One of the advantages (and frustrations) of being a barrister is that you get to look at a case through fresh eyes. You can when reading court papers, and for me this relates to private law children's cases, see where the court process has gone so horribly wrong. Where from an initial court application days have become weeks and indeed years. Where a misstep (not necessarily intentional) has brought about a situation where a child has been unable to see a parent for years. The court is then often focussing on delay (brought about by the inadequacy of the court process, exacerbated by the Pandemic) and the conflict of whether it's in the child's interest to actually attempt to rebuild the relationship with the child (after such a period of no contact). That this itself may in the short term be too harmful for the child. I know what the case law says about the importance of both parents. It's very clear and correct. Yet still too many children aren't having relationships with one parent (where it is safe to do so) through no fault of their own. Be it the delay in the court process, a short term view of emotional harm or the lack of legal representation. I fear we are creating many, many issues for our future.