were to be sent to the Senior via Laura Russell by 29 April 2005.
The Chairman informed the meeting that he had received a letter from the Council of Circuit Judges regarding a proposed research project by the Raeside Clinic. The letter was summarised and a discussion followed. The Chairman will respond to Judge Jenkins.
The Chairman put to the meeting the proposal that the FJC pay for the production of the second edition of "Working in the Family Justice System". This matter was to be discussed at the FJC meeting on 18 April and their views were requested. A short discussion followed.
Dr Shabde asked the Chair for an update on the Mini Pupilege Scheme. The Chair updated the meeting.
Date of next meeting
6. 5 October 2005 at 4.30 pm 11th Floor Thomas More Building Royal Courts of Justice Strand London WC2A 2LL
Laura Russell
Assistant Secretary to the
Family Justice Council
Tel: 020 7947 7950
Fax: 020 7947 7875
Email: Laura Russell