Nuffield Family Justice Observatory

The Nuffield Family Justice Observatory (Nuffield FJO) supports better outcomes for children in the family justice system in England and Wales by improving the use of data and research evidence in decision-making.

Brother and sister walking on the pavement

The Nuffield FJO has been established by the Nuffield Foundation which is funding the Observatory’s pilot phase from 2019 to 2023.

Nuffield FJO’s aims


  1. Supporting the analysis of national data and linking data from different sources to better understand the experience of children and families in the family justice system.

  2. Researching issues facing children and families and collaborating with others to bring about change in practice.

  3. Enabling decision-makers to access the latest data and research evidence.

Children in the family justice system


The Nuffield JFO  is building a comprehensive picture of what we do and do not know about children in the family justice system, from a variety of data sources, and taking steps to address the gaps. It has developed a new infographic to map insights, created using national administrative data.

Related Nuffield Foundation projects

New

Justice | 2024 – 2024

Crossing Boundaries: Co-designing support for vulnerable young people

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Man holds girl's hand as he walks her to primary school

Justice | 2023 – 2025

Improving safeguarding outcomes after adoption or special guardianship

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Little boy at home looking pensive, playing a game on a smartphone

Justice | 2023 – 2025

Linking household benefits, financial precarity and child welfare

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Mother and small child on a bus looking out of the window together and playing a game naming the things they see

Justice | 2023 – 2026

Parental Advocacy in England: a realist evaluation of implementation

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Father and child washing up in the kitchen

Justice | 2023 – 2025

Physical punishment and child outcomes in the UK

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Man turns towards the camera, walking in a town, with other walkers in the background

Justice | 2023 – 2023

Creating and using better justice data

View project
Man leading a focus group listening to the participants speaking

Justice | 2023 – 2026

Lived experience of the law: a research and policy project

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Two children walk ahead of two adults, one pushing a pram
In progress

Justice | 2022 – 2024

Voluntary care plans for children in Scotland: using Section 25 orders

View project
Rethinking domestic abuse in child protection: responding differently
In progress

Justice | 2022 – 2024

Rethinking domestic abuse in child protection: responding differently

View project
A woman helping a little girl get ready for school
In progress

Justice | Welfare | 2022 – 2024

Race, religion and representation among care-experienced children

View project
A little girl smiles at her father
In progress

Justice | 2021 – 2024

Substituted parenting: what does this mean in the family court?

View project
Two sisters, 9 and 14, play on a swing together: Data and voice to improve children's lives
In progress

Justice | 2021 – 2026

Children’s information: improving lives through better listening and better data

View project
New

Justice | 2024 – 2024

Crossing Boundaries: Co-designing support for vulnerable young people

View project
Man holds girl's hand as he walks her to primary school

Justice | 2023 – 2025

Improving safeguarding outcomes after adoption or special guardianship

View project
Mother and small child on a bus looking out of the window together and playing a game naming the things they see

Justice | 2023 – 2026

Parental Advocacy in England: a realist evaluation of implementation

View project
Little boy at home looking pensive, playing a game on a smartphone

Justice | 2023 – 2025

Linking household benefits, financial precarity and child welfare

View project
Reported

Justice | 2019 – 2023

Born into care: best practice guidelines

View project
Man leading a focus group listening to the participants speaking

Justice | 2023 – 2026

Lived experience of the law: a research and policy project

View project
Man turns towards the camera, walking in a town, with other walkers in the background

Justice | 2023 – 2023

Creating and using better justice data

View project
Father and child washing up in the kitchen

Justice | 2023 – 2025

Physical punishment and child outcomes in the UK

View project
Two children walk ahead of two adults, one pushing a pram
In progress

Justice | 2022 – 2024

Voluntary care plans for children in Scotland: using Section 25 orders

View project
Rethinking domestic abuse in child protection: responding differently
In progress

Justice | 2022 – 2024

Rethinking domestic abuse in child protection: responding differently

View project
A woman helping a little girl get ready for school
In progress

Justice | Welfare | 2022 – 2024

Race, religion and representation among care-experienced children

View project
A parent or carer holds a small child
In progress

Justice | 2020 – 2023

Discharge of care orders: a national study

View project
Two children walk ahead of two adults, one pushing a pram
In progress

Justice | 2022 – 2024

Voluntary care plans for children in Scotland: using Section 25 orders

View project
Rethinking domestic abuse in child protection: responding differently
In progress

Justice | 2022 – 2024

Rethinking domestic abuse in child protection: responding differently

View project
A woman helping a little girl get ready for school
In progress

Justice | Welfare | 2022 – 2024

Race, religion and representation among care-experienced children

View project
A parent or carer holds a small child
In progress

Justice | 2020 – 2023

Discharge of care orders: a national study

View project
A little girl smiles at her father
In progress

Justice | 2021 – 2024

Substituted parenting: what does this mean in the family court?

View project
Two sisters, 9 and 14, play on a swing together: Data and voice to improve children's lives
In progress

Justice | 2021 – 2026

Children’s information: improving lives through better listening and better data

View project
A little girl with colouring pencils: Studying the outcomes of different types of demand for children’s social care
In progress

Justice | 2021 – 2023

Studying the outcomes of different types of demand for children’s social care

View project
A social worker talking to a teenage girl: Developing family engagement models with front-line youth justice practitioners
In progress

Justice | 2021 – 2024

Developing family engagement models with front-line youth justice practitioners

View project
In progress

Justice | 2020 – 2023

Forced marriage: enhancing protection and prevention responses

View project
Long-term outcomes for care-experienced parents and children: a father comes into the kitchen carrying a cup of tea. Two children are standing in the kitchen with their mother, who is holding and feeding the baby
In progress

Justice | 2021 – 2023

Long-term outcomes for care-experienced parents and children

View project
Child holds hands with parents
In progress

Justice | 2021 – 2023

Domestic abuse and mothers in prison or on release: an evidence review

View project
A woman cuddling a boy, looking out of a window
In progress

Justice | 2019 – 2023

Mothers in treatment for substance use: impacts on care proceedings

View project
New

Justice | 2024 – 2024

Crossing Boundaries: Co-designing support for vulnerable young people

View project
Reported

Justice | 2019 – 2023

Born into care: best practice guidelines

View project
Siblings play ball in a playground - Siblings Contact and the Law
Reported

Justice | 2020 – 2021

Guidance to judges on the anonymisation of children judgements

View project
Reported

Justice | 2020 – 2022

When is a wedding not a marriage? Exploring non-legally binding ceremonies

View project
Reported

Justice | Welfare | 2015 – 2018

Bridging the Evidence Gap in Family Proceedings

View project
Reported

Justice | 2016 – 2017

Transparency and privacy in family courts

View project
Reported

Justice | Welfare | 2018 – 2021

Looked after children grown up

View project
Reported

Justice | Welfare | 1998 – 2003

Untying the knot: Muslim women, divorce and the Shariah

View project
Serious-teenage-girl-gestures-as-sits-on-couch-in-school-counselor-office-Mental-health-service-provision-for-children-state-care-England-PROJ
Reported

Justice | Welfare | 2018 – 2021

Planning and supporting permanence in long-term foster care

View project
Reported

Justice | Welfare | 2019 – 2022

Girls and women with experience of care and the criminal justice system

View project
Reported

Justice | Welfare | 2017 – 2018

Addressing the ‘care cases’ crisis: a sector-led review

View project
Couple of African descent attends couples counselling to discuss finding fault in divorce
Reported

Justice | Welfare | 2017 – 2024

Pensions on divorce interdisciplinary working group

View project
Reported

Justice | Welfare | 2017 – 2022

Visualising data in care proceedings

View project
See all

We aim to improve people’s lives by funding research that informs social policy, primarily in Education, Welfare and Justice. We also fund student programmes that give young people skills and confidence in science and research.

We are an open, collaborative and engaged funder that offers more than money. Through connecting the individual projects we fund, we strengthen their collective impact and give voice to an overarching narrative.

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