Training materials

Training materials

Family law training materials

There are certain key areas of family law that are indispensable for both experienced family practitioners, and those new to family law, including trainee solicitors and paralegals. This subtopic sets out practical guidance on a range of family law topics, with introductory guidance for each area and navigational assistance to content including Practice Notes, Procedural Guides, Precedents and Forms.

See Practice Note: Family law training materials.

Family calculators

There are certain calculators available to assist family lawyers, including a child maintenance calculator, state pension calculator and legal aid calculator. Other calculators include, inter alia, retail price index (RPI) and consumer price index (CPI) calculators, a life expectancy calculator and an interest on judgment debt calculator.

See Practice Note: Family calculators.

Family flowcharts

The following flowcharts set out the steps to be taken in various family proceedings in a graphic format with links to relevant overviews, Practice Notes, precedents, procedural guides, client guides, legislation, forms and further reading links:

Divorce or civil partnership dissolution, sole application, standard case (post-DDSA 2020)—flowchart

Undefended divorce or civil partnership dissolution (pre-DDSA 2020)—flowchart

Amending an

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Latest Family News

Family weekly highlights—3 April 2025

This week's edition of Family weekly highlights includes details of an evaluation report released by the Ministry of Justice on the Pathfinder pilot scheme and minutes of the Online Procedure Rule Committee meeting. Recent decisions on adoption orders and parental orders for children born via international surrogacy arrangements are detailed. A new Family public law HMCTS online service release notes tracker in Family Practical Guidance is also set out.

MoJ releases evaluation report on Pathfinder pilot scheme

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has published an evaluation report examining the Pathfinder Courts pilot scheme under Family Procedure Rules 2010, PD 36Z. The pilot scheme, which began in February 2022, aims to replace the Child Arrangements Programme with a revised process to improve outcomes in private family law proceedings.The report analyses implementation in Dorset and North Wales, covering operational effectiveness and comparative costs. Based on participants’ reflections on the implementation of the Pathfinder pilot scheme in Dorset and North Wales, the research team have identified key policy, practice and further research considerations to inform the implementation of the Pathfinder pilot in other areas.

Family weekly highlights—27 March 2025

This week's edition of Family weekly highlights includes details of a new protocol on the disclosure of information between coroners and the Family Court in cases involving fatality. Analysis of a High Court decision on unlawful surrogacy arrangements is also set out, together with notable aspects of the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Spring Statement, analysis of recent judgments on whether a Mesher order was appropriate, forced marriage protection orders and appeals made out of time. A new Practice Note on the citation of authorities in the family courts and a new flowchart on applications under Part 18 of the Family Procedure Rules 2010 are also set out.

High Court warns against unlawful surrogacy arrangements (Re Z (Unlawful Foreign Surrogacy—Adoption)

Family analysis: An unusual predicament faced a couple in this case where they sought to be recognised as the parents of two children after an unlawful foreign surrogacy. This decision brought into sharp focus the legal and ethical dilemmas that arise when intended parents embark on illegal surrogacy arrangements in a foreign country. A significant feature in this case was also that the applicants were in their sixties and had not given sufficient consideration to the impact on the children of their age. Ultimately the only orders that were appropriate in the circumstances were adoption orders which were granted by the court. Tahmina Rahman, barrister at 1|GC Family Law Chambers, considers the issues.