Professor Anne Barlow
Professor of Family Law and Policy, Socio-Legal Researcher, and Innovator in Family Justice Reform
Professor Anne Barlow is an internationally recognised expert in family law and policy, renowned for her socio-legal research on family justice, cohabitation, and the impact of law on family relationships. She is Professor of Family Law and Policy at the University of Exeter and has advised government bodies, law reform agencies, and non-governmental organisations on improving outcomes for separating families.
Anne’s pioneering research has influenced major policy developments in England and Wales, including reforms to cohabitation rights, mediation practices, and child-focused dispute resolution. Her work consistently bridges the gap between academic insight and practical innovation, ensuring that law evolves in ways that genuinely serve families and children.
A frequent speaker at international conferences and a mentor to emerging scholars, Anne is committed to reshaping family justice through evidence, compassion, and collaboration
Day 2 - Professor Anne Barlow & Dr Jan Ewing | Plenary
"It’s a Way of Looking at Things”: Embedding Children’s Meaningful Participation in Decision-Making When Parents Separate
Who it will interest
Family lawyers, mediators, judges, CAFCASS professionals, social workers, policymakers and academics
What this session is about
Children’s participation is now a central principle of family justice, yet what constitutes meaningful participation in practice remains contested. In this session, Professor Anne Barlow and Dr Jan Ewing will explore what UNCRC Article 12-compliant participation entails, the barriers to achieving it and the structural and cultural reforms necessary to embed participation meaningfully into decision-making (both in and out of court) when parents separate.
Drawing on socio-legal research and practice, they explore children’s experiences and outcomes when their voices are genuinely heard and considered seriously within decision-making. The session examines the risks of tokenistic engagement with children, providing evidence-based recommendations on embedding participation safely to ensure that children capable of expressing a view have their rights and perspectives given due weight in decisions made when parents separate.
Key themes
Meaningful participation versus procedural listening
Why ‘voice’ is not enough
Evidence from socio-legal research and professional practice
What delegates will gain
A greater understanding of the international and domestic requirements to facilitate children’s meaningful participation in decision-making
A clearer framework for understanding child participation
Greater confidence in developing child-inclusive practice
Research-led guidance to support professional judgment
How it connects to other sessions
This session sits at the centre of Day Two, acting as a conceptual anchor for the programme. It draws together Professor Ben Hine’s psychological analysis of child behaviour, Katy Harris’s applied child-inclusive mediation practice and Penny Ruth Willis’s adult-led NVR response, clarifying what safe child-inclusive practice looks like and how to embed it into practice.