The representation of children and their parents in public law proceedings since the Children Act 1989: high hopes and lost opportunities?

The Children Act 1989 revolutionised the way in which care proceedings were conducted. Gone were the rudimentary procedures of the old system, where parents and children had limited access to independent representation. Instead, the Act enabled the local authority, parents and children to be equally represented and for evidence to be presented in an open and accessible manner. The changes were widely welcomed and hailed as the most significant reform of children's law for decades. Drawing on academic, legal and policy literature, this article examines the changing nature and context for the representation of children and parents over the past two decades. While there have been developments that have strengthened the representation of children and parents, it is argued that more recent changes, including increased bureaucracy and the introduction of the Public Law Outline, may well have the effect of subverting the system introduced by the Children Act 1989 and of returning matters to the inadequate pre‐existing system.