Parliamentary Committee Debates the End of the Parental Involvement Presumption

The Courts and Tribunals Bill, introduced to the House of Commons on 25 February 2026, includes Clause 17, which would remove the presumption of parental involvement from section 1(2A) of the Children Act 1989 — the provision that currently requires family courts to presume that involvement of both parents “will further the child’s welfare”. The Public Bill Committee completed line-by-line scrutiny of the Bill by late April 2026, with committee members hearing deeply affecting evidence from Claire Throssell and other survivors of domestic abuse, as well as legal testimony, before debating whether removing the statutory presumption — rather than reforming the institutions that apply it — is the right legislative answer. For psychology expert witnesses, the repeal is directly significant: without a default assumption favouring contact, courts will rely more heavily on individually commissioned welfare and risk assessments, placing fresh demand on regulated psychological expertise in child arrangements cases.

Source: TheyWorkForYou (Public Bill Committee Debate, 23 April 2026, updated May 2026)