Putting the needs of children first

18 March 2026

In a comment piece in The Times, Charlotte Bradley writes about the need to put children's needs ahead of the needs of their warring parents in divorce proceedings. 

Charlotte states that the legal definition of child welfare needs to be reviewed, if family law professionals are to be able to prioritise the interests of children caught up in the divorce process. This is one of the key recommendations arising from the recently published report from the Family Solutions Group. The report, Putting Children First: The evolving role of the family law professional, is co-authored by Edward Cooke, Founder and Managing Director of Edward Cooke Family Law, alongside Charlotte Bradley, Senior Consultant at Kingsley Napley. 

The report, launched last week, draws on research from 550 family law professionals and parents, and sets out a blueprint for change. It calls for greater focus on child welfare when parents separate and for the creation of a Commissioner for Separated Families, to provide coordinated oversight throughout the family separation space and to ensure children's rights and needs are represented and prioritised.