Submitted by Jessica Stanhope on Wednesday 22nd October 2025
Published on Thursday 4th December 2025
Current status: Open
Open until: Thursday 4th June 2026
Current Signatures: 1,739
(count is updated approximately hourly)
Mandatory trauma-informed training and standards in the family courts service
We call on the Government to ensure mandatory trauma-informed training and standards for all professionals whose assessments influence decisions in the family courts, including judges, CAFCASS officers, social workers, and court-instructed medical experts.
Trauma responses should not be labelled as mental health issues or illness; they should be recognised as symptoms of abuse – so, if a victim develops PTSD from domestic violence, it should be recorded and understood as a trauma response caused by harm, not a standalone mental health problem. Current guidance is inconsistently applied; there are huge gaps in professionals’ understanding abuse and mental health. We seek mandatory national standards, and a total reform on all current guidance and training.
If you want to sign this petition (as opposed to merely discuss it), you need to do that on the government's e-Petitions website.
216.73.216.219 Thu, 04 Jun 2026 15:20:58 +0100