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<table><tbody><tr><td><p>The number of unrepresented parties in private law Children
Act case starts are shown in the table below: <table><tbody><tr><td colspan="7"><p><strong>Table
1:</strong> Annual number of private law cases starting in Family Courts in England
and Wales from 2014 to 2018 in which both, one or neither party had legal representation</p></td></tr><tr><td
rowspan="2"><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td rowspan="2"><p><strong>Total number
of cases started</strong></p></td><td colspan="3"><p><strong>Parties with legal representation</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Both applicant and respondent</p></td><td><p>Either
applicant or respondent</p></td><td><p>Neither applicant nor respondent</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p><strong>
42,114 </strong></p></td><td><p>7,424</p></td><td><p>18,630</p></td><td><p>16,060</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p><strong>
43,347 </strong></p></td><td><p>7,654</p></td><td><p>18,500</p></td><td><p>17,193</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p><strong>
48,246 </strong></p></td><td><p>8,262</p></td><td><p>20,048</p></td><td><p>19,936</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017</p></td><td><p><strong>
50,652 </strong></p></td><td><p>8,303</p></td><td><p>20,497</p></td><td><p>21,852</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018</p></td><td><p><strong>
51,672 </strong></p></td><td><p>8,561</p></td><td><p>20,346</p></td><td><p>22,765</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Notes:</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td
colspan="7"><p>1) An applicant party is considered 'represented' if at least one applicant
has a recorded representative. Likewise for respondents.</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="7"><p>2)
Parties in private law cases are usually the parents or people with parental responsibility
for the child/children involved. Others, including grandparents and carers, can apply
after gaining permission from the court.</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="7"><p>3) Private
law adoptions are not included</p></td></tr></tbody></table>Since 2015, we have invested
almost £6.5million in a support strategy for unrepresented parties. This provides
practical support and information as well as routes to free or more affordable legal
advice. Public funding remains available for parents in public law Children Act proceedings
where a local authority seeks an order to place a child in care or under its supervision,
and in private law Children Act cases where there is evidence of domestic or child
abuse.<table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table></p></td></tr></tbody></table>
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