In Frolo's 2026 family court survey, 101 parents who have been through, or are going through, the family courts in the UK told us what it was like. Their answers are stark. Almost all say it harmed their mental health, and only 6 say it protected their child.

Key findings

• 99% say the process affected their mental health (100 of 101). 63% say severely.
• Only 6% say the process protected their child's wellbeing and safety (6 of 101). 69% say it did not.
• 92% say the family court system is not fit for purpose (93 of 101). Only 2 people say it is.
• 89% say their child showed signs of distress during the process (90 of 101).
• 80% found inaccurate or misrepresented information in professional reports (81 of 101). 85% of them say it affected their case.
• 61% did not feel safe raising coercive control or emotional harm (62 of 101). Only 10% did.
• 65% say signs of coercive control or emotional abuse were not recognised (66 of 101).
• Trust collapsed: 80% trusted the system before court. After it, 17% do, and 53% have no trust at all.
• 92% want professionals to better understand trauma and coercive control (93 of 101).

Is the family court system fit for purpose?

Parents judged the system on the things it exists to do, and on every one most of them say it failed:

• Keep children safe. Only 6% say it protected their child. 89% saw signs of distress in their child, and 68% say professionals did not properly acknowledge it.
• Hear the child. 70% say professionals did not understand their child's feelings, and 73% say their child got no trauma-informed questioning or support.
• Make decisions on accurate evidence. 80% found inaccurate or misrepresented information in reports, and 78% say professionals had not, or had rarely, read the full case history before making assessments.
• Recognise abuse. 65% say signs of coercive control were not recognised, and 61% did not feel safe raising it.
• Resolve things in reasonable time and cost. 43% say their case took two years or more, 67% have been through court more than once, and 50% spent over £15,000.

So when 92% say the system is not fit for purpose, they are not describing one bad outcome. They are describing a system that, in their experience, failed children, missed abuse and relied on reports they say were wrong.

How does family court affect parents' mental health?

99% say the process affected their mental health: 64 severely, 35 moderately and 1 minimally. 94% say the stress affected their ability to parent at their best (72 yes, 23 somewhat).

How are children affected?

89% of parents say their child showed at least one sign of distress during the process:

• Emotional dysregulation: 73% (74)
• Behaviour changes: 71% (72)
• Anxiety or fear: 66% (67)
• Withdrawal or sadness: 64% (65)
• Sleep difficulties: 59% (60)
• School avoidance: 30% (30)
• Panic attacks: 19% (19)

68% say these changes were not properly acknowledged by professionals. 73% say their child did not receive trauma-informed questioning or support. 64% say interviews with them or their child were not recorded. 60% say delays harmed their children.

Are reports and evidence accurate?

80% found inaccurate or misrepresented information in professional reports, and 85% of those say it affected their case. 78% say professionals had not, or had rarely, read or understood the full case history before making assessments. 57% say administrative errors, delays or misrouting affected their case.

Do parents feel safe raising coercive control?

61% did not feel safe raising concerns about coercive control or emotional harm. 21% felt safe only sometimes, and 10% did. 65% say signs of coercive control or emotional abuse were not recognised, and another 24% say they were only partly recognised.

How long does it take and what does it cost?

43% say their case has lasted two years or more, and 15% say five years or more. 67% have been through the court process more than once. 50% spent more than £15,000 personally on legal or court costs, and 23% spent £50,000 or more. 20% represented themselves as a litigant in person.

How has trust changed?

Before court, 43% had high trust in the system and 38% moderate trust. After court, 3% have high trust, 14% moderate trust and 53% none at all. Trust fell for 76% of parents.

What do parents want to change?

• Better understanding of trauma and coercive control: 92%
• Better emotional wellbeing assessment: 79%
• A fairer, more transparent process: 71%
• More accurate, consistent reports: 67%
• Greater accountability for mistakes: 66%
• Mandatory recording of all interviews: 66%
• Faster, more efficient case progression: 65%
• Clearer communication between agencies: 65%
• A unified digital system across agencies: 56%

In their words

"Being heard and not being told I couldn't raise domestic abuse"

"Judges reading case files before arriving in court"

"Professionals listening to my son, despite his young age."

"An equal responsibility to care for a child should be matched with an equal right to care for your child."

"Being treated like a human being."

Share this with your MP

Your MP can raise these findings in Parliament and with the Ministry of Justice. It takes two minutes:

1. Find your MP and write to them for free at WriteToThem.com. You just need your postcode.
2. Copy the message below, add a line about your own experience if you want to, and send.

Dear [MP's name], I'm your constituent. Frolo's 2026 survey of 101 parents who have been through, or are going through, the family courts in the UK found that 92% say the system is not fit for purpose, only 6% say it protected their child, and 80% found inaccurate or misrepresented information in professional reports. 92% want professionals to better understand trauma and coercive control. Please read the findings at frolo.com/blog/family-court-survey-2026-results and tell me what you will do to raise them with the Ministry of Justice.

Share your experience with us

Been through the family courts? Add your voice to our survey. Journalists, charities, lawyers and policymakers: email hello@frolo.co.uk for the full findings.

Frequently asked questions

Is the UK family court system fit for purpose?

In Frolo's 2026 survey of 101 parents who have been through, or are going through, the family courts in the UK, 92% said the system is not fit for purpose. Only 2% said it is.

How does family court affect parents' mental health?

In Frolo's 2026 survey, 99% of parents said the family court process affected their mental health, and 63% said it affected it severely.

How does family court affect children?

89% of parents in Frolo's 2026 survey said their child showed signs of distress during the process. Only 6% said the process protected their child's wellbeing and safety.

Are family court reports accurate?

80% of parents in Frolo's 2026 survey found inaccurate or misrepresented information in professional reports, and 85% of those said it affected their case.

Who ran this research?

Frolo, the UK community app for single parents, founded by Zoë Desmond, co-author of How to Be a Happy Single Parent. Frolo's research programme has gathered more than 1,200 responses from single parents.

About this survey

Frolo ran this survey online with parents who have been through, or are going through, the family courts in the UK. Figures use 101 unique responses; one duplicate submission was removed. Percentages are of all 101 parents unless stated, and are rounded. 84 respondents are mothers and 13 are fathers. Parents chose to take part, so the results describe these parents' experiences. They are not a representative sample of everyone who uses the family courts. All quotes are anonymous.

If you or your children are in danger, call 999.

How to cite this research

Frolo (2026). Family court survey: what 101 parents told us. Survey of 101 UK parents. frolo.com

Frolo is the community app for single parents. Read more of what our community has told us.