@tbij.bsky.social doing the right thing. We are no longer posting on X

NEW: Six years ago today a boy was removed from his mother's care by the family court and banned from seeing her following the evidence of an unregulated psychologist. Now they will spend Christmas together after his successful legal bid to the high court. tinyurl.com/4suja87n

A boy taken away from his mother on the advice of unregulated psychologist Melanie Gill has won the right to spend Christmas with her for the first time in six years More incredible impact from @tbij.bsky.social's @hansummers.bsky.social www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

But we want to empower more journalists to do this kind of reporting That’s why we launched a mentoring programme this year This is just one of the projects you could support us in funding 👉 bit.ly/TBIJ-big-give

Family court cases have the potential to change lives – and yet investment in court reporting has significantly dropped We’re filling the gaps left behind by other newsrooms

These are just a few examples of the reporting we’ve done recently, thanks to your support We’ve now launched another crowdfunder – and for this week only all donations we receive via the Big Give platform will be doubled at no extra cost to you 👉https://bit.ly/TBIJ-big-give

We believe good journalism should be accessible to everyone – so we don’t put our investigations behind paywalls or fill our website with ads But our resources are limited and we need your support That's why today we’re launching our Big Give Christmas crowdfunder

Huge congrats to the inimitable @hansummers.bsky.social and @louisetickle.bsky.social for winning - and I was stoked to get a special mention for my “totally gripping” investigation into Enough - the tech start up targeting rape victims at university

Looking forward to this!

Tomorrow evening @lawforchange.uk has a reception in Parliament hosted by Andy Slaughter MP, joined by AG Richard Hermer and Minister Sarah Sackman. We are almost at our 200 capacity but if any friends on here want to join us, let me know today (preferably by email).

A very hard earned award. Well done @hansummers.bsky.social and @louisetickle.bsky.social

huge congratulations @louisetickle.bsky.social and @hansummers.bsky.social winners of Society of Editors awards - National Campaign of the Year for their work on transparency in family courts

many thanks to Chris Barnes for his speedy work on grappling with what can be learnt from this Review into the systemic problems - how was Sara Sharif's safety overlooked?

We’re thrilled to see @hansummers.bsky.social and @louisetickle.bsky.social recognised with Campaign of the Year! 👏 Their work to ensure greater transparency in the family courts is a vital step towards accountability and justice for victim-survivors. #MFA2025

Massive congratulations to @tbij.bsky.social's family court reporter @hansummers.bsky.social who, alongside @louisetickle.bsky.social, won Campaign of the Year at last night's Society of Editors Media Freedom Awards. Hugely well-deserved

✏️ BEST INVESTIGATION Congratulations to the writers of our shortlisted pieces: @sianushka.bsky.social @hansummers.bsky.social @louisetickle.bsky.social @lydmorrish.bsky.social @cahalmilmo.bsky.social and Mark Wilding

[email protected]'s brilliant family court reporter @hansummers.bsky.social's ongoing investigation into unregulated experts and parental alienation has made a spread in today's @dailymail.co.uk

Climate journalists in Europe and North America often write about the forest as a resource, or something that can be quantified But what if the forest is your home or a part of you? For our first Cop30 story, we spoke to 100 Indigenous people from the world’s tropical forests

The Justice Committee will question the President of the Family Division and the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales during an evidence session in Parliament today (from 2.30pm) examining reform of the Family Court. tinyurl.com/bdztpks8

On Saturday, a woman of Punjabi heritage was raped in a racist attack in Walsall. Last month, a Sikh woman was raped in a racist attack in Oldbury. These horrifying attacks show how racism and misogyny feed each other — fuelled by the rise of fascism and hate.

The removal of children on the advice of unregulated experts instructed by the family courts is a “national scandal”, the incoming victims' commissioner @ldnvictimscomm.bsky.social has told @tbij.bsky.social. She is calling for an urgent review of all Melanie Gill's cases. 🧵 tinyurl.com/bp9smemn

NEW: A mother has won a landmark legal bid to overturn the evidence of a psychologist which led to her kids being removed. For the last 5yrs she has only seen them twice a month under strict supervision based on Melanie Gill's advice to a family judge. 🧵 tinyurl.com/4z2cm2m4

The presumption of parental involvement has harmed children for too long. We spoke to @hansummers.bsky.social explaining it “embeds the pro-contact culture in the family court - it dilutes the court’s ability to focus on the welfare of children." www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

we're reading this important report but meanwhile here's a good summary and comment @hansummers.bsky.social @tbij.bsky.social Family courts’ failure to tackle domestic abuse laid out in… | TBIJ share.google/aB3C8u5X94Hx...

Family courts’ failure to tackle domestic abuse laid out in damning new report New by @hansummers.bsky.social for @tbij.bsky.social www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

This is one of the obstacles workers face when trying to get the money awarded to them by employment tribunals. Our investigation found that directors shut down companies & open them up again to avoid paying tribunal awards. @georgemonbiot.bsky.social www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

Thousands of workers who have fought hard to win employment tribunals are never being paid the money that rogue bosses owe them, with no consequences for bosses but a huge impact on them. Privileged to be working on this project with the brilliant @mellino.bsky.social and team at @tbij.bsky.social

I've written something about England, flags and someone who took a stand against the sort of hate and ignorance which resurfaced across the country this summer

Turn up to court, judge starts to hear the case I’m interested in, staff have forgotten to unlock the doors. Been a while since this happened… #SecretJustice

The Observer has made cuts to casual shifts amidst a drop in pages for the Sunday title

NEW: A parliamentary group taking money from a state-owned Israeli arms company has closed down whilst being investigated Story by TBIJ and Democracy For Sale (@petergeoghegan.bsky.social) www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism has launched its first Family Court Mentoring Programme giving reporters the opportunity to be mentored by Hannah Summers (the UK's first full-time family court reporter). Apply here. www.thebureauinvestigates.com/blog/2025-09...

We did it!! Thank you so much to every single person who donated, your generosity will genuinely keep me going next week ❤️ (And there’s still time to donate if you missed it - every penny helps) www.justgiving.com/page/eve-liv...

📢 Mentoring: At @tbij.bsky.social we are launching a mentorship programme open to both staff and freelance journalists interested in gaining experience and guidance on reporting on the family courts. Full details here 👉 tinyurl.com/42xdkk5b

If you missed it last night, worth catching up with the ITV documentary featuring former MP Kate Kniveton talking about her family court ordeal. A judge made 14 findings including rape against her abusive ex - former Tory minister, Andrew Griffiths. Our @tbij.bsky.social report: tinyurl.com/yckyaszb

Finally read - A LA v X & Y and Others (No4: Welfare and reporting of judgments) [2025] EWFC 126 🤯 Unimaginable cruelty from wealthy professionals who knew the impact of their actions. Abhorrent case. Amazing work from the press.

Thanks @theguardian.com for partnering with us @tbij.bsky.social on my latest family court story. These parents - whose adopted sons were subjected to physical, emotional & racial abuse - applied to exclude me from court to prevent me making arguments for naming them in the public interest.

NEW: A teacher physically assaulted and racially abused their adopted children while their partner - a barrister and family court judge - failed to protect them. Yet the high court has ruled they cannot be named despite a legal bid led by @tbij.bsky.social 🧵 tinyurl.com/56vxe44z

A mother whose rape allegation was wrongly dismissed by the family court has won a High Court bid to write and speak publicly about her ordeal, using an alias. The judge ruled her rights to tell her story in her own words were 'weighty and important'. shorturl.at/zJQmu

I am working with @mellino.bsky.social to uncover the many injustices workers are facing going through employment tribunals. Please help share our callout with your networks (available Polish, Portuguese Punjabi - Gurmukhi or Shahmukhi, Spanish, Romanian and Urdu) ⬇️

NEW: Unregulated experts could be banned from the family courts under newly proposed rules for cases involving children. However, some organisations have told @tbij.bsky.social that the proposal, which is out for public consultation, does not go far enough. 👇 tinyurl.com/2a82h7p8

Here’s to the magnificent Chris Barnes-named as @thetimes.com “Lawyer of The Week’ for his superb work,initially pro bono,on behalf of @louisetickle.bsky.social @hansummers.bsky.social in the CA Sherif decision. Bravo 🙌

One of the most difficult questions facing a family court judge is which parent should have custody of a child. But what happens when the objectivity of independent experts – which judges rely on to provide an impartial voice – is questioned? 🎧: lnk.to/ILzLjvBS @tbij.bsky.social

'The judge lost sight of the importance of press scrutiny to the integrity of the justice system.' | Great summary of the Court of Appeal judgment from last week which includes statement from @louisetickle.bsky.social and I.

An undercover investigation from @tbij.bsky.social and @tortoisemedia.bsky.social reveals the biases of psychologist Melanie Gill whose advice to judges been pivotal in the removal of children from mothers accused of parental alienation. @louisetickle.bsky.social and I report: tinyurl.com/ysczjepx

NEW: 'Watershed moment for family justice' | From today journalists will be able to report what they observe in family courts across England & Wales following the roll out of new rules tested under a reporting pilot to improve transparency. tinyurl.com/4r7646m2

In today's @observeruk.bsky.social @louisetickle.bsky.social and I write about how our challenge to the ban on naming judges was not about shaming individuals - but rather the wider principle that those who exercise state power need to be known. tinyurl.com/4u4ajanh

Well done @louisetickle.bsky.social and @hansummers.bsky.social

A ban on the naming of judges in the historic family proceedings relating to Sara Sharif will be lifted next week after an appeal brought by @louisetickle.bsky.social and me was allowed on all three grounds. Huge thanks to our barrister, Chris Barnes. Details here: 👉 tinyurl.com/yv6cf7ut