Fresh Futures welcomed family law professionals and members of the judiciary to its Family Time Centre last week for a special networking and learning event aimed at strengthening understanding of services available to children and families across Kirklees and the wider region.
The event brought together representatives from local family law firms alongside two District Judges, who led an open question-and-answer session, providing valuable insight into current issues within the family justice system and discussing the importance of effective support services for families.
Guests then heard from the Fresh Futures team about the charity’s Family Time service, which provides safe, child-focused environments where children can spend time with parents and family members when arrangements cannot take place independently. Attendees also learned more about the wider support available through Fresh Futures before taking part in a guided tour of the Family Time Centre and its facilities.
The event was designed to increase awareness of the service and strengthen links between legal professionals and local family support providers. Feedback gathered from attendees demonstrated its impact. Before the event, almost one third of attendees said they were not at all familiar with the Family Time service. Following the event, 86% rated their understanding of the service as excellent, while 100% agreed that the event had increased their awareness of Family Time and improved their understanding of how Fresh Futures supports families. Additionally, 100% said they would be likely or very likely to recommend the service.
Many attendees highlighted the opportunity to meet the judges, gain practical insight into the service and tour the facilities as the most valuable aspects of the event. Several commented that seeing the environment first-hand helped them better understand the experience of the children and families they support.
Katie Shephard, Head of Engagement at Fresh Futures, said:
“It was fantastic to welcome so many local family law professionals and members of the judiciary to Fresh Futures. Family Time plays a vital role in supporting children and families in Kirklees, during what can be challenging circumstances, and events like this help build understanding of the service and the positive impact it has. We were delighted by the level of engagement and the overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees.”
The event was coordinated in partnership with local law firm Eaton Smith.
Zahra Nawaz, Solicitor at Eaton Smith Solicitors, added:
“We were pleased to work alongside Fresh Futures to bring together professionals from across the family law legal sector. The event provided a valuable opportunity to learn more about the support available to families locally, hear directly from members of the judiciary and strengthen relationships that ultimately benefit the children and families we all serve. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the District Judges again for attending and speaking at this event to raise vital awareness.”
Fresh Futures would like to thank everyone who attended and contributed to the discussions. The charity looks forward to building on these connections and continuing to work with partners across the legal sector to ensure families can access the support they need when they need it most.
Find out more about Family Time HERE.