GW4 Network on Family, Regulation & Society
University of Bath: James Davenport, Ian Butler
University of Bristol: Emma Hitchings
Cardiff University: Gillian Douglas, Leanne Smith
University of Exeter: Anne Barlow (PI)
Background
Following radical changes to the Family Justice System, the majority of couples now take a ‘DIY’ approach to managing family breakdown. Around 90% of separating parents do not use the courts to formalise child arrangements, and over two-thirds of couples who divorce each year do not pursue any financial legal remedies through the courts (MoJ, 2015). They are acting within a newly created ‘delegalised space’ of informal negotiations, mediation and online advice and support forums. Unanchored by family law principles or judicial processes, there is potential for injustice, generational conflict of interest and gender inequalities.
Understanding what is being decided and how online advice is used, presents a critical gap in the knowledge and scholarship on the resolution of family disputes. As ‘DIYers’ are a hard to access group, little is known about how they attempt to resolve immediate and vital issues.
Project summary
Over the course of the Accelerator funding the community expanded to include additional members interested in Delegalized Justice, beyond socio-legal studies and social policy to embrace Sociology, Science and Technology Studies, Psychology and Politics.
The funds were used to employ 2 part-time Research Fellows over 6 months to expand the network’s expertise beyond family justice, scope the delegalized space activity, get the views of agencies and some individuals involved in DIY family justice and identify existing data or other relevant research. The community held four workshops with key stakeholders and partner agencies, which led to a number of working papers and an ESRC grant application.
