Family Drug and Alcohol court launched in Liverpool
Liverpool has this month become the latest city to launch a Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC), with the aim of providing opportunities to support families to stay together.
An FDAC is an alternative family court for care proceedings, specifically designed to work with parents who struggle with drug and alcohol misuse.
The service, which is independent of the city council, is supported by a multi-disciplinary team with experience in substance use, mental health, domestic abuse and child protection, ensuring “holistic assistance” to families that are under specialist care.
The implementation of the FDAC in Liverpool is being driven by His Honour Judge Steven Parker, the Designated Family Judge for Cheshire and Merseyside.
In 2024, 1,030 families were part of proceedings in Liverpool’s family court with a quarter of them supported by Liverpool City Council.
Liverpool City Council Councillor Liz Parsons said: “That we have launched an approach that can address the underlying causes of families at risk and we are providing opportunities to support families to stay together fills me with hope. Hope that together we can change outcomes for children and families where substance misuse is a significant factor.
“Thank you to His Honour Judge Parker, for many years he’s had the idea to bring the FDAC to the city; his tenacity is to be applauded. And thank you to our director of children’s services Jenny Turnross for choosing Liverpool and joining us on this journey where we have a chance to do things differently. Collectively they are absolutely driving change and we need that to happen for families and children.”
In 2023, the National Centre for Social Research compared outcomes for 130 families whose cases concluded in 14 FDACs across England in 2021 and 2022 to a matched sample of 116 families in standard proceedings, and found that 52% of children in FDAC were returned to their parents compared to only 13% of children in standard proceedings.
In November last year, the lead judge for the Family Drug and Alcohol Courts, Lord Justice Peter Jackson, called for their expansion, suggesting that it must move to the point where it is “not a sign of merit to have an FDAC, but an embarrassment not to have one”.
Commenting on the launch of an FDAC in Liverpool, Lord Justice Peter Jackson said: “I cannot say how pleased I am that FDAC has arrived in Liverpool. I pay tribute to Liverpool City Council’s Children and Young People’s Services, Public Health, and elected members and also the local judiciary, HM Courts and Tribunals Service and the Centre for Justice Innovation. You have shown what can be achieved by visionary collaborative public sector leadership.”
He added: “I very much look forward to seeing Liverpool’s FDAC in action.”
Lottie Winson
