Children going through family courts face increased risk of self‑harm, new research finds

We analysed anonymised family court records alongside routinely collected health data for more than 700,000 children between 2011 and 2018. Around 17,000 had been involved in private cases – usually disputes over finances or living arrangements after separation. Another 5,500 were involved in public cases, where local authorities step in over concerns about a child’s welfare. The risk of self-harm was about twice as high after private cases and more than three times as high after public ones