Children arbitration expands to cover relocations

• The children scheme, run by the Institute of Family Law Arbitrators (IFLA), has been in operation since 2016.
• It is being extended to include both temporary and permanent relocation to certain foreign jurisdictions.

Family arbitration has come a long way since the Institute of Family Law Arbitrators (IFLA) launched its financial arbitration scheme in 2012. There has been a steady growth in financial arbitration, and it is now increasingly preferred over the court process for the resolution of many financial disputes. Parties appreciate the benefits of a bespoke process and the confidentially it affords. Huge delays in the court process have also had an impact on take-up.

In 2016, the children scheme was launched. For safeguarding reasons, external leave to remove applications were excluded. Nearly four years later, the scheme is established, successful, supported by family judges and recognised as providing the same advantages of the financial scheme in terms of speed, judicial continuity